Akagera National Park, a savannah park in Rwanda
Rwanda, known as the “Land of a Thousand Hills,” is a well-known tourist destination. The country contains several national parks that house a diverse range of biological systems as well as other tourist attractions. Akagera National Park is Rwanda’s sole savannah park.
Akagera National Park, located in eastern Rwanda near the Tanzanian border, spans 1,122 square kilometres of savannah grasslands, montane forests, swamps, and is named after the Akagera river. The Akagera River flows along the park’s eastern perimeter, feeding into Lake Ihema and many smaller lakes. The park also includes a system of lakes and linked papyrus swamps, which are the largest protected wetlands in Eastern-Central Africa.
Historically, the Belgian government established Akagera National Park in 1934 with the goal of safeguarding the area’s biodiversity; the area was formerly known as “parc aux Lycaons” by the Belgians due to its high population of African wild dogs. The Belgian government deemed African wild canines to be pests, but a sickness struck the area, wiping out a large population of them.
Akagera National Park is home to a variety of animal species, including the Big Five and bird species. The park is dominated by a range of vegetation cover and landscapes in diverse locations. The north section has low-lying grasslands and savannah plains, while the west region has rolling hills and valleys. The east region is crossed by the Akagera river, which flows into lakes, marshes, and papyrus swamps.
Akagera National area is a well-known habitat for wildlife and bird species. Animals in the area include mammals and primates. Giraffes, elephants, hippos, kobs, zebras, lions, leopards, buffaloes, rhinos, bush bucks, kobs, and crocodiles are among the mammals found in the area. Akagera National Park is home to a variety of primates, including olive baboons and vervet monkeys. Akagera National Park is home to over 420 bird species, including a black-headed gonolek, shoe bills, Fischer’s love bird, lilac-breasted roller, crested barbet, grey hornbills, Ross’s turaco, Heuglin’s robin-chat, kingfishers, bee-eaters, terns, ducks, barbets, shrikes, weavers, orioles, weavers, and many more.
Safari Activities in Akagera National Park
Game drives
The park is Rwanda’s only national park that offers a game drive safari experience. Game drives in this park are an entertaining and memorable experience that are available in three sessions: morning game drive, which is best for spotting hunters and grazers, afternoon game drive, and evening game drive, which is best for seeing nocturnal animals. Zebras, buffaloes, antelopes, bush bucks, elephants, defassa waterbucks, oribis, rhinos, reedbucks, roan antelopes, sable buffaloes, elands, vervet monkeys, warthogs, baboons, hippos, mongoose, crocodiles, leopards, spotted hyenas, and many other animals can be seen on game drives through the park’s trails. The best places to see animals in Akagera National Park are swamps and lakes, where they come to drink water.
Birding
Akagera National Park is an important birding destination in Rwanda, with over 480 bird species inhabiting the park’s savannah woods, swamps, lakes, and forests. The park is home to both migratory and resident bird species that are easily spotted. During a bird watching experience, you can see black-headed gonoleks, shoe bills, Fischer’s love bird, lilac-breasted roller, crested barbet, grey hornbills, Ross’s turaco, Heuglin’s robin-chat, kingfishers, bee-eaters, terns, ducks, barbets, shrikes, weavers, orioles, weavers, and many more.
Fishing
Fishing in the park is a wonderful sport done on the shores of Lake Shakani. Lake Shakani is a freshwater lake that has a variety of fish species, making fishing in these waters an excellent sport to compete in. With your fishing equipment, you will head to the lake to catch a variety of fish species, including tilapia, which will be kept for an evening BBQ at your lodge.
Boat Cruise
A boat tour in the park is a wonderful safari experience because it provides a great opportunity to see animals, birds, and enjoy the lakes. Boat cruises on Lake Ihema are scheduled at the park and depart at 7:30 a.m., 9:00 a.m., 3:00 p.m., and 4:30 p.m. The boat ride lasts around 2-3 hours and allows you to see crocodiles, buffaloes, hippos, and a variety of birds including kingfishers, fish eagles, egrets, hammerkops, shoebills, herons, malachite kingfisher, hawks, plovers, and many others. In addition to the animals and birds, the boat excursion provides travellers with a pleasant air from the lake and breathtaking views of the surroundings.
Camping
The park provides great camping experiences to travellers interested in camping. The park comprises of three camping sites that accommodate campers: Mayumba campground, Mutamba Akagera campsite, and Shakani Akagera campsite. Camping in Akagera National Park offers a unique opportunity to observe wildlife including elands, roan antelopes, and hippos, as well as enjoy views of Lake Ihema and Lake Shakani and hear birds sing.
Cultural Tours
Cultural tours in the park are the best way to learn more about Kinyarwanda culture, traditions, norms, and various practices. Cultural tours take you to the local community where you will witness local milking of cattle and how it is treated and preserved, as well as the local clothing code, among other things. This excursion also includes a visit to the Imigongo Art and Crafts Centre, Rwanda’s most famous cultural attraction, which houses wonderful native art pieces and shows many aspects of Rwandan culture.
How to go to Akagera National Park?
This beautiful national park is located in Rwanda’s north-east region, 110 kilometres from Kigali, the country’s capital and a popular tourist destination. It is easily accessible by well-maintained roads from the city. It takes about 2-3 hours to drive from Kigali to the park, and you can get there by public or private transportation.
Where to stay in Akagera National Park?
Akagera National area is littered with excellent housing facilities that provide beds and other services to guests visiting the area for a safari experience. These accommodations include Akagera Game Lodge and Karenge Bushcamp Akagera.
