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Kidepo Valley Accommodation |
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Kidepo Valley
National Park/Kidepo National Park/kidepo Lodges
Kidepo
Valley National Park (Kidepo National Park) is one of the most endowed of Ugandas’
National Parks.
A safari to Kidepo Valley is a whole cultural experience as one
learns. Our safaris include visits to Karamoja cultural Kraals
and homesteads-Manyattas.
Kidepo
Valley National Park
(Kidepo National Park) is located at the North Eastern tip of Karamoja
Province bordering Kenya to the East and Sudan to North. Kidepo
Valley is Uganda's most remote national park.
With 475 species of birds, Kidepo Valley in an
ornithologist’s paradise.
Access to Kidepo Valley National Park
Two
routes are
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Kampala
–Mbale-Soroti-Moroto to Kidepo (840Km takes 12 Hrs in
a
4 WD vehicle
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Kampala-Mbale-Sironko-Kotido-Kidepo
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The
best option is to fly into Lamoj near the park headquarters from
Entebbe.
Altitude:
Kidepo Valley National Park lies at an altitude of 914m on Kidepo
valley floor to 2749m a top Mount Morungole.
Size: Kidepo National Park occupies an area of 1442 km Sq. and was gazetted a
national park in 1954.
Activities: Game
drives, cultural visits to kraals and karamojong homesteads called
Manyatas. View the rolling savannah grasslands. Nature walks.
Habitats: Kidepo Valley has a diversity of habitats-semi-desert scrub,
open thorn-scrub, open thorn-bush, long and short-grass open tree
savannas, riparian woodland including Borassus and Kigelia woodland,
thick, "miombo- like" woodland, montane forest and granite
out-crops. This makes among the best places to watch birds in Uganda
after Queen Elizabeth National Park.
The best time to visit the park is between April and March.
WILDLIFE:
With
such diverse habitats, wildlife is profuse.
Mammals in Kidepo National Park:
80 species
of mammals have been recorded
in Kidepo Valley. These includes carnivores like
Bat-eared Fox, Striped Hyena, Aard Wolf, Caracal, Cheetah, Black
Backed and Side Stripped Jackals and Hunting dog. Tree climbing lions can be spoted at Narus valley or on rock
as you enter the park at Apoka Park Headquarter.
Ungulates
include, Greater and Lesser Kudu, Chandler’s mountain Reedbuck,
Klipspringer, Bright’s Gazelle; Beisa Oryx, Roan Anterlopes,
Elephant, Burchell's zebra, Bush pig, Warthog, Rothschild Giraffe,
Cape Buffalo, Eland, Bush Buck, Defassa Water Buck, Bohor’s Reed
Buck, Jackson’s Hartebeest and Oribi. Five species of primate are
found in the park of which the Kavirondo bush baby is endemic.
Bird
life in Kidepo Valley National Park:
Among
the 475 species recorded in Kidepo Valley are, Ostrich, African Swallow-tailed Kite,
Eastern Pale Chanting Goshawk, Pygmy Falcon, Fox Kestrel, Stone
Partridge, Clapperton's and Heuglin's Francolins, Yellow-necked
Spurfowl, Kori, White-bellied and Hartlaub's Bustards, Violet-tipped
Courser, Black-headed Plover, Four-banded Sand Grouse, Bruce's Green
Pigeon, Rose-ringed Parakeet, White-crested Turaco, White-bellied
Go-away bird, White-faced Scoops Owl, Long-tailed and
Standard-winged Nightjars, Little Green Bee-eater, Abyssinian and
Rufous-crowned Rollers, Abyssinian Ground, Eastern Yellow and
Jackson's Hornbills, Red-fronted and Black-breasted Barbets,
Brown-backed Woodpecker, Singing Bush lark, Red-winged Lark.
Hiking
,trekking and Scenery viewing in Kidepo National Park:
From
park headquarters one can hike to Lamoj. One can also enjoy the
splendid view of Kidepo River Valley dominated by Borassus palm
forest; You may also visit the Kanangorok Hot Springs.
Other
features are:
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The
Narus valley is situated in the South West of the park.
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The
rugged Napore-Nyagia mountain range that forms its western
boundary
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Natira
and Lokayot Hills
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Lotukei
mountains in the North (Sudan)
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Morungole
marks the southern border of the park.
Accommodation in Kidepo Valley National Park:
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Private
Apoka Lodge overlooks the Narus Valley has comfortable
rooms.
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National
Park Bandas at Apoka have beddings, mosquito nets, hot showers,
fresh drinking water and firewood provided. Bring all your own
food, you can be assisted to cook. Drinks are available from the
camp shop.
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Kakine
Campsite has drop toilet, fresh drinking water and firewood will
be brought to you. Bring your camping gear.
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Hotels
at Moroto can serve as a base to explore the park.
Due to periodic
poaching it
is recommended you be accompanied by rangers at all time you are
Kidepo Valley National park. This
can be arranged at Apoka headquarters.
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