Kidepo Valley National Park is situation in north Eastern Uganda. It’s a savanna park with lots of wildlife and suitable for game drives. It’s one of the largest savanna parks in Uganda and related to Murchison Falls National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Lake Mburo National Park and so on.
Kidepo Valley National Park is situated in semi- arid region which receives much sunshine and hotness in most of the months. Its one of the parks which are found far a way from Kampala and if you are on tight schedule, you can get charter flight from Entebbe to Apoka Air strip and if you are not rushing, you can reach the park by road. From Kampala to Kidepo National Park is 583 km. It takes approximately 9h 35m to drive.
SEASONS IN KIDEPO VALLEY NATIONAL PARK: DRY SEASON, WET SEASON, PEAK & LOW SEASON
Dry Months in Kidepo valley National Park include: September, October, November, December, January and February are the driest, most humid and hottest months. In this season, the park experiences high temperatures, dust and low growth of vegetation. The park also experiences scarcity of water apart from the Narus Valley where animals go drinking water in oasis.
Wet season in Kidepo Valley National Park include: April, May and November. In this season, the park experiences rain and sometimes accessibility to the park becomes hectic so, we recommend to use 4×4 safari vehicles in wet season. In wet season, seasonal rivers resurrect and cut off some roads to hinder access to the park. The game drive trails become muddy and 2-wheel drive cars may not help much.
Dry & Wet Rainy Months, Very Good Time & Peak Season for Kidepo: July and August offer a mixture of dry and wet periods with high numbers of visitors into Kidepo.
Wet Rainy Months, Good Time & Mid-High Season for Kidepo: March and June are both rainy and peak periods with fewer numbers of tourists into Kidepo.
Wet Rainy Season, Least Good Time & Low Season for Kidepo: April and May. These months are also part of the lush green season.
Hot & Cool Months: There is only 1-4 Celsius degrees variation in temperature in between months at Kidepo. January and February are the hottest months with highs of 34 C (93 F) during the day and lows of 20 C (68 F) at night while June to August are the coolest months with highs of 29 C (84 F) during the day and lows of 16 C (61 F) at night. All other months have a range from 30 C (86 F) to 33 C (91 F) during the daytime while nighttime temperatures average from 17 C (62 F) to 19 C (66 F).
From March and April when the dry season transits to the wet season though the park offers excellent all-year round birding opportunities due to semi-arid ecology. It’s the best time to see the migratory birds in Kidepo Valley National Park.
In conclusion, Kidepo National Park is a true African Wilderness because it’s isolated in far north Eastern Uganda and in semi- arid area. It can however be visited throughout the year but ensures you use 4×4 wheel drive safari car in wet season.