Distance from Kampala to Kidepo Valley National Park : Kidepo Valley national park is Uganda’s most beautiful, remote and least explored park however those that take trouble to visit the park, are rewarded with phenomenal wildlife sightings and a level of exclusivity that can rarely be had at any cost in neighboring countries, for Kidepo park is ranked among Africa’s top finest wildernesses. Kidepo national park is located in Karenga Sub County in Kaabong district in the Northern East corner of Uganda’s border with Kenya and Sudan. It covers an area of 1,442 square kilometres in Karamoja region and rugged savannah dominated by Mount Morungole with an altitude of 2,750 meters above sea level, transected by Kidepo and Narus Rivers. Kidepo national park is the most isolated of all Uganda national parks with Africa’s finest wilderness with savannah landscape extending far beyond the gazetted area towards horizons outlined by distant mountain ranges.
Initially before Kidepo national park was gazetted as a game reserve by the British colonial government in 1958 and later as a national park in 1962, it was occupied by the local Karamojong people called Dodoth who practiced pastoralism. It so happened that the park had fruit trees that would fall off the trees when ripe and the local people would enter the park to pick up the fruits. Kidepo as a name comes from a Dodoth word that means “to pick up”, so every time someone describes where another would be, the white man would mispronounce the word kidep to Kidepo, hence the name Kidepo national park.
Kidepo national park is a semi-arid region with relatively no rains in most months of the year. It has only 2 rainy seasons with very light drops of rain, annually rainfall amounts to approximately 890 mm with temperature ranges of about 12 to 34 degrees Celsius. However, its best advised to visit the park during the dry months of January, February, March and December given the still poorly developed transport to the park though weather conditions keep fluctuating during the year. During the night, the park tends to be very cold so tourists are advised to include both warm and light clothes when visiting the park. The wet months include; April May, June, October and November. Therefore, the best time to visit Kidepo Valley national park is during the dry seasons when the animals can much easier be seen around the various water places.
Road distance from Kampala to Kidepo national park
The Distance from Kampala to Kidepo Valley National Park is measured from the Capital of Uganda. Kidepo Valley National Park is referred to as the furthest Uganda safari national park from Kampala which is the capital city of the Uganda. Most tours to Kidepo Valley National Park start from Entebbe International Airport for tourists arriving on international commercial flights and from Kampala.
Below are some of the reasons why many people are interested in knowing the distance from Kampala to Kidepo before they decide to choose to visit the park. The distance here is going to include drive time by road and flight time for charter flights to the park.
Road Distance from Kampala to Kidepo Valley National Park
For a road drive to Kidepo Valley National Park be ready to wake up early and start the drive. The road drive starts by about 6:00 am in the morning leaving Kampala and driving via Bombo road.
The drive takes you out of the city through different towns with sceneries from plantations as you go past people going about their daily lives.
After about 2.5 hours in a distance approximately 190 kilometres you will spot the branch off-road that heads to Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary. This is the only rhino sanctuary in the country where the rhinos are found after they were reintroduced into the country.
In about 5 minutes you may have a break at the Kabalega Dinners hotel along the roadside, you have breakfast in case you did not before leaving Kampala. Have breakfast, leg stretch, and use the washrooms before continuing with the drive.
Continue with the road drive northwards going past Murchison Falls national park which is the largest national park in Uganda. Drive past the scenic Karuma Falls and sight one of the beautiful falls formed by the Nile River. Continue with the drive till Gulu town, one of the cities in northern Uganda. Have a lunch break of about one hour
From Gulu city, continue with the drive till Kitgum town. From Kitgum town, you may have to refill your car with fuel before continuing to Kidepo. From Kitgum, you then branch off to the route that heads to Kidepo.
This is where the whole wilderness experience starts from as you drive through a rough road past several farmlands and houses constructed in the local materials.
The road is dusty during the dry season and can get very muddy during the rainy season. From Kitgum, it is about 154 km to reach Kidepo Valley National Park as you have great scenery towards the best African wilderness.
Drive and branch off on the left on Karenga road then continue to Kaabong, a place where many common weavers’ bird species can be spotted. Arrive at the park gate where you will check-in and then get into the park in the evening, this may probably be at around 6:00 pm.
If you are going to stay at either Kidepo Savannah Lodge or Ngamoru’ wilderness camp, then you will not enter into the park but continue to the lodge just at the park entrance. For those with booked accommodation from within the park, then you will continue on a drive that lasts about 1 hour.
During the drive, you see several wildlife species including buffaloes, zebras, and antelopes. Arrive and check-in at the hotel in the park.
The total distance from Kampala to Kidepo Valley National Park is approximately 410 km by road.
Flight time from Entebbe to Kidepo Airstrip
Reaching Kidepo by flight, tourists can book charter flights from either Entebbe International Airport or Kajjansi airstrip in Kampala to Kidepo airstrip.
Flights by Aerolink Uganda from Entebbe to Kidepo depart at 1230 and arrives at 1445 and the return schedule flight departs from 1500 to 1630. This flight time is 2 hours and 15 minutes.
Kidepo Valley National Park is one of the best places for Uganda wildlife safaris and though the distance seems to be too long for a road drive, it is worth the experience.
Other tours that can be undertaken in the country include Uganda gorilla safaris, birding, chimpanzee trekking, and several adventure trips.
