Getting to Kidepo Valley National Park
Getting to Kidepo valley national park is quite easy whether by car or air and the best transport means is travelling by Air which takes a few hours to land within the park premises. Kidepo valley national park is positioned in the north-eastern Karamoja region of Uganda near the international borders of South Sudan and Kenya. It is approximately 600 kilometres from the northeast of Kampala – Uganda’s capital city.
However, it is truly amazing in such way that travellers get rewardable chance to explore the beauty of the countryside and very many other memorable sightings. Travellers on a visit to Uganda in Kidepo valley national park can get to the park by either Air or Road but the best option is to travel by Air because it is fast to get to park’s activities in time, comfortably but expensive.
Road Routes Getting to Kidepo valley national park
Getting to kidepo valley national park, one can use several routes which include;
Kampala-Karuma–Gulu –Kitgum-kidepo – 571km takes, 10 hours: Among the several routes used to reach to kidepo valley national park, this is the shortest and the most commonly used route for travellers who like travelling by road on their visit to Kidepo valley national park. This route its large part of the road is smooth tarmac and the travellers have a high chance of stopping on the way and trek Rhinos at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary in Nakasongola before Karuma. This route passes through on some edges of Murchison falls national park and many travellers who visit kidepo valley national park usually combine a tour into this stunning amazing Murchison falls national park. However, travellers in order to balance travel on this route should break travel for a night in Gulu town or Kitgum town both have developed accommodation facilities and from here it takes 2 hours’ drive close if the plan to explore the park was organised in the morning hours.
Kampala-Karuma-Lira-Kotido –Kaabong –Kidepo = 705km – 12 hours: This is the second optional road route but not commonly used, the road from Kampala to karuma is in good condition of tarmac, karuma to Lira is old tarmac with holes then onwards it around 300 km are partly tarmac and dirt. The travellers use this route also have an opportunity of trekking Rhinos at Ziwa Rhino sanctuary along their way to kidepo valley national park. To note that the road passes on the edges of the largest and oldest Uganda national park famously known as Murchison falls national park and travellers with enough time usually plan an itinerary combined journey into two astounding tourism destinations. The interesting attractions along this route stop from karuma junction because the turn increases the travel distance for no particular reason of tourism interest.
Kampala–Mbale-Sironko-Moroto-Kotido-Kaabong-Kidepo = 740KM – 12hours: This is also another route famously for travellers seeking to explore the African wilderness and Authentic African lifestyle which is absolutely excellent for your holiday experience, the African way of lifestyle have been existing for years. Along this route, there are various tourist attraction when you decide to break the road travel. In spite the fact that this route takes to Eastern direction of Uganda from Kampala, the route passes through Mabira forest where you can view green environment with rolling trees continue to cross the gorgeous River Nile at Jinja town. Travellers can have high opportunity to tour lake Victoria the largest lake in Africa and also explore the largest River in the world ‘’source of the Nile’ ’.From here proceed to Sironko town, where you break off a few kilometres on Mbale –Soroti road .Along your way travellers can be able to hike to the sipi falls in Sironko, a hike which is full of the exciting and amazing experience of body fitness while the travellers explore life in the countryside touring a coffee plantation, panoramic view of lakes, mountain Elgon, meet the local people and get interacted with them. Interestingly, this route offers a high number of attractions where the traveller can get an opportunity to encounter Matheniko and Bookrack wildlife reserves and also to wander into the wilderness and through gaining in the breath-taking landscape in the virgin territory. Travellers who use this route opt to spend their night in Kapchorwa town or Moroto town.
Kampala-Mbale-Soroti-Moroto-Kotido-Kaabong-Kidepo=792Km – 13 hours: This route uses Eastern direction from Kampala which divides Mabira rainforest and crosses the most interesting bridge on the Nile before getting to the developed and the busiest town of Jinja known as the most outstanding Uganda’s industrial and tourism city in the country. On your way visitors can have a stopover in Jinja to explore the source of the Nile from here you continue travelling since this route offers a lot of unique attractions, visitors can still tour the Nyero rock in Kumi town and adventure the authentic African lifestyle. Although this route the roads are in poor condition, there is a plan of road construction made to upgrade the road from Soroti to Moroto from poor condition to tarmac. For first overnight stay travellers who tend to use this route can spend their night along with travel in Kumi and Soroti town.
Travel by Air: In general, flights between parks are often scheduled by the help of tour operator who arranges for travellers the pick-up from the airport or your hotel in most cases. To enter Uganda by Air, the only way is Entebbe International park ‘’EBB’’ which is so close to Entebbe town approximately 46km from Uganda’ capital city ‘’Kampala. To note, Entebbe Airport is the originating place for a domestic flight that flies to kidepo valley national park and other small Airfields are just close to the Airport. Such as Aero link which carries a minimum of four passengers and flies to all Uganda’s national park, Fly Uganda it offers a sitting configuration and applicable for daily flights to all Uganda’s protected national park.
In order for a tour operator to start your flight arrangement, it needs one to send in your personal information like scanned passports and VISA requirements to verify your identity.
Flights which fly to kidepo valley national park initiates from Entebbe International Airport or Kajjasi Airfield which are located 46 kilometres away from Kampala capital city. The most used flight to access Kidepo valley national park is called Aero link Uganda limited, which is an Air travel company privately owned. Aero link is also a domestic aircraft that operates mostly to Uganda’s National parks as a schedule and charter flight from Entebbe Airport to Lomej Airstrip in Apoka tourism zone on Wednesdays, Friday and Sundays departing at 12hours and 30 minutes and arrives kidepo at 14:45 hours. Fly Uganda and Eagle Aviation are also other private air transport companies that offers scheduled flights to lomej Airstrip. These domestic flights are faster, offering comfortable seats with legroom and gives great view of birding on Uganda’s tourism destination. The body that governs all domestic and non-domestic flights popularly known as Civil Aviation Authority which has a feature plan to upgrade Lomej airstrip to an international airport in order to handle international flights to visitors who wonders in a true African wilderness.
