Apoka Safari Lodge in northeast Uganda offers ten spacious canvas rooms built around a jagged rocky outcrop or kopje with stunning views of the Kidepo Valley. It is the only lodge in the park and is located in the heart of it. The lodge, which is strategically located near the river, is an ideal base from which to explore the park and see the outstanding inhabitants.
Apoka safari Lodge is designed for comfort, despite its remote location. Spacious, private cottages cluster around a rocky kopje overlooking the Narus River, each with a screened balcony, outdoor stone tub (ideal for a starlit soak), and exquisitely handcrafted furnishings by local artisans. The wildlife is abundant – lions, leopards, cheetahs, elephants, buffalo, giraffes, and zebras, to name a few – and can often be seen from the comfort and privacy of your suite, or from the cool waters of our natural rock pool.
Of course, you’ll want to get out into the park itself, exploring on foot or by game vehicle with our knowledgeable guides, sipping sundowner cocktails under the shade of a massive fig tree, or simply taking in the sweeping 360-degree views of land and wildlife from our specially constructed tower.
At night, the vast golden green plains, punctuated by craggy, rocky outcrops, reveal an even bigger sky. This is where we are reminded that the earth is round, beneath a canopy of impossibly bright stars. When you close your eyes and imagine Africa, the landscape that comes to mind is likely to be Kidepo, with its jagged hills, golden grasses, plains dotted with wildlife, and soft glowing light. This is Uganda’s most remote park, located far from urban areas.
Apoka safari lodge’s rooms have been designed with comfort in mind. Everything is handcrafted by local artisans and is large and spacious. A rocky kopje with endless views of the savannah is surrounded by ten expansive rooms with natural canvas walls. There are plenty of places to relax, read, and sprawl with inside sitting rooms and private verandas.
Large hand-hewn beds with soft duvets are draped with mosquito nets, hand-woven woolen carpets, extra-large plush towels, and over-sized dressing mirrors; you may be as far away from the city as you’ll ever be, but you won’t miss a thing. All of the rooms have hardwood floors, handcrafted furniture, and hot running water heated by solar power.
Each room at Apoka Safari lodge also has an outdoor bath, which is ideal for gazing out over the plains or stargazing in the evening. The lodge has an excellent restaurant that serves meals from a set menu, as well as a rock swimming pool that overlooks a waterhole.
Step outside to a sheltered terrace and relax in your own outdoor stone bathtub large enough to accommodate the entire family. Apoka Safari Lodge’s deep and cool swimming pool was carved out of a large rock. This is the type of pool that makes you want to jump in, splashing and yelling, and relive your childhood.
Some of the other amenities at the Apoka Safari Lodge are: Airport Shuttle, Laundry Facilities, Braai/Barbecue, Swimming Pool, Wi-Fi, Credit Card Facilities, Room Service and Restaurant on Premises.
Other Accommodation Options in Kidepo Valley national park
Adere Safari Lodge
Adere Safari Lodge is a high-end safari lodge perched on the edge of Kidepo Valley National Park in a unique natural setting that allows visitors to enjoy the magic of seeing wildlife up-close while simply relaxing by the pool, giving you worthwhile and transformational safari memories of Africa. Adere Safari Lodge features custom-designed safari cottages with functional luxury touches, exclusive settings in Kidepo Park’s Wilderness to immerse you in a truly African authentic experience unlike any other.
Nga’Moru Wilderness Camp
Nga’Moru Wilderness Camp is located on the outskirts of Kidepo Valley National Park, 3 kilometers from the park’s entrance. The camp is a private property perched on a hill with magnificent views of the park’s gorgeous plains. The camp provides low-cost services, including a limited number of chalets, a bar, a lounge, and a restaurant. Each chalet is secluded, spotless, roomy, and inviting. The rooms have hot showers and solar lighting. The safari camp is located on a hill near Narus Valley, providing overhead views of wildlife activities in the plain grasslands. The bar is available 24/7 and well stocked with refreshments, beers, wines, and spirits. The restaurant specializes in organic continental cuisine. Each cabin includes a balcony where visitors may relax and watch animals in the park as they go to waterholes.
Apoka Rest Camp
Apoka Rest Camp, located within Kidepo Valley National Park, is the hub of wilderness tours and safaris. The safari camp is a hostel that provides affordable lodging in individual solid wall, grass-thatched bandas. Netted windows and mosquito nets cover each of the two beds in each banda. Warm showers are available in washrooms located outside the bands. The bar is stocked with beverages, beers, wines, and spirits, though some brands require special orders. The restaurant delivers delicious food and is constantly open. Wild animals are free to roam the rest camp at any time. Screams and roars can be heard all night, and lion footprints on doorsteps are a regular sight in the morning. The ideal place to schedule ranger escorts and start Kidepo wilderness expeditions is at the rest camp. Travelers with their tents and equipment can camp near the rest camp.
The Kidepo Savanna Lodge
Kidepo Savannah Lodge is 33 kilometers from Apoka’s tourism center yet adjacent to the Kidepo Valley National Park’s Kalokudo gate. The grounds provide luxury, self-contained tents as well as tents with common toilets. Sunsets across the Morungole Mountains and South Sudan can be seen from the tent verandas. The restaurant serves organic world cuisine, and the bar is well-stocked with a variety of drinks. Both establishments are open till the last customer departs. The resident chefs are knowledgeable, and the kitchen is well-equipped to make decent meals of international caliber. Chilled beers and soft drinks are available, as are worldwide brands of wines, spirits, and gins, which are available at all times and served in the bar or your tent on request throughout your stay.
Kidepo Savannah Lodge is located on the outskirts of Kidepo Valley National Park, in the villages, with the added benefit of being able to interact with local communities at any time. It is an ideal location for organizing community interaction trips to the Karamojong herders and the Ik people.
