Apoka Safari Lodge is an excellent option for travelers looking for an off-the-beaten-track safari in a wildlife-rich part of Uganda – highly recommended by Yellow Zebra.

Permanent lodge

Luxury

From $910 – $1,280 pp

Min age 6 +

Comfortable accommodation overlooking the Narus valley in Kidepo Valley National Park

Lovely lounge, dining area, bar, swimming pool

Apoka Bush Breakfast 1

Ten spacious cottages, all with well-appointed en-suite facilities

Game drives, game walks, birding, community visits

apoka safari lodge, Kidepo valley national park, uganda safaris
Very luxurious lodge in the stunning Kidepo Valley. Professional-standard camp guides, in the vein of what you’ll get in Tanzania and Kenya. Location is stunning, with the Ik Mountains encircling the savannahs of the Narus Valley. Rooms are beautiful! Each has a private veranda and an outdoor bathtub. However, having been the only lodge in the park for so long has allowed it to rest on its laurels. The main areas need some TLC.
Matthew Court Senior Safari Specialist

Activities

Apoka offers a fine assortment of activities – game drives, game walks, birding, and community visits.

Narus Valley

Birding

Karamojong village

  • Kidepo’s Narus valley is famous for the amount of wildlife it attracts throughout the year, while the sprawling savanna around camp is popular with plenty of herbivores – and their predators! Lion, leopard, cheetah, hyena, wild dog, elephant, buffalo, giraffe, zebra, antelopes… there really is a lot to see here. Bat-eared fox are in residence too, as are black-backed and side-striped jackals, and even a few primate species.

    Apoka Bedroom 2
  • Keen birders can look out for ostrich, kori bustard, red-and-yellow barbet, little bee-eater, and a few Kidepo highlights such as pygmy falcon, white-eyed kestrel, golden pipit, and rose-ringed parakeet.

    Apoka Bedroom 2
  • And culture fans will appreciate taking a trip to a nearby Karamojong village, to find out about the way of life of the local people.

    Apoka Bedroom 2

*This property is unfenced and located in a wildlife area, so large and potentially dangerous animals do pass through. If you opt to stay here, always be alert when walking around the camp and request for a member of staff to escort you if you have any concerns. Any guest is escorted after dark as a matter of course.

Access & Location

The closest international airport to Apoka is Entebbe. From Kampala, the journey by road is rather time consuming, at 12 hours. However, both scheduled and charter flights are also available, on average taking a couple of hours – and the airstrip is just a few minutes from the lodge. The site occupies a lofty position, on top of a kopje above the Narus valley.

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Facilities

The communal lodge is set up at the highest point, guaranteeing great views across the Kidepo plains.

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Bar

Bar

Living area

Lounge

Communal Dining

Communal dining

Swimming pool

Pool

It is made out of timber, stone, and thatch. Inside, there is an open-plan lounge, dining area, and bar, featuring comfy sofas and armchairs, coffee tables, patterned rugs, and a long table where everyone is invited to eat together. At a short distance from the lodge, there is the property’s swimming pool – carved out of a large rock, the pool is deep, cool, and perfect for relaxing in between activities!

** Please be aware that the swimming pool here has no depth markings or ‘No Diving’ signs, so take care before you jump in!**

Amenities

Guest accommodation at Apoka consists of ten cottages, all located a little lower on the kopje than the communal lodge yet offering fabulous vistas of the valley, the plains, or the surrounding mountains.

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Balcony

Private veranda

Bath

Outdoor bathtub

Shower

Shower

Flush toilet

Flush toilet

Six cottages contain a double bed and four have twin beds. Extra beds may be added for children aged 5–12 years. In common with the lodge, each cottage is constructed from timber, stone, and thatch, blending pleasantly into the landscape. Interior features include mosquito nets, bedside tables and lighting, snug rugs, ample storage space, and en-suite facilities comprising flush toilet, washbasins, and shower with hot and cold running water. Outside, there is a private veranda, and a bathtub hewn into the rocks! You can enjoy soaking in the tub while watching the local wildlife.

 

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