Can I fly to Kidepo valley national park?

Can I fly to Kidepo valley national park? Tourists planning to visit Kidepo valley national park in the northeastern part of the country can fly to the park taking a few hours compared to the whole day-long journey when you use road transport. The flights to Kidepo valley national park are done at any time of the year by different airline companies based in Kampala and Entebbe Africa adventure vacations organize fly-in safaris to Kidepo valley national park. All you need to tell us are the travel dates that you would want to visit Kidepo valley national park, send us the money and we book for you a ticket to the park, accommodation and much more.

What do you need to know about Kidepo valley national park?

Covering a total area of 1,442 sq. km, Kidepo valley national park is located in the rugged remote area of northeastern Uganda in the district of Kaabong. The park is covered by mostly savannah vegetation with one mountain Molongore, Narus valley, and Kidepo valley national park which is seasonal. Kidepo valley national park was gazetted in as a game reserve in 1958 and was officially opened as a national park in 1962 and as of today, the park is protecting over 85 mammals including the big 4 mammals, and also over 465 bird species. The park can be visited at any time of the year and can be accessed by both air transport and road transport.

Flights to Kidepo valley national park

Different airline operators are flying to Kidepo valley national park at the moment and the famous ones are AeroLink Uganda as well as Fly Uganda. These flights start from Entebbe international airport and Kajjansi airstrip and take you up to Kidepo valley national park. The flights operate three times a day on Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday, and that’s morning, mid-morning, and evening. Some flights have stopovers in Murchison falls national park the biggest and one of the most visited in the country. Flights to Kidepo valley national park carry only 4 passengers so this is where we advise you to book your flights in advance of 3-4 months.

When to book fly in safari to Kidepo valley national park?

Just like any other fly-in safari, you are required to book your fly-in safari to Kidepo valley national park in advance of 3-4 months so as to rest assured of your flight before arriving in the country. Africa Adventure Vacations organized flights to Kidepo valley national park so if you are intending to visit the park you can contact us so that we book for you the flight, transport as well as accommodation where you are to stay while at Kidepo valley national park.

Activities to do on fly in safari to Kidepo valley national park?

Game viewing

Wild animals in Kidepo valley national park are most active in the early morning and later afternoon and for this matter, it’s when the game drives are conducted. Located in the remote areas of the northeastern corner of Uganda, Kidepo valley national park is one of the national parks with the best game viewing safaris. Kidepo valley has a variety of wild animals and while on a game drive you have opportunities of seeing animals such as zebras, Uganda kobs, elephants, bat-eared foxes, waterbucks, wild dogs, elands, klipspringer, mountain reedbuck, Kangoni, lions, Jackson’s hartebeest, kudu, hippos, leopards, dik-dik, caracal, genet, oribis, and so many others. There are also night game viewing activities in Kidepo valley national park and these expose you to nocturnal animals in the Narus valley such as dik-dik, cheetah, Guenther’s, reedbuck, bush babies, hyenas, and lions among others.

Encountering birds

Kidepo valley national park in the remote areas of northeastern Uganda is a great bird-watching destination in Uganda with over 450 bird species that have so far been recorded by bird experts in the park. The park is mostly covered by savannah type of vegetation and while in this park the birders are able to view birds from a distance such as ostriches, African Moustached francolin, Dark chanting goshawk, Marsh Tchagra, Red-winged pytilia, African grey fly-catcher, Hoopoe, Purple Grenadier, Rufous chatterer, Fox Kestrel, Greater kestrel, Crimson-rumped waxbill, Northern carmine bee-eater, Red-billed oxpeckers, Rose-ringed parakeet, Verreaux’s eagle, Clapperton’s Francolin, Abyssinian ground hornbill, Jackson’s hornbill, Steel-blue Whydah, Ethiopian swallow, Pygmy Falcon, White-bellied go-away bird, Black-breasted Barbet, Golden pipit, Karamoja Apalis, Scarlet-chested Sunbird, Egyptian vulture, Black coucal, and Superb starlings among others.

Cultural encounters (Karamojong and IK)

The Karamojong culture and the IK people are the ones that live in the areas around Kidepo valley national park so while on the visit to the park you shouldn’t miss out on visiting these people. A visit to any of these people will give you an opportunity to learn about their culture, way of dressing, the food they eat, type of houses they sleep in, the cattle they rare and you will also get an opportunity to see some of the traditional items like the knives, jewel, spears, bows, arrows, and beads. When you do a cultural visit to these people, you have directly or indirectly contributed financially to their well-being through buying souvenirs, tips, and a fee for the guides. There are so many things you can learn from the Ike or Karamojong people and at the end of the day, you will get entertained through traditional dances, drama, and story-telling.

Nature walk activities

The nature walks safaris in Kidepo valley national park begin in the morning with ranger guides who share amazing wilderness experiences and give protection as well as comfort to the tourists. The nature walks in Kidepo valley national park take you to Narus valley with opportunities of encountering animals like the lions, buffaloes, giraffes, zebras, hartebeests, leopards, warthogs, cheetahs, waterbucks, elephants, different birds, and different bird species. The nature walks in Kidepo valley national park go for a fee of $30 for non-foreign residents, $15 foreign residents, and shs10,000 East African citizens.

Accommodation options in Kidepo valley national park

Most of the accommodation facilities in Kidepo valley national park are located outside the park and they are mainly budget and midrange options but if you are looking for luxury lodges it’s only Apoka safari lodge to look out for. Other lodges include Kidepo Savannah Lodge, Adere Safari Lodge, Nga’Moru Wilderness Camp, Apoka Banda-UWA, Karamoja safari camp among others.

The Best time to to book fly in safaris to Kidepo valley national park

Kidepo valley national park in rugged remote areas of northern Uganda is open for tourism activities throughout the year. However, the most convenient time to visit the park is December to February and June to September when there is little or no rainfall. During this time, the roads leading to the park are passable, the vegetation is thin giving clear views of the park animals, and the tracking roads in the park are less muddy and not slippery. During the dry season, most of the park animals concentrate on the water sources for water so you will be having an opportunity to see most of them.

What to book with Africa Adventure Vacations?

Africa adventure vacations is a tour company based in Uganda licensed by the Uganda Tourism Board and a member of the Association of Uganda Tour Operators. Booking with Africa adventure vacations provides you safety and confidence during your safari courtesy of well-trained safari driver guides who are well conversant with all routes and tourism destinations in Africa. You can book with us any of the activities you want to do in Africa such as mountain gorilla trekking, mountain gorilla habituation, birding, fly-in safaris in Queen Elizabeth national park, hiking, nature walks, and community tours among others. Booking fly in safaris to Kidepo valley national park can be done at any time of the year.