Akagera national park Safaris

Akagera national park Safaris

Akagera national park Safaris : The Akagera national park is Rwanda’s only wildlife national park and is located only 1 hour and 30 minutes away from Kigali the capital city of Rwanda. The Akagera national park is strategically located in the north eastern part of Rwanda in the Kayonza district. The park is majorly covered by savannah grassland of acacia and bush grass with some open parts of grassland complimented by the swamps and swampy vegetation.

The Akagera national park was named after the Kagera River and this river flows on the borderline of Rwanda and Tanzania and pours into the Lake Ihema and the other much smaller lakes of the park. This is a protected area managed by the African Parks that signed a 20 year management contract.

The Akagera national park is a home to the big 5 animals and is one of the only parks that offers this opportunity in one place.

Wildlife found in the Akagera national park

The Akagera national park offers the ideal savannah game drive with a chance to spot a number of wild animals in their natural habitat. Akagera national park is a home to the lions, leopards, rhinos, elephants, giraffes, zebras, hyenas and the smaller animals like the different antelope species like the impala, bush bucks, water bucks, bush duikers, oribis, topis, and klipspringer and also get to spot the largest antelope the Cape Eland.

While on a boat cruise on the lake Ihema, visitors of the Akagera national park will be able to spot the hippopotami and the crocodiles basking at the shore and in the water.

The Akagera national park is double blessed to also be a home to primates and these can be seen on a good day for a game drive like the baboons, the blue monkeys commonly spotted in the Nyungwe forest national park, the vervet monkeys and the bush babies which are a common sighting on the night game drives.

Birds in Akagera national park

The birds in Akagera national park are over 500 different species and these have been spotted over time in the park. Akagera national park is also one of the Important Bird Areas (IBA) in the world as a visit to the park on your Rwanda tour gives one a chance to spot many birds.

Some of the birds that you can spot in Akagera national park include the common cattle Egret, Grey crowned crane, shoebill stork, African open bill stock, Senegal Lapwings, wattled plover, black headed weaver, long crested eagle, long toed and water thick knee bird, fan tailed widow bird, the hamerkop, Caruthers’s cisticola, the Hadada Ibis to mention but a few.

The Akagera national park is one of the four national parks in Rwanda and attracts big numbers of guests who come into Rwanda and this park has many activities that one can engage in on their visit and a few of these are highlighted below.

Savannah game drive.

Akagera national park Safaris is the only park in Rwanda where you can enjoy the wild in a car driving around to spot the game. Safari vehicles are used for this activity and reaching close to the homes of the wild animals such as the leopards, hyenas and the lions as well. These are often spotted in the early morning hours and later in the evening as they are out to hunt. The day’s heat usually sends them into hiding and spotting them in the middle of the day is not guaranteed.

Besides the big cats, you can spot the African elephant on a game drive in the Akagera national park and the other animals like the zebras, buffaloes, antelopes and the beautiful vegetation and wild flowers top up the scenery in the park.

Boat cruise

The Lake Ihema is the largest lake in the park and this is where the boat cruises of Akagera happen for a chance to spot the aquatic animals of the park. Take on a boat cruise on the Lake Ihema for a chance to spot a one of the largest hippopotami concentration and the crocodiles basking at the shores and swimming in the lake.

There are scheduled 1 hour boat trips on the Lake Ihema and it costs about 40 USD and if you prefer a private unscheduled boat cruise, that can also be arranged.

Bird watching

Akagera national park is a great destination for the tourists looking for a bird experience and is a home to over 600 different bird species and these include the endemic species and the endangered bird species. The birding can be done while on a game drive and also when on a boat cruise on the Lake Ihema.

There are cultural tours that you can engage in outside but close to the park as well as sport fishing, walk the line experience and even behind the scenes activity where you get to interact with the authorities running the park.

Accommodation in Akagera national park.

The accommodation in the Akagera national park is limited but the few hotels in the park are great options. Check out the Rusizi tented camp and the Magashi tented camp for the luxury option, the Karenge Bush camp and the Akagera Game lodge for the midrange accommodation option. Akagera national park awaits for your visit so get in touch with us and let us plan your ideal Rwanda tour.