Kidepo Valley National Park

Pros & Cons

• Top wildlife-viewing in the Dry season
• Several species (including cheetah) that don't occur elsewhere in Uganda
• Excellent birding with many birds of prey
• Lots of wilderness appeal
• Growing number of accommodation options
• Spectacular views over the Narus Valley
• Very remote and relatively expensive

Wildlife

The park has a very impressive mammals list. Twenty species of predator are resident, and several don't exist in any other Ugandan park (including cheetah and black-backed jackal). Lion is common and leopard also occurs. Elephant, Burchell's zebra, buffalo and Rothschild's giraffe are all regularly seen, but black rhino has recently become extinct. Twelve antelope species are present – some of which don't occur anywhere else in the country.

• More about Kidepo's wildlife

Scenery

Two valleys (Kidepo Valley and Narus Valley) on either side of predominantly mountainous terrain dominate the park. There are wide, sweeping views of the Narus Valley from many vantage points. Open grassland is interspersed with acacia trees, desert dates and rocky outcrops.

Weather & Climate

Kidepo has a semi-arid climate that occasionally invites drought in the Dry season (September to March). Average afternoon temperatures sit around 29°C/84°F, except in the park’s higher-altitude areas where it gets colder. The Wet season lasts from April to August. In these months, keep one eye on the sky in the afternoon, when showers arrive like clockwork.

• More about the weather and climate

Best Time to Visit

Sunny days and thin vegetation make the Dry season (September to March) the best time to go wildlife watching in Kidepo. This is also when animals go searching for a dependable source of water. An advantage of exploring Kidepo when the rains come is that the dust and heat tend to get washed away, and the birding is better.

• More about the best time to visit

Want to Visit Kidepo Valley NP?

• Kidepo Valley safaris and tours
• Tour operators for Kidepo Valley