Akagera National Park
AN OASIS OF BREATHTAKING LANDSCAPES AND REMARKABLE WILDLIFE
AKAGERA NATIONAL PARK OVERVIEW
Lying in the far Eastern Province of Rwanda, Akagera National Park is amazingly a spectacular protected area dominated by vast savannas, woodland, dozens of Lakes and wetlands. Akagera National Park offers a world-class big game viewing experience and features Rwanda’s only savanna park.
Akagera National Park was established a park in 1934 and has a land area coverage of 1122 sq.km. This park features Africa’s biggest wetland-dominated protected area and takes its name from the Kagera River, a scenic river that flows along its Eastern boundary.
Originally, Akagera occupied a land area of about 2500 sq.km till 1997 when its size cut to about 50 percent. Almost half of the park’s area was reallocated to the returning refugees to Rwanda from the civil war (Rwanda genocide). The return of the refugees resulted in high levels of poaching and cultivation.
In 2009, there was a need to ensure maximum protection of the park and its natural wonders thus collaboration between the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) and African Parks resulted in the creation of Akagera Management Company. An agreement was signed to guide the two bodies to manage the park, and today, Akagera Management Company plays a remarkable role in ensuring the proper management of this park.
Akagera National Park lies on the extreme Rwanda border with Tanzania. It is dominated by scenic swamps and small lakes that flow into the River Kagera. The park features a good network of water sources and distinct landscapes that form stunning scenery. Besides, the park is rich in eco-system inhabiting large and small mammals plus reptiles, birds, butterflies and flora.
WILD ANIMALS IN AKAGERA NATIONAL PARK
The different wild animals to be spotted on Rwanda tour in Akagera National Park include elephants, zebras, buffaloes, baboons, lions, leopards, hyenas, antelope families ranging from topis, roan antelopes, bushbucks, cape elands, waterbucks, impalas, klipspringers, duikers to oribis. The park also supports a huge concentration of aquatic species in Lake Ihema, such as hippos and crocodiles.
Akagera National Park is interestingly a remarkable bird-watching destination. The park holds over 500 bird species and birders on birding tours in Rwanda can search for birds such as brown-chested lapwings, Beaudouin’s snake eagle, Amur falcons, Carruthers cisticolas, blue-shouldered robin-chat, black-crowned night heron, cardinal quelea, Caspian plovers, Denham’s bustards, Cabanis’s bunting, marsh owl, lesser moorhen, lesser jacanas, crested barbet, double toothed barbets, moustached grass warblers, marsh tchagra, Northern brown threatened weavers, shoebill, ross’s turacos, pennant winged nightjars, papyrus gonoleks, red-winged francolins,
Striped pipit, sooty falcons, slate-coloured boubou, semi-collared flycatchers, Ruaha chat, Tabora cisticolas, white-winged swamp warblers, grey-backed fiscals, pied crows, fish eagles, long-crested eagles, Souza’s shrikes, short-tailed pipit, western reef heron, and yellow-throated leaf love, etc.
WHEN TO VISIT THE PARK
Akagera National Park is all year-round wildlife destination thanks to its friendly weather conditions. However, for excellent wildlife encounters, the dry season is the best time to travel to this park for game viewing excursions and this is from June, July, August to September or December, January to February.
ACTIVITIES TO DO
The leading safari experience to enjoy on Rwanda vacation in Akagera National Park is a game drive. With an experienced park guide and in a 4×4 drive vehicle, expect to explore the different rich game viewing trails of Akagera National Park as you search for diversity of wildlife. The morning and afternoon guided game viewing all focus on the big five game encounter and other wildlife, birds and allows you to enjoy the spectacular landscapes. If your target is viewing the nocturnal species, then go night game drive/viewing and expect to come across bush babies, leopards and night jar bird species.
Birding in Akagera National Park is all about looking for the park’s interesting bird species. The park contains 500 species of birds and during the birding tour; diversity of them can be spotted on a boat cruise along Lake Ihema or during the normal game drives. Here is the list of some of the birds to spot: papyrus gonoleks, marsh owl, martial eagle, moustached grass warblers, semi-collared flycatchers, short tailed pipits, Shelley’s francolins, pennant-winged nightjars, Northern brown throated weavers, hadada ibis, slate colored boubou, ruaha chat, red winged francolins, and more
A boat cruise excursion on Lake Ihema Akagera National Park is perfect for nature lovers who prefer exploring aquatic species. During the 2-3 hours’ boat cruise on Lake Ihema, expect to encounter myriad of aquatic species such as crocodiles, hippos, and birds such as kingfishers, bee-eaters and shoebills.
Sport fishing is anglers must enjoy experience while on Akagera National Park safari tour. This is perfectly done on Lake Shakani, offering anglers a chance to catch the heaviest fish species, especially tilapia. If you happen to visit Akagera during the fishing tournament then you will be joining the rest of the anglers on the competition.
Hot air balloon tour is a new experience currently available for tourists to be part while on Rwanda tour in Akagera. Enjoy aerial views of the big game and other animals, take pictures. There is an option of setting off for the sunrise or sunset balloon tours each guaranteeing exceptional aerial animal views.
Hot air balloon tour is a new experience currently available for tourists to be part while on Rwanda tour in Akagera. Enjoy aerial views of the big game and other animals, take pictures. There is an option of setting off for the sunrise or sunset balloon tours each guaranteeing exceptional aerial animal views.
SAFARI LODGES TO STAY
- Luxury: Ruzizi Tented Camp/Magashi Tented Camp/ Karenge Bush Camp
- Midrange: Akagera Lodge.
GETTING THERE
Akagera National Park is located not far from Kigali city center, and takes 2.5 hours to drive to the northeast to explore this park. Besides road transport, there is an option of taking a flight from Kigali to Akagera NP using Kagera Aviation.
