Are game drives in Kidepo valley national park worth the money?

Are game drives in Kidepo valley national park worth the money?: Kidepo valley national park is located far in the northeastern corner of Uganda near the borders of Uganda with Sudan and Kenya. Being that far, tourists always ask if visiting the park is worth it, especially for game drive activities. Yes, game drives in Kidepo valley national park are worth the money because the protected area has a lot of  wild animals. 76 mammals are believed to be in Kidepo valley national park and it’s said more than 20 of these are not seen anywhere in the country apart from here.

Kidepo valley national park is a special protected area to carry out game drives from. This is because of the so many wild animals that are said to be leaving in the park. Kidepo valley national park is famous for being an isolated park but it’s one of the best in Africa. A game viewing in Kidepo valley national park would give tourists an opportunity of seeing Big 4 animals as well as animals that can’t be seen anywhere in the country.

Tourists who are planning in visiting Uganda for game viewing in Kidepo valley national park safaris should consider Kidepo valley national park because of the lots of animals it has got to offer. Game drives in Kidepo valley national park are well enjoyed if a person carries out them twice The park is so big that one can’t finish it all in 2 to 3 hours. Doing double game drives will increase the opportunities of seeing lots of wild animals and other attractions of the park.

Doing a game drive in Kidepo valley national park will leave you satisfied no matter the time of the year you visit the park. It’s said the dry season is the best to see animals of Kidepo since most of them are near water sources for fresh vegetation cover as well as drinking water. In conclusion, game drives in Kidepo valley national park are worth the money because they are unforgettable due to the abundance of wildlife.

What is the cost of game drives in Kidepo valley national park?

To carry out game viewing in Kidepo valley national park you need to first get access to the park. To enter Kidepo valley national park you pay a certain amount of money depending on your origin. Park entrance in Kidepo valley national park is $40 for foreign non-residents, $30 for foreign residents, and UGX20,000 for citizens of East African member residents.

Game drives are free in Kidepo valley national park if you have your own driver guide to take you through the park however if you want an UWA guide they come at a cost. Day guided game drives in Kidepo valley national park cost $20 for foreign non-residents, $15 for foreign residents, and UGX 20,000 citizens of East African member states.

The night game drives in Kidepo valley national park are a must to be guided by armed ranger guides from Uganda Wildlife Authority for security purposes. They come at a cost of $30 for foreign non-residents, $20 for foreign residents, and UGX50,000 for citizens of East African member states. The money for game drives and park entrance fees works for 24 hours which starts counting from the time you enter the park. This money can be paid in the park or at Uganda Wildlife Authority offices.

The game drives in Kidepo valley national park

Game drives are some of the major activities carried out in Kidepo valley national park. They are carried out in the morning, evening, and night for tourists that are interested in seeing nocturnal animals. Tourists do carry out the game drives following their itinerary but whichever time one carried out the game drives they are able to see a number of park animals.

The day game viewing in Kidepo valley national park. Day game viewing in Kidepo valley national park are carried out in the morning starting from 6 am and the evening game drives start at around 2 am or 3 am. These game drives don’t need the help of armed ranger guides as long as you have a well-trained driver guide to take you around the park.

The day game drives are carried out in all parts of the park especially Kidepo Valley and Narus Valley which are homes to a high population of wild animals. Animals tend to concentrate in these areas because of the availability of water from River Narus and River Kidepo as well as fresh vegetation cover. The evening and morning game viewing in Kidepo valley national park last for 2 to 3 hours.
On a day game viewing safari in Kidepo valley national park, tourists are able to spot wild animals such as lions, buffaloes, cheetahs, hyenas, Nile crocodiles, aardwolves, warthogs, Uganda kobs, elands, defassa waterbucks, cape buffaloes, hartebeests, Nubian giraffes, caracal, elephants, leopards, zebras, side stripped jackals, olive baboons, and hunting dogs among others.

When is the coolest time to carry out game drives in Kidepo valley national park?

Game viewing in Kidepo valley national park can be carried out all throughout the year and this is because the park is always open. Tourists who are looking at the best time to carry out game drives should look at the dry season. June to September and December to February is when the park is having little rainfall and favorable sunshine. Game tracks during the dry season are dry and passable, the vegetation is short and scattered with clear views of wildlife while the roads connecting to the park are passable.
Tourists can still enjoy game drives in Kidepo valley national park during the rainy season which occurs from March to May and October to November. The rainy season in Kidepo is different from other national parks because there is less rainfall received since the park is located in a semi-arid climate area. In the rainy season, yes rainfall is received but plenty of sunshine dries up the trails making safari vehicles be able to still access most areas. The vegetation in the rainy season is tall with unclear views of some small animals and parts of the roads to the park are impassable.