Routes to Kidepo valley national park

Routes to Kidepo valley national park

Routes to Kidepo valley national park: The national park is located in north eastern part of Uganda in Kaabong district in the remote area of Karamoja region. Kidepo national park was listed the second most beautiful national park in Africa by CNN Travel due to its charming landscape, unique wildlife including the big four out of the big five mammals which include the elephants, buffaloes, lions and leopards plus other animals like Jackson’s hartebeest, oribi, Rothschild giraffe, zebras, waterbucks, bohor reed buck, eland, Uganda kob, greater and lesser kudu, bushbuck, aardwolf, caracal, jackal, klipspringer, bat eared fox, bush duiker, hyenas, bird species like red winged lark, little weaver, pygmy falcon, little green bee-eater, superb starling, ostrich, Jackson’s hornbill, eastern pale chanting go shawk, four banded sand grouse, black headed plover, Kori bustard, crowned sparrow weaver, African swallow tailed kite, yellow billed shrike, yellow necked spur fowl, singing bush lark among others.

Routes to Kidepo valley national park

The national park is located in the northeastern part of Uganda and can be reached by both air and road transport means

Road transport, when using road transport, you can either go on a self-drive using your personal car, company vehicle or public means. There are various routes that you can use when using road transport which include

Eastern route to the park through Karamoja region

When using this route you will drive from Kampala via Mbale, Nakapiripirit, Moroto, Kotido, Kaabong and then to the park headquarters. This route covers about 740kilometres which is about 12 hours’ drive and you can have stopovers at Sipi falls and an overnight in Kotido town to cut the journey short and continue to the park the next morning.
Another eastern route is driving from Kampala via Mbale, Soroti, Moroto, Kotido, Kaabong and then to the park. This is a longer route in that it covers about 792 kilometers and takes about 13 hours’ drive. When using this route you can have an overnight in one of the towns like Kotido to cut on the journey and proceed the next morning.

Western route to Kidepo valley national park via Murchison falls national park

When using the western route you will drive from Kampala via Karuma, Lira, Kotido, Kaabong and then to Kidepo valley national park which is 705 kilometers and takes about 12 hours’ drive. When using this route you can have a stopover at Ziwa rhino sanctuary for rhino tracking and an overnight in Kotido town and then continue to the park the following day.
There is also another route which is the most used route from Kampala via Karuma, Gulu, Kitgum and then to Kidepo valley national park. This route covers 571 kilometers, takes about 10 hours’ drive and visitors who use this route can also have a stopover at Karuma falls, Ziwa rhino sanctuary and Murchison falls national park which is the largest and most visited national park in Uganda. Visitors using this route can have an overnight in Kitgum town to cut on the journey and continue to the park the next morning.

Kidepo valley national park is located in a remote and isolated area therefore visitors using road transport will travel long distances though it will be worth it in that they will have great scenic views along the way such as Karuma falls, wildlife in Murchison falls national park, homesteads of the local people, landscapes, hills among others.

Kidepo valley national park can also be accessed by public means of transport in that there are buses which travel daily, therefore you can board a bus from Kampala via Mbale, Nakapiripiri to Moroto which takes 6 hours or from Kampala via Mbale, Soroti to Moroto which takes about 8 hours’ drive and then hire a private taxi to the park headquarters.

You can also board a bus from Kampala via Jinja, Mbale, Soroti to Moroto which takes about 12 hours’ drive, board from Kampala via Jinja Mbale, Soroti to Kotido which takes about 14 hours’ drive or board from Kampala via Jinja, Mbale, Soroti, Kotido to Kaabong which takes about 16 hours’ drive. Public means of transport is not recommended for visitors on a safari in Kidepo valley national park because it spends a lot of time on the road as it moves disembarking passengers in different towns and you can be cheated when hiring a private taxi to the park headquarters.

Kidepo valley national park can also be accessed by air transport means to make transportation fast and less tiresome due to its location. There are domestic companies like Aerolink Uganda limited which operate scheduled and chartered flights from Entebbe airport or Kajansi airfield to Kidepo airstrip. Flights to Kidepo valley national park are available every Wednesday, Friday, Sunday and they depart from Entebbe airport at 12:30pm and arrive at Kidepo airstrip at 14:45pm while the return flight departs Kidepo airstrip at 15:00pm and arrives at Entebbe airport at 16:30pm. Air transport is favorable for visitors who don’t like travelling long distance journeys. when booking a flight to Kidepo valley national park you can either book directly by contacting Aerolink offices through email or telephone calls or you can book through a tour operator like Achieve Global Safaris,

Kidepo valley national park offers interesting activities which you can engage in on your safari in Uganda such as game drive where you will view various animal species, night game drive to view nocturnal animals, nature walk where you will explore the park on foot as you enjoy the cool breeze and breath fresh air, birding where you will view bird species such as migratory, endemic bird species like the Kori bustard, ostrich among others. In order to access the park you have to pay park entrance fee which is $40 per person and last 24 hours.