Akagera National Park is set in the north-eastern Rwanda just near border area with Tanzania. It is the only big game park in Rwanda with area coverage of about 1122 sq.km. Akagera National Park comprises of swamps, grassland, acacia woodland and small Lakes. It is named after River Akagera. In 1934, Akagera National Park was gazetted as a national park and its creation was to offer refuge to its diverse wildlife species.
Things to see in Akagera National Park
A visit to Akagera National Park on a holiday allows you to view the big five game (elephants, leopards, rhinos, buffaloes, lions), giraffes, hyenas, side striped jackal, mongoose, antelopes, primates like olive baboons, blue monkeys and bush babies; 530 bird species with 44 raptors species, Palearctic migrants such as gallinago media, the Zambezian biome species like lanius souzae, cisticola angusticauda, myrmecocichla arnotti and water birds.
The water birds to spot out in Akagera National Park include created barbet, swamp flycatcher, marabou stork, open billed stork, herons, cormorants, egrets, African fish eagles, papyrus gonoleks, black headed ganolex, lilac breasted roller, heuglin’s roin chat, red faced barbet, Ross’s turaco a mention but a few. There are also swamps, lakes like Lake Ihema, Lake Shakani, Lake Rwanyakizinga and Lake Gishanju.
Things to do in Akagera National Park
Game drives
A game drive in Akagera National Park allows you to catch a glimpse at varied wildlife species. On a game drive, expect to see elephants, buffaloes, rhinos, leopards, Masai giraffes, elands and topis. There is also a night game drive which gets you the best sight at several nocturnal species such as leopards, hyenas, civets and others.
Boat tours
Boat trip Akagera National Park takes you through Lake Ihema and gets you the best sights at hippos, crocodiles, water bird species as well as elephants, buffaloes along the lake shores.
Birding
Akagera National Park is a birders paradise with distinct birds for you to spot out. The birds to identify in Akagera National Park include herons, papyrus Gonolek, red faced barbet, shoebill stork, swamp flycatcher, hawks and malachite kingfishers, plovers and others.
You may also take part in sport fishing, helicopter tours, nature walks, cultural encounters and others.
Accommodation options in Akagera National Park
The lodges for visitor night stay in Akagera National Park include Ruzizi Tented Lodge, Akagera game lodge, Campsites-there are 3 campsites for you to choose and they include Shakani campsite-on the shores of Lake Shakani thus offering visitors with amazing views of the lake; Mutamba campsite, Muyumba campsite.
Best time to visit Akagera National Park
Akagera National Park is open to visitors throughout the year. Perfect game views can be got during the dry months of the year that is from June to September, December to February. The wet/rainy season is also ideal to explore Akagera and this starts from March-May and October-November.
Getting to Akagera National Park
To get to Akagera National Park, your journey may take you approximately 2 and half hours to drive from Kigali drive via Kibungo or Rwamagana trading center.