Maps and navigation
Kidepo Valley National Park map
An interactive map, the official UWA park map to download, reference coordinates for the places you will actually navigate to, and how to find your way in a park with barely any signal.
Download the official park map
UWA publishes a proper park brochure with a full map of the circuits, gates, campsites and viewpoints, and it is the single most useful document to carry. Download it before you travel; do not count on picking one up at the gate.
Key coordinates
Save these before you go. Mobile coverage inside the park is patchy at best, and a set of waypoints in an offline app will get you out of trouble faster than anything else.
| Place | What it is | Coordinates |
|---|---|---|
| Apoka (approximate) | Park headquarters, UWA Rest Camp, Apoka Safari Lodge and the airstrip; the hub of the Narus Valley circuits | 3.7200, 33.7400 |
| Kidepo Savannah Lodge / Kalokudo Gate area | South-western boundary; the lodge publishes this position, 500 m from the gate | 3.7137, 33.6699 |
| Kitgum (approximate) | Last major town on the Gulu route; the tar ends here, and it is your last dependable fuel | 3.2783, 32.8867 |
| Kotido (approximate) | Fuel and supplies on the Karamoja routes; the road onwards to Kaabong runs via Kanawat | 2.9806, 34.1331 |
Navigating Kidepo
- Download the Uganda region in OsmAnd or Organic Maps before you leave Kampala, and save your lodge and Apoka as favourites.
- Carry the UWA brochure map, printed or offline. It marks the game circuits at Kakine, Katurum and Nagusokopire, the two official gates and the viewpoints.
- Coordinates marked approximate above are for orientation, not turn-by-turn navigation. Confirm current track conditions with the rangers at Apoka before setting out, especially for the Kidepo Valley drive.
- The gates are a known point of confusion: UWA's map shows Katurum (south-west, from Karenga) and Nataba (south-east, towards Kaabong), while the names Lokumoit and Kalokudo also circulate for the south-western entries. Ask for your gate by the route you are driving, not the name you read online.
The rules that shape your day
Gates operate 07:00 to 19:00 and your ticket runs for 24 hours from entry. The speed limit is 40 km/h and off-track driving carries a $150 fine per person in the vehicle, so plan routes on the marked circuits only. The Kidepo Valley drive and the hot springs excursion require a ranger escort, arranged at Apoka.
Assume no fuel anywhere in or near the park. Fill up in Kitgum on the western approach or Kotido on the eastern one, and carry enough range for your game drives plus the full return leg. And the rule every source agrees on: be parked well before dark, and never drive the regional roads at night.