Month by month
Kidepo in October
October carries the same reputation problem as September, and the numbers only partly rescue it: rain nearly halves from September's total, though it has not stopped.
If you only want the answer
October is the better half of the disputed dry season, 70 mm over 6 rain days, warming again, and worth booking as a genuine shoulder month rather than a confirmed dry one.
The numbers, and the flood flag that comes back
The average for October sits at 29.2°C by day, 18.3°C at night, and 70 mm of rain over 6 days, the fewest rain days since March even though the season is not fully over. Warmth is climbing back toward the dry-season range while rainfall keeps dropping, the clearest sign yet that the year is turning.
The UK Foreign Office's flood advisory for north-eastern Uganda returns for October and November, a reminder that the tail of the rains can still cause road problems even as the daily weather looks drier than it did in August.
On the ground
Tracks are firming up across most of the park, and the Kidepo Valley drive to the north, the 30 km run to the dry sand river and the borassus palms, tends to be back in good condition by this point. Ostrich and secretary bird are the specialities up there, and October's improving light does them justice.
Game is still more dispersed than concentrated, but the trend is toward the Narus circuits regaining relevance ahead of the November and December turn.
Booking and a specific tip
October keeps Apoka at its green-season rate for most of the month, and the park as a whole is still comfortably bookable with a few weeks' notice. The value case for coming now, before the crowds of the true peak, is real.
Use the conditions well: cooler, drier air than August or September makes this a good month for the longer walks, Mount Lomej at $40 per person or the Rionomoe Trail, that are simply less pleasant in the wettest part of the year.