Wildlife in Kidepo Valley National Park – Safari Uganda
Wildlife in Kidepo Valley National Park; Kidepo is untouched safari destination, a home to over 86 mammal’s species including, lion, cheetah, leopards, elephants, giraffes, bat-eared foxes, Rothschild’s giraffes, wild dog, elephant, zebra, spotted hyenas, lion, African buffaloes and it is birding paradise with more than 500 species of birds such as Purple Heron, Eurasian Roller, Abyssinian Ground Hornbill, Clapper ton’s Francolin, Helmeted Guinea fowl among others. Kidepo Valley National Park is Uganda’s most spectacular and untouched safari destination on African continent, located in the northeastern part of Uganda bordered by Kenya and South Sudan.
Kidepo Valley national park lowland area covers 1,442 square kilometers and has an altitude ranging between 914meter and 2,750 meter. The park boosts with scenic scenery which is not found elsewhere in other parks found in East Africa. It also offers a semi-arid climate with one rainy season year in the months of April –September.
The park has two rivers that is Narus River and Kidepo River both are seasonal rivers. Thus means that in the dry season they dry out, as such the only water in the park is in the wetland and remnant pools along the Narus valley. Visit along Kidepo River in the dry season and enjoy its 50-meter bed of white sand between banks covered by borassus palm trees. During rainy season tourists get surprised to find heavily flowing rivers something unique setting and beach during the dry season.
Wildlife in Kidepo Valley National Park
Kidepo valley national park is one of the great location for wildlife viewing on Uganda wildlife Safaris Since the park hosts over 86 mammal species including Rothschild giraffes, elephants, Bur shell’s Zebra, Oribis, Cheetah, Lion, Hartebeest, Eland, Bohor Reedbuck, striped jackals, leopards and above all, Africa’s largest single herd of Cape buffaloes that are see roaming the grassland to extend in all directions towards distant ranges. Surprisingly, some of the species in this park are not found in other parks except in some game reserves such as Eland, Cheetahs and Kudu hence becoming an ideal safari destination on African continent. If you’re lucky ,you can sight see a white-eared kob from the neighboring South Sudan.
Best time for wildlife viewing starts from June to September and December to February when the park’s open savannah grassland is out of the water source.
Birds in Kidepo Valley national park
The park is a birder’s paradise that boosts with over 500 bird species equator number can only be spotted in Kidepo Valley national park and Karamoja region thus a place worth for bird lovers. So recommend bird lovers to always add safari to kidepo on their birding safari itinerary bucket. kidepo valley is open 24 hours and throughout the year for visitors, so underestimate to ask your recognized tour operator more details about wildlife safari to Kidepo Valley national park. Some of birds to encounter on your safari such as White bellied go-away bird, Pygmy falcon, Red-throated bee eater, Rose-ringed parakeet, Northern carmine bee-eater, Purple grenadier, Karamoja Apalis, Jackson’s hornbill, Golden pipit, Fox kestrel, D’Arnaud’s barbet, Chestnut weaver, Abyssinian roller, Abyssinian scimitar bill ,Black-breasted barbet among others .The migratory bird species are present from the month of November to April.
Best Time to Do Birding
The birdlife in Kidepo is all year around but the best rewardable sights starts from March to April during this period, you’re able to spot special species and many migrants. November to February has the least rain same as June to August. Though rain shouldn’t be too much of a problem in this area of semi-arid part of the country. Migratory bird’s species are commonly see from November to April. The wildlife viewing is best at the end of the dry season November to February.
Accessibility to Kidepo Valley National Park
Travelling to Kidepo by car is the most rewarding as you move along country sides, different vegetation cover and tribal lands. The journey seems to be tiresome but worth it than traveling by air transport.
By air; You can book a scheduled or chartered flight from Entebbe International Airport to Kidepo National Park at Lomej airstrip.
Kidepo Valley National Park Lodge and Camps
The park has classic safari accommodation where visitors can stay during their visit to the park such as Apoka Safari Lodge, Apoka Rest Camp, Kidepo Savannah Lodge, Kidepo Savannah Lodge, Adere Safari Lodge among others.
