Akagera national park national park was created in 1934 and its one of the oldest park in the region of Rwanda and historically its known as bigfive Animal Park. Akagera national park is located in the eastern province of Rwanda and it’s about 2-3 hours’ drive from Kigali city
Akagera national park is named after the akagera River that separates Rwanda with Tanzania , akagera national park is covered by 1120 sq kilometers wide with over 10 lakes inside including Rwanda second largest lake ihema which commonly for its boat cruise activity while on safari in akagera.
Akagera national park is internationally known for its variety of wildlife including Bigfive animals like lions, leopards, elephants, buffaloes and rhinos among other mammals like hippos, crocodiles on Lake Ihema and rwanyakinzga among other lakes, giraffes, and antelopes among other including the huge number of bird species
Wildlife in Akagera national park
Akagera national park is internationally known for its variety of wildlife including Bigfive animals like lions, leopards, elephants, buffaloes and rhinos among other mammals like hippos, crocodiles on Lake Ihema and rwanyakinzga among others lakes, giraffes, impalas, oribis,, bushbucks, elands the larges antelope
You will see schools of hippos in plenty and number of crocodiles sunbathing on Lake Ihema also have encounter number of primates like baboons, vervet monkeys and blue monkeys who are seen mostly on night and evening game drives.
Activities in akagera national park
Game drive safari in akagera national park
Akagera national park Games drives are done in safari vehicles starting early morning in like 6:30am in search of wildlife like leopards, hyenas, lions. This is because the predators prefer to hunt at night or early morning and usually go into hiding as the heat from the sun increases. Along the carnivores, enjoy the scenery of this beautiful park and several other big mammals like Elephants, buffaloes, antelopes including impalas, zebras, elands, bushbucks, and waterbucks among other
There is also night game drives carried out by the park officials of Akagera Management Company. These normally last about 2 hours starting from 6pm to 8.30pm in the night. You will have spotlight to help in watching the different nocturnal animals. You might have an opportunity of sighting the leopards, lions and hyenas as they hunt at good night.
Boat cruise safari in Akager national park
You can spend most of your relaxing time while on boat cruise on Lake Ihema which is 90 meters wide with depeth of 5-7 meters.
You will experience variety of wildlife coming to cool off their bodies like elephants, buffaloes, antelopes, zebras and also huge number of hippos and crocodiles resting in water. You can also see some animals resting on the banks of Lake Ihema and tree shades
Boat cruise on Lake Ihema can be done both of private unscheduled or scheduled for group safari at certain time throughout the day
Birding watching safari experience in akagera national park
Akagera national park is a popular birding destination in Rwanda with over 500 bird species and its great destination that offer birders with endangered like shoebill, papyrus gonolek and more others like African pied kingfisher, weavers, hammerkop, egrets, malachite kingfisher, white faced whistling duck, African fisher eagle,stork among others
You can carry out birding watching along akagera national park while on game drives, nature walks for savannah and forest birds and also birding on baot cruise on Lake Ihema for water species of birds as beautiful safaris with would recommend bird watchers to visit akagera national park for better bird memories
Community visit around akagera national park for the cultural experience
Experience the rural Rwandan life around the cattle keeping communities near Akagera national park. You have opportunity to observe and or participate in traditional cattle grazing, milking, traditional milk storage in calabashes for preservation. You then go through the process of converting milk into different products like traditional yogurt, ghee and lastly take part in preparing a meal with some of the ingredients from the milk products. This is an authentic cultural experience shared by the locals living adjacent to the park, they get to earn from this supplementing their agricultural income. This eventually contributes to conservation culture and wild animals in the park.
Getting to akagera national park
Akagera national park is located in the eastern province of Rwanda and you can drive from Kigali city through Rwamagana town to akagera national park which approximately 2-3 hours’ drive
There is an option of flying to the akagera national park using the services of Akagera Aviation for those on short safari in Rwanda and they are ready for safari in akagera national park
Where to stay in akagera national park
Akagera game lodge
Ruzizi tented lodge
Karenge Bush Camp (Seasonal)