KIDEPO VALLEY NATIONAL PARK

Kidepo valley is one of Uganda’s most spectacular parks. This national park is 1,442 square kilometers. Kidepo harbors scenery that can not be found in any other parks in east Africa. Kidepo is tucked into the corner of Uganda’s boarder with Sudan and Kenya. This park offers breath-taking savannah and mountain landscapes, which end in a rugged horizon. Due to the climatic conditions in kidepo, there is somehow much flora which as a result has led to the coming up of a variety of animal species and most of these animals are found nowhere else in Ugandan parks.
There are many events that take place at kidepo national park.

Tree viewing and identification is one of the interesting tourist activities open tree savannah is the best description for the vegetation found in the park, and this varies much in structure and composition. Some of the hills are dominated by dry mountain forest, where as areas around the lorupei river support dense acacia geradi forest.

Animal viewing is yet another activity as Kidepo Park is considered to have a greater diversity of animal species is harbored in the Kidepo Park, than all the other parks in Uganda. In 1991, it was listed that the park has 80 species of mammals and 28 of them are not found any other park in Uganda. Carnivore species unique to kidepo and karamoja region include the bateared fox, stripped hyena, aardwolf, caracal, cheetah and hunting dog. Less common ungulates include the greater and lesser kudu, chandlers mountain reedbuck, klipspringer and dikidiki. The park also accommodates large ungulates like bush elephants, burchell’s zebra, bush pig, warthog, Rothschild giraffe, cape buffalo, eland, bushbuck, bush duiker, defassa, waterbuck, bohor reedbuck, Jackson’s hartebeest and oribi.

Primate viewing is also done at kidepo national park. The park accommodates five species of primates of which the kavirondo bush baby is endemic.

Visitors also have a chance of seeing the carnivores which include the lion, leopards, several small cats, spotted hyena, black-backed jackals and side-striped jackal.

Extensive avifauna which the park boasts of is interesting to most visitors, therefore makes their tour at kidepo very enjoyable. There are 465 species recorded of which 100 were not recorded anywhere else in the Ugandan parks. Of particular interest, the ostrich and the kori bustard are principally associated with this region.

Birding at kidepo is very enjoyable as the park is out standing for its birds of prey. There are 58 bird species of which 14 are believed to be to be endemic to kidepo and karamoja region. These birds include verreaux’s eagle, Egyptian vulture and pygmy falcon.
It is noted that there are four species of hornbills;
The red-billed, yellow-billed, and Jackson’s hornbills which are peculiar to kidepo, where as the giant Abyssinian ground hornbill is quite common, it can easily be found in other parks in Uganda.
However there has been no comprehensive survey in kidepo, which gives visitors a chance of adding to the current list, thus discovering new species.
Small hills, rocky out crops and inselbergs compose the landscape, and this help visitors obtain stunning views in all directions hence gives them chance to view what they would not on a flat area.

Guided walks at kidepo start from apoka. These are more enjoyable as they enable the visitors to view and quietly appreciate the peaceful atmosphere of the park and the beauty of mountain scenery. Native flora with many of the smaller creatures in the park is also of interest to the visitors and can be found at this point.
 
Wildlife at kidepo is more enjoyable especially during the dry season. Kidepo is the only park where visitors can view both the giraffe and the zebra. Most of the wildlife is concentrated within narus valley. Visitors may view a variety of wild life from the verandah of Apoka Rest Camp.
Other animals of interest include buffaloes, giraffes, and elephants.
Most of the game drive loops direct visitors to pride wildlife viewing locations in the narus valley.

Hiking is an interesting tourist activity that can be performed at Kidepo Park. 
Morungole Mountain is another place where hiking can be done; this mountain is just a few kilometers from the park headquarters.
There is also Lonyiri Mountain for hiking.

Splendid kidepo valley dominated by borassus palm forest can also be viewed by visitors.  Its wide riverbed is dry most of the time in the year. Most visitors enjoy picnic on the sand and the sound of the palm leaves in constant motion of the wind.

Kanangorok hot springs located 11 kms from kidepo river valley; also have an interesting view that visitors would spend their time on it.
The narus valley located in the south west of the park, the rugged napore-nyangea mountain range forms its western boundary. In the north east there are the lokayot hills separating it from the kidepo valley. to the north in the Sudan, are the lotukei mountains and the morungole range marks on the southern boundary of the park.

Traditional dancers can entertain visitors by dancing for them their local dances such as emuya dance of the napore and nyangea, ethnic groups and the Lara karaka and apiti dances of the Acholi. Interested visitors may be able to visit the karamajong homesteads called manyattas and probably kraals to see traditional customs, stools, spears, head dresses, knives, bows and arrows and jewelry, some of which may also be obtained from the park tourist office. The visit should be arranged two days before from the park headquarters or with Uganda wildlife authority in Kampala. Along moroto and soroti road visitors can have the best view of the steep volcano of alekilek  about mid way between Moroto and soroti.Visitors who take kotido – lira road enjoy the scenery of the labwor hills and particularly the massive and bare alerek  rock, about 55 kilometers from kotido. All through in karamoja, visitors will encounter colorful karimajong costumes by the karimajong women and men. This costume is similar to the Masai.

Accommodation and meals
The national park itself operates a self catering hostel that comprises of 14 bandas and each banda has 2 beds and beddings.
The hostel offers cooking facilities but does not prepare food for the visitors. This hostel may provide visitors with soft drinks like sodas but visitors are advised to carry enough food and drinks to take them through out the period they will spend there.
There is Apoka rest camp managed by Uganda Safari Company which is under construction, but when ready it will be different because it will provide both accommodation and meals.
The park has two do it yourself campsites. Tents or any other camping materials are not provided here. Though provision of water, fire wood, charcoal can be arranged.

Access
Visitors can either use the road or air transport to the park. Driving is more rewarding as the visitor is able to view many along the way as vast parts of Karamoja are scenic and total wilderness. Though a four wheel drive vehicle is highly recommended because sometimes the road conditions are difficult.
The road mainly in use is from Kotido to kaabong via kanawat and it is indicated in most maps. Visitors intending to visit Kidepo national park are advised to contact the Uganda wildlife authority whose offices are in Kampala.
Direct flights are being worked on by the civil aviation authority. They are planning to make Lomej an international airport this will permit visitors to fly in direct from other countries.
Currently there is a flight from Entebbe which takes about two hours. And chartered flights may be arranged with mission aviation fellowship, united airline, and eagle aviation.
Tour companies in Kampala can also help in the arrangement of the chartered flights.