Karamoja safaris : The Karamoja region is located in the northeastern part of Uganda, and there are many places to visit and activities to do during safaris around the area.
Activities to do during Karamoja safaris
Different activities can take place during the Karamoja safaris and they include the following;
- Visiting Kidepo Valley National Park
Kidepo Valley National Park offers a variety of activities for tourists to do during their Karamoja safaris and this includes game drives, guided nature walks, interactions with the locals, bird watching and also hiking.
Game drives in Kidepo National Park involve exploring the wilderness in search of wildlife species such as lions, leopards, elephants, buffalos, giraffes, zebras, impalas, waterbucks, hyenas, warthogs, kudu, hartebeests, bushbucks among others and this activity can be done in the morning and afternoon hours.
Tourists can also enjoy guided nature walks through the savannah plains and remote areas of Kidepo National Park during safaris in Uganda and enjoy seeing wildlife species on foot while taking in the amazing views of the surroundings and getting close to nature.
Park entrance fee is charge for tourists during their visits to Kidepo Valley National Park which allows them into the destination so they can engage in different activities. This park entrance fee is 40 USD for foreign nonresidents, 30 USD for foreign residents and 20,000 Uganda shillings for East Africans.
- Visiting Pian Upe Wildlife Reserve
Another wildlife viewing destination where Karamoja safaris can be done is the Pian Upe Wildlife Reserve which is home to numerous wildlife species.
Visiting Pian Upe Wildlife Reserve offers an exciting and secluded wildlife safari experience around the destination which is home to animals such as giraffes and different antelope species such as kudu, impalas, waterbucks, Uganda kobs among others.
Different activities can also take place around the Pian Upe wildlife reserve including bird watching, guided nature walks, and wildlife viewing.
When visiting Pian Upe Wildlife Reserve, tourists are charged an entrance fee of 35 USD for foreign nonresidents, 25 USD for foreign residents, and 15,000 Uganda shillings for East African citizens.
- Cultural tours
Cultural tours around the Karamoja area are very exciting and there are different semi-nomadic tribes to interact with around the destination.
Tourists are accompanied by a local guide during these cultural tours because they are more knowledgeable about the culture and the locals are also familiar with the guides brining visitors into their homesteads.
Activities that tourists can enjoy during the cultural tours while on Karamoja safaris include engaging in traditional dance performances, visiting the local homesteads known as manyattas, interacting with the elders and listening to stories from the warriors, and also learning how to prepare food by the locals. Tourists can also learn about different customs and traditions of marriage and other cultural practices during the community tours.
- Hiking
Hiking is another exciting activity to do during Karamoja safaris and there are different destinations where the hikes are done such as Mount Moroto, Mount Morugole and in the surrounding hilly areas.
These hikes are done with local guides and can be done as part of a half-day excursion or full-day excursion. Tourists can also do 2 days hikes and spend a night camping on the mountain before descending.
From the different hiking locations like Mount Moroto, tourists can enjoy views of the plateau and the neighboring villages as well as Kidepo valley national park.
Attractions to visit during Karamoja safaris
There are a variety of attractions to visit during Karamoja safaris in Uganda and they include the following;
- Mount Moroto
Mount Moroto is among the hiking destinations found in the Karamoja area and it is at an altitude of 3083 meters.
The hiking experience on Mount Moroto can take about 2 to 3 days depending on the route used and the highest point on the mountain is Sokodek. Around the slopes of the mountains, tourists can interact with the local Tepeth tribe and get to know more about their culture and way of life.
- Kidepo valley
The Kidepo valley is home to numerous wildlife species which can be seen during tours around Kidepo national park.
- Pian Upe wildlife reserve
Another attraction found in the Karamoja region is the Pian Upe wildlife reserve where numerous wildlife and bird species can be seen during tours.
- Mount Morugole
Tourists can also hike on Mount Morugole which is at an altitude of 2749 meters during their Karamoja safaris.
On this mountain, the Ik tribe can be encountered during the safaris and tourists can get to know about their culture and way of life and enjoy traditional dances.
- Local villages
The Karamoja area is known for its unique culture such as the Karamojong people, the Ik tribe, the Dodoth, Tepeth among others.
Tourists can visit the local villages with a guide and interact with these locals during their safaris in the Karamoja area.
Best time for Karamoja safaris
The best time for Karamoja safaris is the dry season which makes it easy to drive from one location to another and it is also a good time of the year to see different wildlife species in the wildlife viewing destinations in the area.
The dry season is experienced from June to October and also December to February and despite the arid nature of the Karamoja area, rains are also received during some months of the year. However, driving around the region during the rainy season is difficult.
How to get to the Karamoja area
Tourists can access the Karamoja area using the eastern route and also using the northern route during safaris in Uganda. The drive along the northern route is done via the Kampala-Jinja-Mbale-Moroto-Kotido route which takes about 10 to 12 hours.
Another way to get to the Karamoja area for safari is by driving through northern Uganda using the Kampala-Gulu-Kaabong-Kotido route.
A faster way to access the Karamoja region during safaris in Uganda is to fly from Entebbe International Airport to Apoka airstrip in Kidepo national park and then drive to the neighboring districts.
