Kidepo Valley National Park has arguably the most diverse fauna of any park in Uganda. All the Big Five are present, though rhinos are more easily seen at Ziwa Rhino and Wildlife Ranch, where they can be tracked on foot en route from the capital Kampala. Carnivores include lion, leopard, cheetah, spotted hyena, bat-eared fox, black-backed jackal and side-striped jackal. The park is home to a dozen antelope species, including Jackson’s hartebeest, oribi, eland, Uganda kob and klipspringer.
Wildlife Highlights
Kidepo can offer excellent elephant viewing, and you might encounter dust-kicking herds of up to 4,000 buffalo. Although there is no guarantee that you will spot leopard, lion and cheetah, all three are seen with some frequency. Localized dry-country species include caracal, aardwolf, greater kudu, lesser kudu, mountain reedbuck and Guenther’s dik-dik. Five primate species are present, most notably the ground-dwelling patas monkey. Lucky visitors might spot the endangered Rothschild’s giraffe or white-eared kob, the latter a wetland antelope more normally associated with South Sudan.
Best Time for Wildlife Viewing
The best time for wildlife viewing is during the Dry season (September to March). It is particularly good from November onwards, when animals gather around permanent water sources. In the Wet season (April to August), animals disperse from the valleys and move to higher ground, where they are more difficult to locate.
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