One of the must-see safari locations in Uganda is Kidepo Valley National Park, which is the most remote destination and is situated on the border with South Sudan in the northeastern region of the country. The most common starting sites for safaris, Entebbe and Kampala, are more than 700 kilometres away from Kidepo Valley National Park.

The most frequent mode of transportation to Kidepo Valley National Park is by road. Due to the distance between Kidepo Valley National Park and Kampala/Entebbe, visitors should be prepared for a lengthy trip. The trip to Kidepo Valley National Park is exhausting, but it’s thrilling because travelers get to see multiple attractions along the way.

Two access gates separate Kidepo Valley National Park, and visitors can enter through either one, depending on where they are coming from. Due to the lengthy (710km) travel, you would require at least 12 hours to reach Kidepo Valley National Park. There are roughly four routes connecting visitors to Kidepo Valley National Park, two in the west and two in the east.

The Kidepo Valley National Park can be reached via the most thrilling western routes. If you have a night to spare, you can stop at Karuma Falls and the Ziwa rhino sanctuary, the only place where rhinos can be found. Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda’s largest national park, is the other rest point on the western route to Kidepo Valley National Park.

Routes to Kidepo valley national park

The eastern routes

There are two eastern roads that lead to Kidepo Valley National Park; one of them takes around 12 hours and the other more than 13, so travelers do stop over for the night on route. From Kampala/Entebbe, one of the eastern routes passes via the districts of Jinja, Mbale, Kapchorwa, Nakapiripirit, Moroto, Kotido, and Kaabong.  From Kampala/Entebbe, the alternative eastern route to Kidepo Valley National Park is through Mukono, Jinja, Iganga, Mbale, Soroti, Moroto, Kotido, and Kaabong.

Westward routes

From Kampala/Entebbe, the first western road to Kidepo Valley National Park passes through Luwero, Nakasongola, Karuma, Gulu, Kitgum, Karenga, and Kaabong before arriving at the park. The alternative western road to the park departs from Kampala and travels through Luwero, Nakasongola, Lira, Abim, Kotido, and Kaabong. There are chances for stops at Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary, Karuma Falls, and Murchison Falls National Park for those that take the western roads to reach Kidepo Valley National Park.  

The best time to go to Kidepo valley national park

Kidepo Valley National Park is accessible by car throughout the year, however certain months are preferable to others. The best time to drive and visit Kidepo Valley National Park is between June and September and December to February because these are the dry season months, which are characterized by minimal rain and lots of sunshine. The foliage is short during the dry season, providing wonderful views of wildlife, and the game routes are dry and simpler to drive through. The roads going to the park are also dry with some dusty areas.

Travelers on a budget will benefit from the fact that they may still access Kidepo Valley National Park by road during the wet months of March to May and October to November. Tour companies and lodge owners lower prices during the rainy season to draw in the few travelers. Tourists should be aware that during the rainy season there is a lot of rainfall, making the marram roads leading to the park muddy and slippery, the foliage is tall, making it difficult to see wildlife, and the game routes are muddy, restricting access to some park regions.

More ways of accessing Kidepo Valley National Park

Kidepo Valley National Park can also be reached by air, therefore travel by road is not the only way for visitors to get there. Tourists can quickly and easily travel by air to reach Kidepo Valley National Park. From Kajjansi Airstrip or Entebbe International Airport, various airline companies offer flights to Apoka Airstrip, including Bar Aviation Uganda, Kampala Executive Aviation, and Aerolink Uganda. Kidepo Valley National Park may be reached by plane in under 2 hours, 30 minutes.