Akagera National Park
Akagera National Park
The park is located in Eastern Rwanda hugging the border with Tanzania is a hidden game park characterized by woodland, swamps, low mountains and savannah. Home to the Big 5 Animals in Rwanda such as Lions, Elephants, Leopards, Buffalo and Eastern Black Rhinoceros. Game drives in Akagera National Park are known for the opportunity for wildlife spotting. These include; common Antelope species, Zebras, Giraffes, Hippos, some primates, different bird species, and many more across varied terrains far in its wilderness. Wildlife enthusiasts may enjoy the vast expanses of native plants and native animals during guided walks & drives, self-guided drives, or opt for a thrilling viewing experience by a boat cruise along Lake Ihema where you can watch as many Hippos and Crocodiles.
Activities and attractions
Game drives
Game drives in Akagera national park are done in safari vehicles starting early morning in search of the leopards, hyenas, and the re-introduced lions. This is because the predators prefer to hunt at night or early morning and usually go into hiding as the heat from the sun increases. Along the carnivores, enjoy the scenery of this beautiful park and several other big mammals like Elephants, buffaloes, antelopes, Zebra and Giraffes. The landscape and beautiful wild flowers will make for good pictures for the interested photographer. There are also night game drives carried out by the park and these normally last about 2 hours starting from 6pm to 8.30pm in the night. You will have spotlight to help in watching the different nocturnal animals. You might also have an opportunity of sighting the leopards as they hunt or even the lions.
Bird watching
Akagera national park is generally a popular and Important birding area in Rwanda. Bird watching enthusiasts will find birding in the park rewarding as it offers birders opportunities to sight both the endangered bird species. These include; papyrus gonolek, shoebill, weavers, egrets, Kingfishers, not to mention but a few. Birding is done while on a game drive, nature walk with a ranger guide and on a boat safari on Lake Ihema. Birding on lake Ihema will accord one the pleasure of water species which are otherwise not seen while on the game drive in the Savannah grassland. We therefore highly recommend birding in Akagera national park for both variety and the ease with which you see the birds.
Boat ride
The best way to spend an afternoon in Akagera national park is to take a boat ride on Lake Ihema. Most animals are hiding under shade because of the heat from the sun as others come to the water for cooling off and drinking. In addition to a variety of water birds, you will watch schools of hippos in the water and crocodiles by the shores of the lake. There are scheduled boat trips which happen during the day but one can book for a private unscheduled boat trip at their own timing.
Sport fishing
The Park offers an opportunity of sport fishing on Lake Shakani. However, you are required to make a booking with the park for sport fishing on this lake. Even though the expectation is catch and release, you are given an opportunity to take one catch for a meal if interested.
Cultural tours
Experience the rural Rwandan life around the cattle keeping communities near Akagera national park. Here, you have an opportunity to observe or participate in traditional cattle grazing, milking, traditional milk storage in calabashes for preservation. You then go through the process of converting milk into different products like traditional yogurt and ghee. Afterwards, take part in preparing a meal with some of the ingredients from the milk products. This is an authentic cultural experience shared by the locals living adjacent to the park, they get to earn from this supplementing their agricultural income. This eventually contributes to conservation culture and wild animals in the park.
