5 Days Kidepo Valley Safari

Fly from Entebbe to Apoka airstrip (approx. 2 hours) or road transfer via Gulu and Kitgum. Check in at your Apoka-area lodge and lunch overlooking the Narus Valley. Afternoon game drive in the Narus Valley — elephant herds, buffalo, Rothschild's giraffe, Burchell's zebra and lion. Jackson's hartebeest and oribi graze the plains below the Morungole Mountains. Fly-in packages land at Apoka airstrip at 10:00–11:00 from Entebbe — afternoon drives begin after lunch. Road arrivals from Gulu reach the park by late afternoon if departing Kampala at 06:00. Drive time: 2 hours by air; 10–12 hours by road Meals: Lunch & dinner

Pre-dawn and afternoon drives on the Narus circuit — lion prides on Kakine Rock at sunrise, cheetah occasionally on the open plains. Bat-eared fox and Abyssinian ground hornbill are regular. Afternoon sundowners on the Katurum kopje — one of Kidepo's classic viewpoints over the valley. Return to the lodge for dinner under the stars. Repeat Narus drives improve cheetah odds — the park's semi-arid plains suit Africa's fastest cat. Roan antelope have been recorded historically though sightings are rare today. Meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner Accommodation: Same Kidepo lodge

Morning drive north into the drier Kidepo Valley — ostrich, greater kudu and lesser kudu favour this zone. Visit the Kanangorok hot springs near the South Sudan border. Afternoon repeat Narus drive for cheetah and leopard luck, or ranger-led nature walk near Apoka if offered. Kori bustard and red-throated bee-eater are standout birds. The Kidepo Valley road north of Apoka is dry-season only in heavy rain — your guide adjusts routing accordingly. Caracal and striped hyena are recorded but rarely seen. Meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner Accommodation: Same Kidepo lodge

Morning Karamojong manyatta visit — learn about pastoral cattle culture and traditional homesteads. Afternoon ranger-led walk near Apoka or relaxed game drive on the Narus circuit. Evening at leisure; this extra day versus the 4-night version allows slower pacing and better predator odds. Karamojong pastoralists move cattle between dry-season and wet-season grazing grounds. Manyattas are rebuilt seasonally; beadwork and cattle-horn bracelets are sold at community visits. Meals: Breakfast, lunch & dinner Accommodation: Same Kidepo lodge

Final sunrise game drive in the Narus Valley. Breakfast, checkout, and transfer to Apoka airstrip for the flight to Entebbe or begin the road return via Kitgum and Gulu. Airport drop-off or overnight in Kampala after a long road day. Morning flights from Apoka connect through Entebbe to international departures the same evening. Allow 3 hours minimum between domestic arrival and international check-in at Entebbe. Meals: Breakfast & lunch