Kidepo Valley National Park is one of Uganda’s major national parks. This unique wildlife habitat is located in North Eastern Uganda and it’s the largest savanna woodland game park in the country. The park lies in the present Kaabong district. Its known to many as the true African wilderness because being there gives a feel of being in the real Africa. A visit to Kidepo Valley National park feels you with the real atmosphere of the African jungle / wilderness.
Kidepo valley national park is among the greatly blessed and diversified national parks in Uganda mainly comprising of a semi arid climate with an oases where green thrives through out the year attracting a number of wild animals in the park especially herbivores. It’s the most isolated national park but offers exclusive and exceptional wildlife and cultural experiences. It is a home to a diverse wildlife species including the big five; lions, leopards, elephants, and buffalos which leaves many referring to it as “The true African Wilderness”.
The parks is Africa’s magnificent adventure destination boasting with over 89 wild mammals awaiting for any safari encounter. Among the mammals include the Rothschild’s giraffes, buffalos, elephants, Burshell’s zebras, Elands, Kobs, Klipspringers, Jackson’s Hartebeests, Oribi, Bohor Reedbucks, wild cats including Lions, Leopards, cheaters, Hyena, striped jackals. Herds of several mammals can be seen wandering across all directions of the park as well some species are endemic to the park in Uganda including Cheetah, Elands and Kudu, and white eared kobs can been sighted crossing from south Sudan.
With presence of the sausage trees, the valleys, palms trees, all these can feed and accommodate over 100 bird species which can be recorded among which include the most stunning Ostriches, Pygmy falcon, Vereaux’s, Eagle, Egyptian Vulture, Secretary bird, Little Green Bee-eater, Kori bustard, Karamoja Apalis among many others of which over 14 species are known to be endemic to kidepo and Karamoja region.
The Kidepo Valley National Park contains one of the most exciting faunas of any Uganda’s national park with 80 different species of mammals, several of which are (in Uganda) restricted to the Kidepo and Karamoja region.
Wildlife in Kidepo Valley National Park: Kidepo Valley National Park (KVNP) is without doubt one of most diverse savanna Uganda National Park, boasting of about 80 distinct species of mammals, 28 of which are don’t exist in any of parks in the country. The interesting mammal species that unique to Karamoja region and they range within the Kidepo Valley National Park include Aardwolves, Stripped Hyenas, Caracals, Cheetahs, Hunting Dogs & Bat eared fox.
Of the 80 mammalian species with around 28 of them being not found in any other Ugandan National park. These include Carcal, Bat-eared Fox, Klipspringers, and Cheetahs. Other mammals include Elephants, Common Zebras, Buffaloes, Bohor Reedbucks, Waterbucks and Kongoni, Spotted Hyenas, Leopards and Lions, Oribis, Guenther’s Dik Dik, Senegal Galagos, Side striped Jackals among others.
Carnivores
Among the carnivore species unique to KVNP are the bat-eared fox, striped hyena, aardwolf, caracal, wild dog, and cheetah. Other carnivores which are found in KVNP are: lion, leopard, serval, spotted hyena, and all 3 species of jackal.
Localized carnivores include the bat-eared fox, striped hyena, aardwolf, caracal and cheetah. Other carnivores present are lion, leopard, and spotted hyena. And black-backed and side-striped jackal.
Ungulates
There are also diverse ungulate species living in the different habitats of Kidepo National Park. Unique ungulates in Kidepo are the greater and lesser kudu, chandler’s mountain reed buck, klipspringer, dikdik, and Bright’s gazelle. Other large ungulates found in KVNP include: elephant, a possible new sub specie of the Burchell’s zebra known as the “mane-less zebra”, bush pig, warthog, giraffe, perhaps the largest single herd of cape buffalo in the world (over 2,000), eland, bushbuck, bush duiker, defassa waterbuck, bohor reedbuck, Jackson’s hartebeest, and oribi. Kidepo harbors five species of primate, including the Kavirondo bush baby which is not found in any other Ugandan park.
Less common ungulates include the greater and lesser kudu, Chandlers Mountain reedbuck, klipspringer and Guenther’s dikdik. Other large ungulates include elephant, Burchell’s zebra, bush pig, warthog, Rothschild’s giraffe, Cape buffalo, eland, bushbuck, bush duiker, Defassa waterbuck, Bohor reedbuck, Jackson’s hartebeest and oribi.
Primates
Five species of primates are found in the park including the endemic Kavirondo bush baby. Kidepo’s unique primate species are also among the exceptional wildlife species residing within the Kidepo Valley National Park and they can clearly be spotted while on a Uganda safari holiday. Kidepo’s unique primate not to miss catching a glimpse include the Kavirondo bush baby, Patas monkeys.
Reptiles
The park protects a significant population of Crocodiles, small size measuring up to 2.5m by length unlike the notable Nile Crocodiles which stretch 4m.
Common Animals Spotted in the Park
The commonly spotted wildlife in Kidepo Valley National Park on Uganda safaris include Zebras, Rothschild giraffes, Elephants, Elands, Oribis, Lions, Buffaloes, Jackson’s Hartebeest, Black backed & side backed jackal, Leopards, Spotted Hyenas, Reedbucks, Duikers, Kobs, Waterbucks.
Kidepo Valley National Park is notably Africa’s best safari park with huge Buffalo herds. The must visit game viewing sites in Kidepo include among others Narus Valley and Apoka Tourism Centre.
When is the Best Time to visit Kidepo National Park for game viewing
The best time to consider visiting Kidepo Valley National Park (KVNP) for wildlife/game viewing is often during the dry season. The best drier months therefore are December, January, February/September, October November. It is during the drier months of the year when Uganda safari holidaymakers can clearly sight a range of wildlife as they gather at small oasis to drink water.
During the wet/rainy season, there is heavy rainfall and majority of wildlife in Kidepo Valley National Park move to higher ground making it hard to find them while on game drive. This often occurs during the wet months of the year that is in April, May, July to August.
Where to See Wildlife
Kidepo has two valleys that Kidepo valley and the Narus valley that have dictated habits for wildlife in the park. Narus valley is seen hosting the highest concentration of fauna as well the kidepo valley has competed to sheltering quit a number of mammals and birds. The two river valleys during the dry season they dry out and the little remain in the valleys which attract as much animals to draw their attention close to these valleys. And off the rainy season grasses tend to dry out exposing the sandy whitish view at the banks of the rivers and it’s a great deal for broader view.