Visiting Akagera National Park

Visiting Akagera National Park : Akagera national park, Rwanda’s wildlife safari park, is a diversely blessed national park and is a home to the big 5 animals with up to 500 different bird species. Akagera national park is located in the north eastern part of the country and is just a 2 hour road transfer from Kigali International airport. Akagera national park attracts guest who are interested in a wildlife safari in Rwanda.

Akagera national park is managed by an African management company called the African parks. To access the Akagera national park, you will be charged some fees according to what category you lie in. The Akagera national park is visited by East African citizens, East African residents, Foreign residents and foreign non-residents.

The Akagera national park offers a number of activities that guests may engage in when in Rwanda. The Akagera national park is the most accessible national park of Rwanda from Kigali and you can either take a road transfer of about 2 hours and you will be at the gate of the park or opt for a 30 minute chartered flight with Akagera aviation and get to enjoy the savannah park. The Akagera national park has in the past faced a challenge of encroachment and poachers that is why there is a fence set up around the park to protect the animals of the park.

The African parks took management of the Akagera national park after a 10 year agreement with the Rwandan government and are managing the running of activities in the park. There are a number of activities that one can take part in while in Akagera and a few of these include these discussed below.

Savannah game drives. Akagera national park is the only park in Rwanda that offers a chance to see the Big 5 animals that is the Lion, leopard, buffalo, Rhinoceros and the African elephant. Akagera national park boosts of more wildlife like the several antelope species like the impalas, elands, duikers, bush bucks, oribis, reedbucks. While on a game drive in Akagera national park, you can spot some zebras, hippopotami, Maasai giraffes, some sitatunga, warthogs and the antelopes.

On a good game drive in Akagera national park, you may also spot some primates like the olive baboons, the blue monkeys, the velvet monkeys and the wide eyed bush babies. Game drives are run for half day or full day and these are all part of the entrance fee. The entrance fee to the Akagera national park is 50 USD for the international travelers, 35 USD for the foreign residents exclusive of vehicle fee.

There are a number of fees to consider while planning a visit to Akagera national park like the vehicle entrance fee and these depend on the type of vehicle. To enjoy a game drive in Akagera, you will have to consider moving with an Akagera guide and these charge for their services depending on the time. The half day game drives you will pay 25 USD and 40 USD for the full day game drive.

The half day game drives start from 6:30 am to 11:30 am or 12 pm to 5 pm. The full day game drives start from 6:30 am to 5 pm.

Birding in Akagera national park is an ideal activity as this park is a home to over 510 different bird species and about 500 are endemic species that can only be found in the Akagera national park. The birds that you will be able to spot in Akagera include the shoebill stork, the papyrus gonelek, the raptors to mention but a few and also get to see some migratory birds like the great snipe or even the lesser kestrel.

Boat trips in Akagera national park. A boat trip in the Akagera national park is a very worthy activity as you get to see the aquatic life of Akagera that is the hippos and the crocodiles. The Lake Ihema is the biggest lake in the park but there are other lakes like Lake Shakani.

A boat trip on Lake Ihema goes for 35 USD and is an hour boat trip. It is also a great sighting for a number of birds. You may also book a private boat trip where you can have the whole boat to your disposal. There are other activities one can engage in like camping or Behind the scenes experience, cultural experience or even walk the line.

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