Activities to do during safaris in Kidepo national park

Activities To Do During Safaris In Kidepo National Park : Kidepo national park is located in the north eastern part of Uganda and is a remote wildlife viewing destination.

There are various activities which are carried out during safaris around Kidepo valley national park which include the following;

Game drives

The popular way of exploring Kidepo national park during wildlife safaris is game drives which are carried out in the morning and afternoon.

Game drives in Kidepo national park are carried out in 4×4 safari vehicles with pop up roof from which tourists can enjoy spotting the various wildlife species such as elephants, zebras, buffalos, lions, giraffes, hartebeests, klipspringers, reedbucks, kudu, elands, oribi, dik dik among others.

 Ranger guides accompany tourists during these game drives in Kidepo national park which can also be done for a full day. Morning game drives in the national park start as early as 06:00 am when the wildlife species are very active in the savannah plains making them easier to spot.

Afternoon game drives in Kidepo national park start around 02:00 pm after a lunch break.

Guided nature walks

Another activity which is carried out during safaris in Kidepo national park is guided nature walks during which tourists can explore the national park on foot.

Nature walks in Kidepo national park are led by ranger guides who are knowledgeable about the different paths to take during the walks around the wilderness of the park. The activity takes place around areas such as the Naurus valley which is a place where many wildlife species such as buffalos, zebras, giraffes, waterbucks, giraffes among others can be spotted.

Other places where guided nature walks take place during safaris in Uganda include the savannah plains around the national park and also in areas such as the Mount Morungole. The starting point of these nature walks when visiting Kidepo national park is at the Apoka tourism office.

These nature walks can also take place in the morning and also in the afternoon during safaris in Kidepo national park.

Hiking

Hiking is another activity which is carried out during tours around Kidepo national park which is known for its scenic landscape.

The locations where hiking is done in Kidepo valley national park is around Mount Moroto and also Mount Morungole. Tourists can enjoy beautiful views after hiking to the top of the mountains during safaris in the national park.

Bird watching

There are different bird species found in Kidepo valley national park which can be seen throughout the year around the destination.

Kidepo national park is home to over 475 bird species which include ostriches, Yellow necked Spurfowl, White Bellied Bustard, Secretary birds, Kori Bustard, Abyssinian ground Hornbill, Speckle fronted Weaver, African grey Flycatcher, Brown Backed Woodpecker, Grey Crowned Crane, Karamoja Apalis among others.

The national park is also considered one of the best bird watching areas in Uganda with endemic bird species as well as savannah birds and also different migratory bird species.

Community tours

Safaris in Kidepo national park also involve taking part in community tours which involve interacting with different locals around the destination such as the Ik tribe and also the Karamojong people who are known for their unique culture and way of life.

The community tours with the Karamojong people involve visiting the homesteads, enjoying a warm welcome by traditional dance performed by the local men and women dressed in their traditional attire, visiting the kraals where tourists see the livestock kept by the Karamojong, learning about the local jewelry including the beaded necklaces and bracelets among others.

Visiting the Ik people is another cultural experience which takes place during tours in Kidepo national park. The Ik people live on Mount Morungole and to visit them, tourists hike to the top of the mountain and get to visit the homesteads and enjoy interacting with the locals.

Best time to engage in activities in Kidepo national park

Activities carried out during safaris around Kidepo national park can be done in the different months of the year including the dry season and also in the rainy season.

Safaris in the dry season in Kidepo national park

The dry season which takes place around January and February and also around June, July, August and September is considered the best time for wildlife viewing around Kidepo national park.

 This is because the conditions of seeing the wildlife species during the dry season in Kidepo national park are favorable including the roads being easy to navigate.

The vegetation is also scarce during the dry season making wildlife species easy to spot during game drives and other activities around Kidepo national park. The dry season is also part of the high season when many tourists visit Uganda for wildlife safaris.

Safaris in the rainy season in Kidepo national park

The rainy season in Kidepo national park is also another time of the year when safaris can be done. The months of the year when rain is received at the destination include March, April and May and also around November.

Wildlife viewing in Kidepo national park is a little difficult when rains are received around the national park because the roads get muddy and sometimes safari vehicles can get stuck in the mud when searching for the wildlife species around the different wildlife viewing tracks in the park. However due to the few tourist numbers in the rain season which is also the low season, tourists can also visit the park during this time of the year.

Bird watching is among the activities which are best done during the rainy season in Kidepo national park. It is a time of the year when migratory bird species can be spotted around the national park during birding excursions.

How to get to Kidepo valley national park

Kidepo national park can be accessed by road and also by flight during safaris in Uganda.

The drive from Kampala to Kidepo valley national park takes about 10 hours and another way to get there is by flying from Entebbe international airport to Apoka airstrip. These flights can be booked through domestic airlines such as Aerolink which offers flights to the national park.