Kidepo valley national park 1442 sq km is Uganda’s most remote and isolated protected area found in the far North east bordering Kenya and South Sudan. The sparsely populated semi arid Karamoja land with difficult roads make it one of the least visited park in Uganda yet it is one of the most alluring destination in the Country boasting a strong wilderness atmosphere, rugged mountain scenery and exceptional game viewing and bird watching.
The highest point in the park is 2797m on Mt Lutoke and the lowest point is in the Kidepo in the North east at 914m. Other higher points are at Mt. Morugole 2750m this terrain is also broken by the Narus valley in the south west of the park.
FLORA AND FAUNA:
The dominant habitat is open or lightly wooded savanah,interpersed with patches of montane forest, riparian woodland, Thick miombo woodland, Borassus palm and rocky koppies. 77 mammals are listed and 463 birds’ species with about 60 species recorded nowhere else in Uganda. Five primates including the localized Patas monkey.
The predators are well represented with 20 species resident in the park.The black –backed Jackal, Bat eared fox,Aardwolf, Cheetah and Caracal are found in no other park in Uganda- other predators include; lions, leopard, spotted hyenas, mongoose, Genets, and small cats. Localized antelopes like greater kudu, lesser kudu, Guenther’s dik dik, mountain reed buck are some of Kidepo’ specials. Large mammals like Elephants, Buffalos, burchell’s zebra , giraffe are quite common.
AVI FAUNA:
Out of the 463 birds species listed some of the Kipedo special include; Ostric, kori bustard, fox and white eyed kestrel, carmine, little green, and red throated bee eaters, Abyssinian scimitar bill, Abyssinian roller, Karamoja apalis, White headed buffalo weaver, Northern brown bull, Golden pipit purple grenadier white bellied go away bird,black breasted barbet.
ACTIVITIES:
The park is surrounded by mountains but its area is dominated by broad valleys of Kidepo river in the North and the popular Narus river in the south.