Kidepo national park has opened up as Africa’s new frontier in safari tourism and is fast becoming a preferred destination for many tourists planning to go on an African safari especially Uganda wildlife safaris and cultural tours.
The park is home to some of Africa’s big five and other rare wildlife and birds. Below here is a classification of what is conserved and what you will see on a safari in Uganda visiting Kidepo National Park;
African Bush Elephant; its scientific name is (Loxodonta Africana) and it is the largest and heaviest land animal on earth with a height of 13ft at the shoulder and weighing 10.4 tonnes.
The African Elephant is one of the big five that many look forward to seeing on a safari in Uganda and you can find many of them in the Narus valley of Kidepo national park so it is one of the common animals in Kidepo.
Buffalo; the African Buffalo, also commonly referred to as the Cape buffalo (Syncerus caffer), is a large African bovine but slightly smaller than the wild water buffalo.
Although it looks like a cow, it is never domesticated because of its unpredictable nature and it is regarded as a very dangerous animal because buffaloes are responsible for over 200 human deaths every year.
The buffalo’s horns are its distinctive characteristic; it had fused bases which is a continuous bone shield referred to as a “boss”! They are also part of the big five and you will find herds of them in Kidepo national park on a Uganda safari. They are also part of the common animals in Kidepo.
Ostrich; the Ostrich is the largest species of any bird and it is native to Africa. It is distinctive in its appearance with a long neck and legs. It is flightless and can run up to 70km/h making it the fastest bird on land. Given its size, the Ostrich lays the biggest egg of all birds.
The Ostrich is one of the common animals in Kidepo National park and you can look forward to seeing it while on your safari in Uganda. There many more interesting animals in Kidepo including among others, the list below;
– Zebras (common sight)
– Lions (occasional)
– Leopards (occasional)
– Cheetahs (occasional)
– Striped Hyenas (occasional)
– Rothschild’s giraffe (rare)
APoka Tourism Centre
Kidepo is pristine wilderness of opulent green valleys, dramatic mountain ranges, spectacular night skies and amazing sunrises. Kidepo National park is 1442km2 and lies between 915m and 2750m above sea level. The Apoka is the tourist Centre of the park; ranger guides accompany holidaymakers on game drives and walks.
Tourists that don’t come with their means of transport hire park trucks. Craft shops with books and souvenirs, packed water, sodas and alcoholic beverages can also be purchased here.
Food is prepared on request and cooking gas as well as utensils can be hired by individuals who desire to cook for themselves.
Kanangorok Hot Springs. This area is nearer to the south Sudan border. The Kanangorok Hot Springs are situated 11kmsafar the Kidepo River on the Sudan border. This is a pleasant and picturesque place with good view of the mountains beyond the frontier.
On the topography of the Kidepo valley, dispersed with palms and acacia thorns, are the Kanangorok hot springs, These hot springs are considered among the best gifts of Mother Nature in Kidepo National Park and because of that, for anyone a safari in Uganda this is a must visit destination.
But bear in mind that there isn’t any road or demarcated path to these hot springs. You have to move through grassy terrain small footpaths covered by overgrown bushes plus grass
The water is heated deep within the earth and come out as crystal clear carbonated water that is famous for their mineral content and legendary healing powers.
The Kanangorok hot springs, which flows between rocks, looks over the grassy plains that are dotted with large rocky outcrops and lying between steep-rocky piles with the peak ridges of Natera hill, Napore range and Taan hill.
Just a couple of meters to the hot springs you will see two rocks that appear to be confronting each other; very stunning! The springs are fairly shallow, so you will be able to see the clean rocks beneath.
The water is hot enough to warm food to a considerable temperature. The water is assumed to reach a temperature of 50°C and flow at a rate of 1L per second.
The water of these hot springs is also considered to have healing power, and because of that you may occasionally find some local people bathing around this place as a form of ‘spiritual cleansing’ and ‘healing’.