Kidepo Valley National Park
Kidepo Valley National Park is a 1,442 square kilometres (557 sq mi) national park in the Karamoja region in northeast Uganda. Kidepo is rugged savannah, dominated by the 2,750 metres (9,020 ft) Mount Morungole and transected by the Kidepo and Narus rivers. The park is approximately 220 kilometres (140 mi), by road northwest of Moroto, the largest town in the sub-region. It is approximately 520 kilometres (320 mi), by road, northeast of Kampala, Uganda's capital and largest city.
Notable for its rugged mountain scenery and compelling wilderness atmosphere, KVNP also offers some exceptionally good game viewing, particularly in the Narus Valley with its dense populations of lions, buffaloes, elephants and many smaller ungulates. This park has always been defined as hard to reach, difficulty of reaching the park meant it attracted a low volume of tourists, but this has changed in recent years as a result of increased stability in northern Uganda, greatly improved approach roads, and the opening of several lodges. Even so, KVNP retains a genuinely off-the-beaten-track character by comparison with most other comparably wildlife-rich savannah reserves in East Africa.
Wildlife drives have an extensive network of tracks in the park, with the Narus Valley being a top target for wildlife. Lions are often spotted lazing in rocky outcrops and climbing the branches of fig trees. Also popular are the borassus palm forest and Kanangorok Hot Springs by the Kidepo River near the South Sudan border; which is also the habitat of ostriches. Nature Walks, a great option for wildlife viewing is to venture out on foot, accompanied by armed rangers.
We organise visits to Karamojong and Ik villages with hiking at Mt. Morungole, both memorable experiences allowing you to interact with these northeast tribal groups.