The undiscovered, raw diamond of Uganda
From our speaker, Ugandan hits are blasting, and as I bounce along behind the wheel, I don’t know where to look. The scenery is breathtaking. Majestic rock formations rise from the red earth all around us. Women wrapped in fabrics of every color of the rainbow walk gracefully along the roadside, while enormous long-horned cattle—almost as tall as me—amble past. And then there are the potholes.
We've been on the road for two days, heading toward Karamoja:
Uganda’s undiscovered, rugged diamond. A
road trip few undertake, but one that will leave an unforgettable impression on us.
Tucked away in the far north of Uganda, bordering South Sudan and
Kenya, lies Karamoja. Until recently, this remote region was nearly inaccessible to tourists. It wasn’t always safe, and you needed a permit to visit. But over the past five years, this wild landscape has opened up for exploration. Karamoja is hot, dry, rugged, and breathtakingly beautiful. Its bumpy, unpaved red roads weave like veins through vast plains, where towering rock formations reach for the sky.
Kidepo Valley
When it comes to nature, Karamoja is best known for Kidepo Valley, one of Uganda’s most stunning national parks. Additionally, Karamoja is home to the Karamojong, an indigenous people who maintain their traditional way of life. To reach Kidepo Valley, you must travel nearly 600 kilometers from
Kampala, navigating roads where even with a 4×4, you often can’t go faster than 20 kilometers per hour.
Tourists visiting Uganda for a few weeks often skip Karamoja. It’s far away, difficult to reach, and lacks many facilities. Moreover, most popular attractions are concentrated in the southwest of Uganda—exactly the opposite direction. A friend of ours from Kampala, who is Karamojong himself, inspired us to take a trip to these off-the-beaten-track plains. Along with a few friends, I rented a sturdy 4×4 from
Roadtrip Uganda, and we took on the challenge: exploring Uganda’s rugged, undiscovered north in just one week.
Day 1 and 2: from Kampala to Kotido
Our friendly friend from Kampala is originally from Kotido, a district in the heart of Karamoja. In this district, you’ll find Nakapelimoru, the largest traditional village in East Africa. His uncle owns a farm nearby, which would be the first destination of our road trip.
We packed our rickety van to the brim with bags of rice, vegetables, bread, our luggage, and ourselves. And off we went—leaving behind the hustle, bustle, and smog of Kampala, heading toward the vast plains of Uganda’s countryside.
We stopped in Gulu, a town north of Kampala, where we spent the night in a budget hotel after driving 333 kilometers. A town like Gulu isn’t exactly a prime tourist destination, which is precisely what makes it so interesting to stop, look around, and take in the surroundings.
Diving into a local bar
Ugandan young people were sipping on hookahs and their Nile beers. The next day, we had a few more hours of bouncing along roads with ever-deepening potholes, past increasingly impressive mountains and vast plains. The further we drove into Karamoja, the more we saw the colorful checkered and striped fabrics of the Karamojong, along with their quirky magician-like hats.
Upon arriving in Kotido, the capital (read: a few streets) of the district of the same name, we weren’t there yet. We still had to find the farm where we would be spending the night, and Napso—the farm owner—was sending a boda-boda (motorcycle taxi) to guide us. While waiting in our now oven-like van, we struck up a conversation with one of the villagers. Not only did he let us use his toilet, but before we knew it, we were crammed onto his small living room couch, cups of tea in hand, chatting about life in a remote place like Karamoja.
Sleeping under the stars: the village experience
A few hours later, we drove in the pitch-dark along winding dirt paths, following the red taillight of a boda-boda, until we arrived at Napso's farm. Napso is a tall Karamojong with a friendly face and a sharp mind. He has transformed his farm into a tourist accommodation, with a "village experience" theme. You can sleep in a traditional hut – although it’s pretty deluxe on the inside! – or on an outdoor bed, with nothing but a mosquito net and a trillion stars above your head.
