Akagera National Park
Akagera National Park is located in the eastern part of Rwanda. The park derivers its name from the River Kagera that do flow along the Rwanda’s eastern border with Tanzania, the park has got mostly of the savannah terrain and were the park covers 2500 square kilometers. Akagera National Park is the perfect safari destination in Rwanda that attract various tourists to come and explore the various wildlife in the park
With the higher numbers of the wildlife in the park, Akagera national park boasts the large numbers of the habitats including the open grassland, African savannah, acacia, wetland, lakes and among others. Akagera National Park is unique Rwanda’s national park that is known as the savannah national park and the only safari destination where the tourists can be able to spot the big five mammals while on a safari, this becomes astonishing during the game drive where you can be able to explore the park from the 4WD, land cruiser safari vehicle.
Attractions in Akagera national park.
Wildlife.
Akagera national park is the popular safari destination in Rwanda with the various number of animal species, including the lions, elephants, buffaloes, rhinos and the leopards. Not only those ones the park has got other animal species that includes the hyenas giraffes, zebras, antelopes, bushbucks, waterbuck, topis, roan antelopes, duiker, impala, cape eland, and among many others. Without leaving behind the large schools of hippos, crocodiles that happen to be enjoying the sun rise near Lake Ihema. And primates like the Vervet monkeys, bush babies, blue monkeys and many more.
wildlife in Akagera National PARK
Bird species.
Due to the diverse range of the ecosystems makes the park to be the most attractive birding destination. The park boasts over 500 bird species that includes the attractive shoebill stork, African Open bill stock, Giant Kingfisher, Long-toed and Water Thick-knee, Senegal Lapwings, Grey Crowned Crane, Augur Buzzard, Fish eagles, Grey-backed-headed and among many others.
Activities done in Akagera National Park.
Game driving.
Game drives in Akagera National Park is done in different phases. This is the best safari moment especially during the morning game drive when the animal species are active and not in their hidden places. This is the best moment where the tourists get to spot the leopards, hyenas, lions, elephants, buffalos, antelopes, zebras and among others, the park has got the magnificent wild flowers that gives the tourists the best superb photographic opportunities to the tourists who are interested in photography hence the best safari memories.
Bird watching.
For the bird lovers, Akagera National Park is the best birding safari destination for you, as this gives the tourists the best safari opportunities to spot on the beautiful and attractive bird species. For example like the papyrus Gonolek, shoebill stork, weavers, kingfishers and among others. Again on the other side the bird species in the park can be seen during the game drives in Rwanda, guided nature walks, boat ride safari on Lake Ihema, and also boat ride on Lake Ihema it gives the bird lovers the opportunities to observe the acquatic bird species that you would not spot around the park. Bird watching safari provides the tourists with the variety of beautiful bird species that makes their safari the most incredible one full of memories.
Boat cruise.
Boat cruise in Akagera National Park is the best safari experience in the park while enjoying the heat from the sun, this is the best way to explore the park’s animal species, as most of them can be at the lake’s shores as they are drinking water or cooling themselves down, along with the variety of the water bird species, school of hippos and the crocodiles can be sighted while carrying out the boat cruise safari in the park.
Mostly in the park the boat cruise safari can be done during the day though the private one can be done in on the unscheduled boat ride during their leisure time.
Sport fishing.
Sport fishing can be done on Lake Shakani where the tourists enjoy the activity, where it needs that you do reservation with the park, with the objective that is catch and release, though on the other side you can still be offered to keep one catch for a dinner if you want hence best safari moments.
Sport Fishing
Cultural Tours.
Tourists who come to explore Akagera national park are given the best moments to experience the rural Rwandan life near the park’s cattle settlements. A Rwanda safari can never be complete minus doing the cultural tours where the tourists participates in the traditional cattle grazing, milking and among other interesting ones, where you go beyond to transfer milk to various products like the ghee, yourhurt and among others, and also you can go ahead to participate and organize dinner while using the milk product ingredients. This gives you the best safari moments in your entire life time.
Best time to visit Akagera National Park.
Akagera national park can be visited at any time of the year, though the best time to visit the park is during the dry season that is in between the months of June to September, that’s when the climate in the park does not change much, and it’s the best time when the visitors can enjoy the warmer temperatures during that season. That’s when the vegetation in the park can be thick hence viewing of the animal species, in that period that’s when the animal species do accumulate around the water sources in the park hence east viewing.
Where to stay in Akagera national park.
Tourists who come to visit Akagera national park are provided with the various and best accommodation facilities that are under Budget, Mid-range and luxury accommodations that includes the Ruzizi Tented camp, Akagera Game Lodge, Karenge Bush camp, Mutumba campsite, Akagera Rhino Lodge, Karenga Bush Camp, and among others.
How to get to Akagera National Park.
You can access Akagera National Park from Kigali the capital city of Rwanda while using the Rwamagana town, and using the southern gate, the drive takes you around 2 hours to get there. Also there is air transport option for the tourists who wish not to use the road transport, using Akagera Aviation.
