Deep in the rugged, semi-arid valleys of Kaabong district in the Karamoja region, North-Eastern Uganda lies a true unexplored and undefiled gem from the Pearl of Africa. Kidepo Valley National Park, sprawling from the foothills of the giant 2,750- meter-high Mount Morungole spans out a respectable 1,442 square kilometers, a transection by the Kidepo and Narus rivers only serving to add extra glamour to the already alluring beauty of the land.
Vast expanses of open-tree Savannah grassland are punctuated by the Kidepo and Narus valleys, constantly dotted with red thorn acacias and desert dates while fan palms and sausage trees line the water courses, providing sufficient fodder for the abundant wildlife that calls the park home.

While the devastating beauty of Kidepo Valley National Park is one to savor, the abundance of wildlife that freely roams the land is as breathtaking as it is exotic.
Home to four of Africa’s big five, the park offers frequent sightings of lions, elephants, leopards and buffaloes while cheetahs, hyenas, jackals, aardwolves, klipspringers, zebras, caracals, waterbucks, oribis, Uganda Kobs, Jackson’s hartebeests and elands are all part of the vibrant ecosystem that is Kidepo.

While Kidepo Valley National Park is a spectacular display of the stunning fusion between flora and fauna, a cultural encounter with the Karamojong communities which neighbor the park is deeply enchanting, far beyond the reach of the tentacles of scenery or wildlife. Warm-hearted, hospitable and vibrant yet fiercely loyal to their heritage, the warriors and nomadic pastoralists of Karamoja speak of their land with pride and joy. Their dances are energetic and their music is loud, often culminating in their signature giant leaps into the air while they perform. Famed for their undying loyalty to their cattle, the Karamojong herdsmen will trek any given number of miles with their flocks in search of water and pastures while the women stay behind in the beautiful round grass-thatched huts called Manyattas to look after the children and keep the home. These nomadic journeys more often than not set them on a collision course with the predators of Kidepo.

quiet hike up Mount Morungole offers magnificent views of the Kidepo and Narus rivers but more than anything leads to inspirational encounters with the IK people who live atop the mountains. Their materially simple but culturally and spiritually rich lifestyles are a marvel, believing that milk and honey are all a man needs to lead a happy life, thus the IK people rear cattle and keep bees to fulfil those beliefs.
An ascent from Mount Morungole into Namukwekweny valley then offers the most incredible bird watching experiences with expected sightings including red spotted barbet, African pied hornbill, little rock thrush, ring necked spur fowl, yellow billed hrike, African flycatcher, white bellied go away bird, Karamoja Apalis and so many other migratory species from Sudan, Masai, Congo and Somalia. From breathtaking landscapes, exciting wildlife, exotic flora and enchanting Karamoja cultural communities, Kidepo Valley National Park is a sight to behold, a site to visit.
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