Kidepo Valley National Park lies in the rugged valleys of northeastern Uganda, between the borders of South Sudan and Kenya. At 1,442 square kilometres it is largely semi arid savannah, framed by mountains including Mount Morungole at 2,750 metres. It is one of the most remote parks in Africa, and also one of the most beautiful in Uganda.
The journey is rewarded with wildlife found nowhere else in the country, including cheetahs, aardwolves, bat eared foxes, caracals and lesser kudu. Kidepo has 75 mammal species in all, among them elephants, buffalo, zebras, giraffes, jackals, leopards, wild dogs, hyenas and lions, and Nile crocodiles live in the Kidepo and Narus rivers. Because so few people visit, the animals are relaxed and often wander close to camp. The park also records 470 bird species, including the ostrich.
Red thorn acacia, desert date, sausage trees and fan palms dot the plains, along with the Borassus palm, whose fruit is a favourite of elephants and local people alike. Two communities live in the area: the pastoral Karamojong, who have much in common with the Maasai of Kenya, and the Ik, a small hunter gatherer people of fewer than 10,000 who live on Mount Morungole.
Wide savannah and dozens of mammal species make for active game viewing, with lions on the plains and sometimes resting in fig trees, and buffalo herds in their hundreds in the dry season.
Hot springs beside the Kidepo River, an area favoured by ostriches and a rewarding detour on a game drive.
On foot with a ranger, you see the park’s striking scenery up close, with excellent chances for wilderness photography.
A Uganda gorilla trekking itinerary built around permit logistics, practical lodge access, and enough structure to make quoting easier for first-time primate travelers.
The dry season from September to February is best, especially December to February, when animals gather near water. From November to January you may see some of the largest buffalo herds in Africa. Days can reach 40°C and nights fall to about 17°C.
Uganda
national park
Park entry and activity fees are confirmed in your quotation. The park is open 24 hours a day and lies about 520 kilometres from Kampala, around ten hours by road.
A Uganda route combining gorilla permits with classic wildlife sections, positioned to show clear value across transfer style and lodge level.
A Uganda route combining gorilla permits with classic wildlife sections, positioned to show clear value across transfer style and lodge level.