The sole savannah national park in Rwanda, Akagera National Park offers an amazing safari site for game viewing. Comprising an area of 1,085 square kilometers, Akagera national park is the biggest national park in Rwanda and located in north east of the country alongside Tanzania. Established as a protected area in 1934, Akagera national park is Rwanda’s safeguard of the ecosystem with mountains, wetlands, a sequence of lakes including Lake Shakani Lake Ihema, Lake Mihindi, Lake Gishanju and Lake Rwanyakizinga. Akagera national park receives its name from this park; it is traversed on the eastern boundaries.
Akagera National Park Tour is a rich habitat for animals living in the savannah grasslands of the park. Akagera is dominated by rolling savannah combretum interspersed with acacia woodland and a sequence of hills harboring a diversity of fauna and birdlife. Herds of elephants, impalas, waterbucks, buffaloes, zebras, giraffes, impalas, elusive leopards, spotted hyenas, genets, mongoose, side stripped jackal, serval cats and primates such vervet monkeys, olive baboons, bush babies, and spotted silver monkey which is periodically sighted in the park. These animals Park rivers and lakes house water life including Nile crocodiles and hippos.
Safari things to perform in Akagera
Player drives
The main safari activity available in Akagera is game viewing, which is carried out on game drives in this park. The great variety of animals present in the park helps to enable morning, afternoon, and evening/night game drive operations. From buffalos, elephants, Maasai giraffes, antelopes like eland and topi, leopards, hyenas, lions alongside primate species including Olive baboon, vervet, blue monkeys and bush babies, game drives in Akagera provide visitors with a fulfilling experience of spotting animals. A safari guide who knows the park and where to find the animals rather well helps with game drives in Akagera.
National Park in Akagera
Bird watching in Akagera National Park
One of the great places for bird enthusiasts in Rwanda, the park has over 525 bird species including water birds, savannah birds, and migratory bird species.
birdwatching inside Akagera National Park
birdwatching in the national park Akagera
Boat tours
Boat trips on Lake Ihema, the largest lake in the park, provide fantastic chances for spotting many species living in the waters of Lake Ihema including hippos and crocodiles, various water birds including shoe bills, herons and cultivated hills. Organized by Akagera wildlife lodge in conjunction with the Rwanda Tourism agency, boat cruises in Akagera are among the most exciting leisure safaris available.
Fishing excursions
The park, which consists of a sequence of lakes including Lake Shakani Lake Ihema, Lake Mihindi, Lake Gishanju and Lake Rwanyakizinga and fishing safaris are mostly done on Lake Shakani. Rwanda fishing safaris find great location in this park. This amazing safari activity allows visitors to connect as they try to fish and hear sounds produced by creatures like hippos and birds on the lake’s coast.
How one arrives in Akagera National Park?
About 130 kilometers separate Akagera national park from Kigali city, where most safaris to this magnificent park start from. Akagera national park is commonly accessed by road and air means of transportation.
From Kigali city center, the most used road is Kigali airport road of roughly 500 meters then proceed through Rwamagana to the roundabout using both public and private modes of transportation. near a petrol station, turn left onto a dirt road near Kayonza roundabout and travel roughly 15 kilometers to Kabarondo. The drive ends at Kayonza gate after 28 kilometers.
One hour’s drive from Kibungo/Rwamagana allows one to see Akagera national park.
Advice: 4X4 wheel vehicles are the most advised vehicle to take when using road travel to reach Akagera for a safari.
Akagera Aviation operates domestic chartered flights to Akagera; the flight to the national park takes roughly 22 minutes via air.
Where in Akagera one should stay?
Shekani campsites, Mutamba campsite, Ruzizi tented camp, Akagera game lodge, Muyumba campsite and many more provide accommodation in Akagera national park. Akagera national park is dotted with fantastic and perfectly established lodges and camps to offer visitors comfortable stay while on their safari in Akagera national park.
Recommended Tours: 6 Days Tanzania Wildlife Safari | 5 Days Ngorongoro & Serengeti Safari
