WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT KANANGOROK HOTSPRINGS IN UGANDA:
Kanangorok hot springs are located 11 kilometers from the Kidepo River in northeastern Uganda, close to the South Sudanese border. The word Kanangorok comes from the Karamojongo language and means place of black stones. This is the only hot spring in the Karamoja region and a great site for visitors to explore in Kidepo. It is a glorious place to sit and view the mountains and the beautiful savannah plains in the Karamoja area. The hot spring is created when water heated deep within the earth's interior emerges as crystal clear carbonated water that is renowned for its mineral content and fabled healing abilities. An egg can be boiled in the roughly 500°C hot spring water in Kanangorok. Many visitors come to the springs to unwind and take in the park's natural beauty. There is also a rare geological phenomenon that is created when hot water from below seeps through rock formations.
The benefits of the natural hot mineral spring water and the belief in its healing powers are the main attractions of hot springs. Locals believe that taking a bath in the warm water can heal certain skin conditions, so the hot springs are one of nature's special gifts that make Kidepo Valley National Park a must-visit location for tourists. Those who immerse themselves in the hot springs attest to their amazing healing qualities, which enter the body in a manner similar to how a transdermal patch releases medicine.
Over five hundred bird species, six hundred plant species, more than 80 mammals, and twenty-eight of the Kidepo Valley National Park mammals are unique to Kidepo National Park and the rest of Uganda. In the southwest, Kidepo is ranked third, behind Queen Elizabeth National Park. A few of Kidepo's unusual creatures included mountain reedbuck, cheetah, and stripped hyena.
Being the only hotspring in the Karamoja region, the spectacular Kanangorok hot springs is an essential destination worth exploring by tourists in Kidepo Park. As it is situated approximately 40km from Apoka rest camp adventures, this geothermal feature provides an opportunity to observe a variety of wild life species such as, Burchell’s zebras, Elands, Rothchild giraffes, Cheetahs, Cape buffalos, Creater kudus, leopards, Hynas, lions and many others.
Tourists who come to this beautiful hot springs can see different types of plants and have unique experiences with the natural beauty of Kidepo valley national park. Through savannah fields, bush lands and shrubs and wooded areas, you can get to the Kidepo valley borassus palm forests. You can expect to see animals at random especially cape buffaloes and elephants.
Although visitors can visit the breathtaking Kanangorok hot springs at any time of year, most choose to do so during the dry season, which runs from June to September and December to February. The park's roads are drier and easier to navigate during this time, making it easier to reach the hot springs.
Visitors on wild life tours in Kidepo valley national pack have numerous options for accommodation. The following are the notable lodges in Kidepo valley national park to use when exploring Kanangorok hot spring:
Apoka safari lodge, Kidepo savannah lodge, Apoka rest Camp, Adere safari lodge.
In conclusion, there are many stories about Kanangorok Hot Springs, but the most common belief is that it has healing qualities. The natural occurrence of a hot spring is another reason why tourists visit the hot springs.