Game Drive in Kidepo National Park
Game drive in kidepo Valley National Park; Game driving in Kidepo is one of the main key activities in this savannah game park -Kidepo National Park. Game drives in Kidepo National Park can be done in two sessions morning and evening game drives. Therefore, they are divided into Night game drives and normal daytime game drives.
Game Drive – Morning Session
Kidepo Valley National Park is ranked as an untouched wilderness to tourists who prefer game viewing, however, the park is also boosted as Uganda’s top tourist destination that inhabits a diversity of wild animal species. Kidepo National Park has got two remarkable places for game drives; Narus Valley and Kidepo Valley.
Narus valley is vast savanna grassland rolling plain amongst distant views of mountains and hills. More so, the place is rewarded with a permanent water hole that supplies water from the Narus River which attracts a high population of wild animals in the valley all year around. Animals to adventure in Narus while on game drive includes; elephants, buffaloes, Uganda kobs, giraffes, water backs, lions, and hippos among others. Unlike Kidepo Valley which attracts less concentration of animals given its dry nature, however, driving through the Kidepo Valley is rewarding while exploring the dry Kidepo with a white sand bed.
While enjoying game drives in the Kidepo Valley for wildlife expect to sightsee Ostriches and take a visit to the hot springs – Kanangorok hot springs which lie about 11 meters over the Kidepo river on the South Sudan border. The most sought species by tourists are the Cheetahs and the Ostrich bird species with are the perfect animals to see out when they visit the park. Another list of animals to encounter while on a game drive in kidepo Valley National Park includes; Kangoni Zebras, hyenas, Eland, Lions, Leopards, elephants, warthogs, bush duiker, jackals, bush back, buffaloes, and a lion among others.
Night Game Drive
Kidepo National Park offers a remarkable night game drive which is a highlight activity on a safari trip and a sunset way of ending your day in the park. Tourists are recommended to use a 4×4 safari van for you to be greatly exposed to the nocturnal animals. Some of the animals that visitors search for in Narus Valley while on a night game drive in the park like; Cheetah, Guenther’s dik-dik, Reedbuck many more. Get ready to view predators such as lions, and leopards feeding on their hunt to prey, others can be spotted lying on the rocks in Narus valley. Travelers interested in the night game drive adventure, we recommend you during your game drive go with a park ranger guide with you as well as strong lighting touch that bring out your light in the darkness. Engaging in a night game drive safari in Kidepo National Park you will truly enjoy the amazing sounds of animals like the hyenas.
Despite this, Kidepo National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that sounds like a truly unmatched wilderness that covers an area of about 1,442 square kilometers in the Karamoja region in northeast Uganda, that transected by the outstanding places Kidepo and Narus rivers. The park was established in 1958 and is under the management of ‘’UWA’’ Uganda Wildlife Authority. More so, Kidepo Valley National Park is found in the Kaabong district in the northeastern corner of Uganda, approximately 220 kilometers by road northwest of Moroto and it estimates 520 kilometers by road from northeast of Kampala –Uganda’s capital and largest city ‘’10 to 12 hours’’ drive to access the park. The best option to travel to the park is to travel by domestic flight Aerolink or Bar Aviation to Lomej Airstrip takes 1:45 hours to land.
Kidepo National Park is home to over 86 mammal species including cheetah, leopard, wild dog, elephants, giraffe, zebra, African buffalo, bat-eared foxes, Rothschild’s giraffe, spotted hyena, lion, and leopards among others. The park is also renowned as the paradise of birds that hosts over 500 bird species.
Apart from engaging in a game drive, you can take part in other activities; Visit Karamojong Community, Visit the IK tribe –climbing Mount Morungole, Guided nature walks, and Birdwatching among others. The best time to enjoy this wonderful activity is all year round this is because the park is located in a semi-arid area that receives less rainfall.
Where to stay on a visit to Kidepo Valley –Activities, attraction
Kidepo Valley National Park boasts excellent accommodation facilities that range from Luxury, Mid ranges and Budget that includes; Apoka Safari Lodge, Kidepo Savannah Lodge, and UWA Bandas among others.
