KIDEPO
NATIONAL GAME PARK
Lying
in the rugged, semi-arid valleys of Karamoja province on the far
northern border with the Sudan, Kidepo Valley is Uganda's most
remote national park. Few undertake the pilgrimage to the park
but the spectacular beauty of this pristine wilderness impresses
all that make it. Kidepo is ideal for Uganda safaris featuring
wildlfe. For the visiting birder, Kidepo Valley National Park
boasts a bird list of over 475 species, a total second only to
Queen Elizabeth National Park. Amongst the host of dry, eastern
" specials" not found in any other Ugandan national
park are some of East Africa's rarest and most sought after birds
such as Black-breasted Barbet and Karamoja Apallis..
HIGHLIGHTS
ABOUT THE PARK
Birds Recorded: 475 species.
Timing March-April for all the specials and many transit migrants,
although good year - round.
Time required: 4-7 days
Province: Karamoja.
Elevation: 914m on Kidepo valley floor to 2749m a top Mount Morungole
Size: 1442 km 2
Habitat: Semi-desert scrub, open thorn-scrub, open thorn-bush,
long and short-grass open tree savannas, riparian woodland including
Borassus and Kigelia woodland, thick, "miombo- like"
woodland, montane forest and granite out-crops..
Status: National Park since 1954
Key Species of Birds
Eastern
Pale Chanting Goshawk, Yellow-necked Spurfowl, Kori, Ethiopian
Swallow, Pied, Isabelline and Heuglin's Wheaters, White-bellied
and Hartlaub's Bustards, Pygmy Falcon, Fox Kestrel, Stone Partridge,
Clapperton's and Heuglin's Francolins, Violet-tipped Courser,
Black-headed Plover, Four-banded Sand Grouse, Ostrich, African
Swallow-tailed Kite, Bruce's Green Pigeon, Rose-ringed Parakeet,
White-faced Scoops Owl, Slate-coloured Boubou, Fan-tailed Raven,
Long-tailed and Standard-winged Nightjars, Little Green Bee-eater,
Abyssinian and Rufous-crowned Rollers, Abyssinian Ground, Eastern
Yellow and Jackson's Hornbills, Red-fronted and Black-breasted
Barbets, Karamoja Apalis, White-bellied Tit ,Brown-backed Woodpecker,
Singing Bush lark, Red-winged Lark, African Grey Flycatcher, Foxy
and Red pate Cisticolas, , Mouse-coloured Penduline Tit, Northern
White-crowned and Yellow-billed Shrikes, Superb Starling, Red
billed Oxpecker, Eastern Violet backed, Pygmy and Beautiful Sunbirds,
Rufous and Chestnut Sparrow, Yellow-spotted Petronia, White-headed
and White-billed Buffalo Weavers, White-browed and Chestnut- crowned
Sparrow Weavers, Grey-capped Social and Speckle-fronted Weavers,
Green-winged, Orange-winged and Red-winged Pytilias, Black-bellied
and Black-faded Waxbill, Steel-blue and Strawtailed Whydahs, Brown-rumped
Bunting.
DIVERSITY
OF WILDLIFE IN KIDEPO NATIONAL GAME PARK
Kidepo has regestered over 80 species including 28 that are peculiar
to only and only kidepo in Uganda. Amongst these are such charismatic
African animals as Bat-eared Fox, Carcal, Cheetah and Klipspringer.
Unfortunately, Kidepo suffered the same fate as many other Ugandan
parks during the Amin era and is still recovering from years of
poaching that left game herds depleted. Striped Hyena, Lesser
Kudu, Grant's Gazelle and Beisa Oryx have not been seen at all
in recent times and are presumed to be locally extinct. Other
large mammals have shown a remarkable recovery and there are now
healthy population of Elephant, Common Zebra, Buffalo, and Kongoni.
Predators are plentiful and Spotted Hyena, Leopard and Lion are
frequently seen. Oribis is abundant in the Narus Valley, whilst
the dry thorn thickets in the north are home to Guenther's Dik
Dik. Senegal Galago and Sidestriped Jackal may be found in the
rest camp at night and White-tailed Mongoose is common but more
likely to be found on a night drive. The park also has a very
rich and diverse reptile fauna.
BIRD
WATCHING
The Apoka Rest Camp and Park Headquarters overlooking the shallow,
southern Narus Valley is a great spot to begin your Kidepo birding.
The attractive Silverbird and small bands of Yellow-billed Shrike
frequent the thorn trees around camp, as does a number of other
widespread species such as Vinaceous Dove, Hoopoe, Mosque Swallow,
Nubian Woodpecker, Ruppell's and Superb Starlings, Scarlet-chested
Sunbird, Little Weaver and Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu. A small permanent
water hole at the edge of camp attracts swallows and a variety
of seedeaters including Yellow-rumped Seedeater and is visited
at night by Four-banded Sandgrouse, Elephant, Buffalo and occasionally
Lion. Clapperton's Francolin, Black Coucal, African Moustached
and Broad-tailed Warblers, Marsh Tchagra and Crimson-rumped Waxbill
may be seen in the rank grass along the normally dry stream bed
adjacent to camp or along the track to Amok lodge.
ACCESS
Kidepo Valley National Park is accessible either by road or by
air. The most commonly driven route from Kampala is via Mbale,
Soroti and Moroto, an 840-km journey taking a minimum of 12 hours
and a sturdy 4WD to complete.