Akagera national park

Akagera national park is the best wildlife viewing safari destination in Rwanda, the park is the only savannah national park located northeastern Rwanda along the international border of Rwanda with Tanzania and close to Kibugu the starting point to safaris to this park. Akagera national park covers an area of 12000 square kilometers and gets its named from Akagera River flowing through the landscape of the park feeding lake Ihema and other mall lakes found in the park, Akagera river is the mist distant head stream of river Nile and the largest tributary of lake Victoria, this river the largest water source feeding Akagera ecosystem and neighboring areas.

Akagera national par’s landscape consists of cultivated hills which create a spectacular backdrop and it dominated by a series of vegetation including grass, shrubs of Euphorbia candelabra resembling cactus and patches of forests. Akagera national park is a habitat to a variety of wildlife species which include lions, elephants, leopards, buffaloes, spotted hyenas, elephants, buffalos, giraffe, zebras, leopards, lion, olive baboons, Vervet monkeys, blue monkeys, bush babies and 12 species of antelopes such as bushbucks, Topis, Oribis, water-buck, roan antelope and duiker, klipspringer, impala an cape eland the world largest antelopes.

Akagera national park is also one of the important birding areas in Rwanda hosting over 500 bird species, remarkable bird species in Akagera national park include shoebill, papyrus Gonolek, African Wattled Plover, Giant Kingfisher, Senegal Lapwings, Squacco Herons, African Open bill stock, Grey Crowned Crane, African Darter, Long-toed and Water Thick-knee, fish eagles, Cattle Egret, Hamerkop, Sacred and Hadada Ibis, Augur Buzzard, Long-crested Eagle, and Pied Crow, black-headed and Vieillot’s Black Weavers, Grey-backed Fiscals, Fan-tailed Widowbird and Caruther’s Cisticola and many more.

Historically, Akagera national park was established as a protected area in 1934, this was intended to protect and conserve fauna and flora species using the area as a home.at the time of its establishment, Akagera national park used to cover an area of 2,500 square kilometers making it the biggest protected wetland in Africa. In 1934 the park’s area was reduced by 50% and the cut off area was offered to resettle the 1994 Rwanda genocide refugees, the high number of genocide refugees escalated poaching and cultivation practices in the Akagera national park and this forced the government of Rwanda to reduce the park half of its original size.

To combat poaching and encroachment on the park’s land, the government of Rwanda constructed a perimeter fence on the park and it has been working in hand with Rwanda Development Board to protect the animals which has resulted into an increase in the population of wildlife in the park.

Safari activities in Akagera national park

Game drives

Game drives in Akagera national park offer an excellent wildlife viewing opportunity while driving through the park on perfectly paved trails, game drives are done in a 4X4 wheel vehicle with open side widows and pop roof for easy viewing of the animals. Game drives in Akagera national park are offered in sessions/shifts that are morning game drive for viewing early risers such as elephants, buffaloes and lions, afternoon game drive for viewing animals as they congregate at watering holes in the park and night game drive for viewing nocturnal animals such as lions as they hunt for their prey. However, game drives in Akagera national park generally offer views of many animals such as lions, elephants, leopards, buffaloes, spotted hyenas, elephants, buffalos, giraffe, zebras, leopards, lion,  bushbucks, Topis, Oribis, water-buck, roan antelope, duiker, klipspringer, impala and many more. Game drives also offers an opportunity for enjoying beautiful sights of the landscape of various vegetation covers and fauna.

Bird watching

Akagera national park is listed among the best birding destinations in Rwanda and a paradise for bird enthusiasts offering excellent birding opportunities, Akagera national park boosts 500 bird species including endangered species such as papyrus Gonolek and shoe bill sighted on a bird watching safari. Birding watching in Akagera national park is usually done on a nature walk, boat safari on Lake Ihema or a game drive offering sights of various bird species such as include shoebill, papyrus Gonolek, African Wattled Plover, Giant Kingfisher, Senegal Lapwings, Squacco Herons, African Open bill stock, Grey Crowned Crane, African Darter, Long-toed and Water Thick-knee, fish eagles, Cattle Egret, Hamerkop, Sacred and Hadada Ibis, Augur Buzzard, Long-crested Eagle, and Pied Crow and many more.

Boat trips

Boat trips in Akagera national park is the best way of relaxing after an adventurous morning game drives, boat rides are offered on Lake Ihema on scheduled boat operated at a fixed time and private boats operated at the time of the client. Boat rides in Akagera national park offer an opportunity for sighting a huge number of animals crowding the shores of the lake to drink water such as buffaloes, elands, antelopes, elephants, schools of hippos and crocodiles living in the waters of the lake and many water birds such as shoe bills.

Sport fishing

Sport fishing in Akagera national park is a relaxing safari activity done on Lake Shakani, Lake Shakani is located a few kilometers northeast of the park’s headquarters in the southern section of park and it is the only spot in the park where sport fishing is done. Lake Shakani inhabits fish species such as catfish, tilapia, mud fish and others which are caught on the sport fishing experience, sport fishing is requires prior booking at the park’s headquarters and visitors are advised to carry their own fishing gears.

Cultural tours

Cultural tours in Akagera national park offers a visit to the local communities sharing boundaries with the park, in the tours tourists get an opportunity to enjoy the local lifestyle of the local people and participate in traditional activities such as cattle grazing, milking cattle and goats, traditional way of storing milk in calabashes, process of turning milk into other dairy products as traditional yogurt and ghee. On cultural tours tourists are offer traditional entertainment through cultural dances and drama.

How to get to Akagera national park.

Getting to Akagera national park is very easy, the park is situated in a drive of 2 hours’ drive from Kigali city the capital city of Rwanda and a starting point for mists safaris to Akagera national park. From Kigali city, the park is accessed by road and air transport. By road there are well paved roads leading Akagera national park from Kigali, by air transport domestic chartered flights organized by Akagera Aviation are offered from Kigali to the park in a helicopter flight.

Where to stay in Akagera national park

There is a limited number of lodges and camps offering accommodation to tourists visiting Akagera national park on a Rwanda safari, these include Ruzizi Tented camp, Akagera game lodge, Karenge Bush camp, camping groups, Seeds of Hope Guesthouse, Cari hotel, Le Migo hotel, Discover Rwanda youth hostel, top tower hotel, Umubano hotel, Grand legacy hotel and many more.