Kidepo Valley National Park, like most premier destinations, has the best recommended lodges a visitor can consider for an overnight stay. Kidepo Valley National Park is the leading safari destination in northeastern Uganda and offers an off-the-beaten-path wilderness experience. If you are considering visiting Kidepo National Park, first, knowing the best available lodges to stay in and around should be a must.
In this article, we have highlighted the best recommended lodges visitors can stay in and around Kidepo. The checklist includes the Apoka Safari Lodge, Zebra Safari Lodge, Apoka Rest Camp, Kidepo Savannah Lodge, Adere Safari Lodge, and Mara Safari Lodge Kidepo.
5 Best Recommended Lodges to Stay in & around Kidepo
Apoka Safari Lodge
Apoka Safari Lodge is Kidepo’s luxury accommodation property. This cozy lodge is strategically located, offering visitors easier access to game viewing spots. It is built on a rocky ridge, and guests can enjoy the sweeping views of the park’s landscape and diverse wildlife.
The main amenities or facilities that make up Apoka Safari Lodge include a swimming pool, 10 super spacious cottages, comfortable beds, and a lot more en suite features. Each of Apoka’s cottages is built using timber, stone, and grass thatch, thus offering a taste of naturalness. It is a family-friendly luxury facility. It has extra beds for children between 5 and 12 years old.
Zebra Safari Lodge
Zebra Safari Lodge is a short distance away from the Kalokudo gate of Kidepo Valley National Park. It has 5 cottages, each providing excellent views of the park’s savannah plains. Zebra Safari Lodge has an amazing dining and bar area. Its grass-thatched restaurant is set overlooking the savannah plains. At the bar, expect to find different drinks including beers, non-alcoholic drinks, wines, and spirits. The rooms are fitted with twin beds/king-sized bed, en suite bathrooms connected to hot or cold showers.
Kidepo Savannah Lodge
Kidepo Savannah Lodge is a mid-range accommodation and is set 500 m away from the Kalokudo gate. It can be accessed on the Kampala-Gulu-Kitgum route. At Kidepo Savannah Lodge, guests can view the scenic Narus Valley and Mt. Morungole.
About 12 luxury safari tents make up the Kidepo Savannah Lodge, each having en suite bathrooms, 24-hour showers, private verandas, and flushing toilets. This lodge also has 9 non-self-contained canvas tents. Additionally, this accommodation property has the best restaurant, a fully stocked bar, and solar power. There is 24-hour security to ensure the safety of everyone in the facility.
While having a night stay at Kidepo Savannah Lodge, you can easily engage in a number of activities. These include a half-day game drive or full-day game viewing, sundowner, and cultural visits.
Visitors interested in nature walking can’t be left out. The nature walking spots are close by, including the Lamoj Mountain and Kidepo River Valley. Enriching Karamoja cultures and traditions await on Manyatta tour or get a chance to hike to the summit of Morungole Volcano to meet the Ik people.
Apoka Rest Camp
If your interest is budget accommodation properties on a visit to Kidepo, then consider Apoka Rest Camp a must-book. This budget lodge comprises 16 non-self-contained chalets. The non-self-contained chalets feature single/double beds, private flush toilets, & cold water showers. It also has non-self-contained bandas with 14 rooms, each having twin beds and external communal toilets and bathrooms. Apoka Rest Camp can be reached on the Kampala-Gulu-Kitgum route, about 8 to 11 hours.
Adere Safari Lodge
Adere Safari Lodge is a 20-room lodge with en-suite bathrooms. It features a unique handmade design. This lodge consists of a restaurant, boardroom, a conference hall, a fully stocked bar, and lush gardens overlooking the park. Guests also have a swimming pool to cool off after a long day in hot sunshine during a game drive. Additional amenities include a mosquito net, seating area, a shower/bathroom, and laundry services are offered.
Mara Safari Lodge Kidepo
Lying on a 24-acre estate at the foot of Sundowner Rock, Mara Safari Lodge Kidepo is a comfortable eco-friendly luxury property. This eco lodge is 1 km from the Kalokudo gate, Karenga district in Northeastern Uganda. Mara Safari Lodge Kidepo is strategically set, providing amazing sightings of the savanna plains and wildlife.
It features comfortable eco-friendly cottages, an on-site Mara restaurant, bush dining, and solar power. The interesting experiences to enjoy while staying at the Mara Safari Lodge include game drives, birding, and community excursions.
