Visit Akagera National Park, a profuse in adventurous terrains, wide range of wildlife species, and plethora of bird species as well as a friendly community. When you think of this park, you always think of wildlife safaris but there is more to this destination than just classic safaris.
As Rwanda’s largest national park, Akagera National Park holds so much untold secrets and hidden wonders. There is nothing truly redolent and jaw-dropping than the vast savannah plains, where you can see the big five animals, uplifting water sports and large numbers of savannah animals in the wilderness.
This park may not always register on top of the list of African safari destinations, but the few who visit always have the chance to experience the perfect feel of an African wilderness. While compiling a finite list of reasons to visit Akagera National Park seems thwarted, but below are some of the prime inspirations and launching pad for starting your trip to the spectacular park.
1. Unsurpassed Game viewing opportunities
The number one reason to add Akagera National Park to your bucket list is the fact that it offers unsurpassed game viewing opportunities. Most of Africa’s iconic wildlife species such as leopards, rhinos, lions, elephants, Rothschild giraffes, buffaloes, zebras, hippos, serval cats and antelopes thrive in this savannah national park.
2. Easily accessible
To explore Akagera National Park you don’t need to maneuver with a 4WD vehicle deep into the bush. The park can be reached in approximately two and a half hours from Kigali, the capital of Rwanda. En-route sites include the Kigali Genocide Memorial Site. There are also helicopter flights to the park from Kigali International Airport.
You can easily maneuver through the park, because there is a network of well-maintained game tracks that allow you to spot the different wildlife species.
3. Extraordinary birding experience
Another reason to visit Akagera National Park is because of the extraordinary birding experience. Birders can always look forward to spot more than 480 species of birds, thus rewarding enthusiasts with an extraordinary experience.
The African sacred Ibis, long-tailed cisticola, cattle egrets, African kingfisher, yellow-billed storks, grey-crowned cranes, Ross’ turaco and weavers are some of the incredible bird species to look out for.
4. Watersports on Lake Ihema
Hop on-board a luxurious boat or kayak for unforgettable watersport safaris on Lake Ihema. Some of these boat feature decks from which you can watch the buffaloes, elephants and antelopes drinking along the shores of the lake or the multi-colored birds nesting in the surrounding wetlands.
5. Guided nature walks
With the marvelous array of guided nature walks in Akagera National Park, you are guaranteed of experiencing nature in real time. It’s from this activity that you will come close to the small or shy animals such as mongoose and serval cats among others.
6. Elegant private Safari Lodges
On arrival at Akagera National Park, you will be welcomed to first class and elegant private safari lodges including tented camps and safari lodges to suit the tastes, preferences and budgets of every traveler.
7. Safety of the Park
Akagera National Park is one of the safest national parks in Africa. To maintain safety of visitors, security check points exist at the different park entrances. Most activities in the park are also done in the company of armed ranger guides, to protect visitors from possible dangerous wildlife attacks.
More details about Akagera National Park
Spanning for over 1,122 square kilometers, Akagera National Park is located within the eastern side of Rwanda along the border with Tanzania. It was established in 1934 by the Belgian Government.
The park derived its name from the Kagera River that drains through the eastern boundary of the park. It is currently made-up of different vegetation types that include wetlands, savannah plains and montane forests. Due to the system of lakes and interconnecting swamps blanketing a third of the park, it has been known as the largest protected wetland in central Africa.
It is a perfect place to see the savannah wildlife species especially the big five animals; lions, leopards, rhinos, elephants and buffaloes. Don’t miss the Rothschild’s giraffes, zebras, Defassa waterbucks, black and white colobus monkeys, kobs, topis, bushbucks, olive baboons, warthogs, common elands, and Nile crocodiles among others.
Lavish Safari Lodges in the Park
Akagera National Park is not only a wildlife viewing spot but also a destination with lavish safari lodges that can make your wildest dreams come true. These include the opulent Rusizi Tented Lodge with 7 en-suite tented camps overlooking the spectacular Lake Ihema. The splendorous Akagera Game Lodge nestled on a ridge is another perfect relaxation spot in the middle of the wilderness. These accommodation facilities make you forget about the outside world.
How to get to Akagera National Park
Akagera National Park in eastern Rwanda is about 120 kilometers from the City of Kigali, a gateway of all destinations. It can be reached by air and road transport. For road transport, it’s about two and a half hours drive from Kigali to the park while by air, helicopter flights can be organized to the park.