Village experience means village experience! So, we unpacked the vegetables and rice we had brought on our road trip from the van and started preparing food around a campfire. While a vegetable sauce simmered gently in an aluminum pan over the fire, we sank into deep conversations: about cultural differences, about the thousands of NGOs working in Karamoja that only filled their own pockets… Food for thought! With full bellies and the chirping of crickets in the background, we fell asleep under the bare Milky Way.
Day 3: Meeting with the Karamojong
We gazed out of the car window, slumped in our seats in a daze. The entire village had crowded around our van, pressing up against the windows. We had no idea how to open the car doors to step outside. Around a hundred people from the traditional village of Nakapelimoru had gathered by the vehicle, watching us with curiosity—some with suspicion. The people looked colourful and elegant, draped in vibrant fabrics, wearing quirky little hats, and adorned with intricate scarification patterns on their faces. With Napso’s help, who cleared some space, we stepped out. And there we stood: strangers facing each other, unable to exchange words. After a rather amusing staring contest, our tour of Nakapelimoru—the largest traditional village in East Africa—began with Napso as our guide.
Nakapelimuro is home to the Jié clan: a vast village with thatched roofs as far as the eye can see. Branches have been used to construct maze-like walls to separate walkways from living areas. The houses are simple: round clay structures with thatched roofs. No shops, no restaurants, no sanitation. Napso is from this village and seemed to be a popular guy: he chatted with everyone and translated what was being said for us.
After playing games with the village children for a while, we were invited into one of the huts: the clay walls surprisingly have a cooling effect against the heat and dryness outside. Trying to make ourselves comfortable on the thin mats on the ground, we sat as a woman wrapped in a colorful cloth, her face adorned with scar-like art, passionately spoke about the culture of the Karamojong and her clan, with Napso translating for us.
She told us about her husband who had multiple wives: something not only common in her clan but actually a must. If your husband couldn't have more than one wife, you had caught a loser, and it was better to dump him. As the first wife, you're well set: you have almost veto power over the other women your husband brings home. If he has a new girl in mind, he can only marry her if you, as the first wife, approve of her. Once this happens, the second or third wife moves in, and they have to help wife #1 with household tasks and taking care of the children. Handy, right?
Day 4 and 5: the animal paradise of Kidepo Valley
Sated and slightly ecstatic from the intense experiences of the previous day, we drove on after breakfast to our next destination: Kidepo Valley National Park. This immense park lies in the far northern tip of Uganda, extending even across the border into South Sudan. We stayed at Apoka Rest Camp: a camp in the middle of the park with simple banda huts originally intended for rangers. This camp is the small underdog sibling to the luxurious and expensive Apoka Lodge. It is quiet, peaceful, and back to basics, close to nature! If you want to eat, you let them know in advance, and a spaghetti Bolognese will be freshly prepared for you while you might spot a hippopotamus strolling by on the wooden veranda.
In our opinion, Kidepo Valley was the most beautiful park we saw in Uganda. Vast plains with sharp rocky mountains, lone trees, and cacti, and aside from ourselves and the wild animals, there was nobody else. This park is the only place in Uganda where you can see cheetahs, and all the other animals are abundant. You can even easily cross into South Sudan to admire natural hot springs. We sat on the roof of our van and drove through the endless, magical no-man’s land. The African sun bathed the silhouettes of the mountains and lion families basking on cooling rocks in the golden hour’s red glow, soaking up the last rays of the day.
Day 6 and 7: From Karamoja to Kampala
Tingling with adrenaline and a head full of new impressions, we began the two-day journey back via the West to Kampala. A road trip to Karamoja is one full of adventure, genuine encounters, and pristine landscapes. As one of the few travellers, you’ll brave breathtaking, unspoilt plains, stop for a dance on "Big Bumpa" with women walking along the road, or pick up hitchhikers who don’t speak English... Karamoja has barely any tourism, is completely off the beaten track, and offers untouched nature and cherished traditions. So, if you’re in Uganda and want to see something other than the busy Southwest, I’d say: hire a car and brave that bumpy ride – it’ll be a trip you’ll never forget.
