Updated
Kidepo Valley National Park, in Uganda’s far north-east on the borders with South Sudan and Kenya, is the country’s most remote and arguably most beautiful park: about 1,440 km² of open savannah valleys ringed by rugged mountains. It is the only park in Uganda with cheetahs, and also has lions, leopards, elephants, large buffalo herds, Rothschild’s giraffe, zebra, eland and ostriches, plus dry-country birds found nowhere else in the country. Few visitors make the journey, so game drives are wonderfully quiet.
The landscape
The park has two main valleys. The Narus Valley in the south-west holds water through most of the year and attracts most of the wildlife, so most game drives happen here, near the park headquarters at Apoka. The Kidepo Valley to the north-east is drier, with sand rivers lined by borassus palms and the Kanangorok hot springs near the South Sudan border. Mountains such as Morungole, home to the Ik people, frame the views.
Wildlife and birds
Besides cheetahs and lions, which often rest on rocky outcrops, Kidepo has species rarely seen elsewhere in Uganda, such as striped hyena, bat-eared fox, aardwolf and caracal, and occasional wild dogs. Buffalo herds can number hundreds. Over 470 bird species have been recorded, including the Karamoja apalis, kori bustard, secretary bird, Abyssinian ground hornbill and ostrich. See our guide to safari animals in Uganda.
Getting there and staying
By road, Kidepo is about 10–12 hours from Kampala via Gulu and Kitgum, best broken overnight. Scheduled and charter flights land at the airstrip near Apoka, taking about two to three hours from Entebbe, and scheduled flights only run on certain days. Accommodation ranges from park bandas to an upmarket lodge and mid-range camps. The dry season, roughly from November to March, concentrates animals around water. See our guide to where to stay in Kidepo.
Culture and combining with gorillas
Visits to Karamojong homesteads and hikes to Ik villages on Morungole add a cultural side, arranged with community guides. Kidepo is at the opposite end of the country from the gorillas, so most visitors fly between them on longer trips; the gorilla permit costs US$800, or US$600 in April, May and November. See our guides to Karamojong culture and an 11-day safari with Kidepo.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, for its scenery, cheetahs and very few other visitors.
By light aircraft from Entebbe, or 10–12 hours by road from Kampala.
Yes, it is the only park in Uganda where cheetahs are found.
The dry season, roughly November to March.
