Things to do in Kidepo Valley National Park.
Things to do in Kidepo Valley National Park: Kidepo Valley National Park is one of the best safari destinations in Uganda that provides a true African wilderness experience, away from the crowds. It is located in the semi-arid region of Karamoja, bordering Kenya to the east and South Sudan to the northeast. It’s the third largest national park in the country, spanning an area of about 1,442 square kilometers. Kidepo Valley National Park was gazetted in 1962 as a national park after Uganda gained its independence to protect the big game that existed by then. The park is celebrated for hosting the common Ostriches and the highest number of buffalo in the country, up to 10,000 individuals.
It is surrounded by two communities, the Ik people and the Karamojong, both of which have unique lifestyles. Kidepo has unique ecosystems that support the park’s rich biodiversity, such as wetlands, acacia woodlands, savannah grasslands, and riverine forests. It hosts up to 79 mammal species, including lions, elephants, leopards, caracals, kudus, hyenas, zebras, elands, cheetah and more. It’s also home to over 480 bird species, like water birds, savannah birds, the park’s endemic species and migratory birds. It offers various activities that travellers can enjoy while in the park.
Things to do in Kidepo Valley National Park.
Game Drives.
Game drives in Kidepo National Park give travellers a chance to explore the vast savannah grasslands and the breathtaking views of the park. These are best done in the morning, evening and night hours when animals are most active. The morning game drives allow visitors to see early risers wandering around the park or gazing, the evening game drives provide chances of spotting animals while they are concluding their day and night game drives are best for seeing nocturnal animals, like leopards, hyenas, bush babies and more. Depending on what visitors decide to do, all provide equal opportunities of exploring the vast savannah grasslands and the park’s breathtaking views. Participants will see various birds and animals, including cheetahs, caracals, warthogs, zebras, giraffes, elands, buffalo, elephants, lions, kudus, Uganda Kobs, Lesser Moorhen, Gray Crowned-Crane, Black Crowned-Crane, Senegal Thick-knee, Water Thick-knee, Spotted Thick-knee, Pied Avocet and more.
Bird Watching.
Bird watching is one of the top things to do in Kidepo Valley National Park, which attract ornithologists and bird lovers to indulge themselves in over 480 bird species that call this park home. This is a guided activity led by an experienced park birder who identifies and give more insights about the bird species that they encounter in the park. Birding is best done in the evening or morning hours when birds are most active. Bird lovers will encounter various bird species, such as Crested Francolin, Abyssinian Ground-Hornbill, Crowned Hornbill, African Gray Hornbill, Jackson’s Hornbill, Northern Red-billed Hornbill, Olive Bee-eater, Common Reed Warbler, White-throated Bee-eater, White-faced Whistling-Duck. Secretary Birds, Northern Camine bee-eaters, Abyssinian Scimitarbill, Purple Heron, Clapperton’s Francolin, Fulvous Whistling-Duck, Egyptian Goose, Garganey, Ring-necked Francolin, Orange River Francolin, Blue Quail, Harlequin Quail, Common Quail, Clapperton’s Spurfowl, Red-necked Spurfowl, Yellow-necked Spurfowl, Speckled Pigeon, Mourning Collared-Dove, Lemon Dove, Dusky Turtle-Dove, Emerald-spotted Wood-Dove, Vinaceous Dove, Laughing Dove, Ring-necked Dove, Black-billed Wood-Dove, Namaqua Dove, Blue-spotted Wood-Dove, Little Swift, Common Swift, Horus Swift, African Palm Swift, Buff-spotted Flufftail, White-spotted Flufftail, African Rail, Lesser Moorhen.
Nature Walks.
Nature walks in Kidepo National Park are among the best activities that give visitors an opportunity to explore the park’s unique biodiversity on foot. It starts with a briefing at the park’s office about the rules and regulations of the activity and meeting the assigned game ranger. It’s a guided activity led by an armed ranger guide who protects visitors and a park guide who gives more information about the wildlife and bird species that they may find. Nature walks are best done during morning or evening hours when temperatures are cooler. The park has various sites where nature walks are done like areas around Apoka Rest Camp, Narus Valley, Kidepo Valley and more. Visitors will see different plant and tree species, birds, animals like zebras, elands, buffaloes, elephants, giraffes, and more.
Cultural Experiences.
Cultural experiences are among the most sought -after things to do in Kidepo Valley National Park by most travellers visiting the park. The park is surrounded by two unique tribes, the Ik people, which is a small hunter-gatherer tribe living in the mountains bordering Kenya, whose traditions are under a threat and the Karamojong, a semi- nomadic pastoralist group and their tribe, the Maasai, in Kenya, known for their cattle keeping traditions. Visiting these communities gives travellers a chance to learn more about their traditions through storytelling, how they use traditional herbs to cure diseases, traditional dances and more.
