Top 5 safari activities in Akagera National Park

Top 5 safari activities in Akagera National Park

Top 5 safari activities in Akagera National Park ( Rwanda wildlife safari/ Rwanda Wildlife tours): Akagera national park is a protected area and one of the most visited national parks in Rwanda situated in the eastern region of Rwanda, the park is situated along the border of Rwanda and Tanzania covering an area of 433 square kilometers. Akagera national park derives its name from Akagera River which runs through the park, the park consists of many tourist attractions which make it one of the most visited national parks in Rwanda such as wildlife, birdlife, Lake Ihema, Akagera River and several small lakes.

Akagera national park was established in 1934 by the Belgian government and it is a home to many wildlife species which live in the savannah, montane and swamp vegetation dominating the park, these animals include lion, leopards, rhino, buffalo, antelopes, duiker, klipspringer, topis, zebras,  oribis, bushbucks, cape eland and many more. Akagera national park is a thriving home a variety of bird species with over 400 species such as red faced barbets, Amur falcon, Beaudouin’s snake eagle, booted eagle, brown-chested lapwing, cabanis’ bunting, crested barbet, Denham’s bustard, grasshopper buzzard, northern brown-throated weaver, papyrus gonolek, shoebill, short-tailed pipit and many more.

Akagera National Park offers quiet a number of safari activities and this article lists the top safari activities for tourists to get an exciting, memorable and adventurous experience while in the park.

Game Drives

Akagera national park is an excellent tourist destination for game drive, the park is a thriving home for a variety of wildlife species such as buffaloes, elephants, lions, rhinos, giraffes, elands, defassa waterbuck, semi-aquatic sitatunga, reedbucks, topis, oribis, civets, serval cats, bush babies . Akagera national park is dominated by savannah woodland vegetation making spotting of animals while on a game drive safari experience easy through the widow of your car, game drive experience in this park is offered in shifts/ sessions that is morning game drive, full day game drive, afternoon game drive and evening game drive. regardless of the session you chose to do the game drive be sure of having an adventurous and exciting retreat as you spot many animals such as lions, elephants, buffaloes, giraffes, waterbucks, sitatunga and many more.

T he most recommended game drive session in Akagera national park are both morning game drive and evening game drive, the morning game drive is the perfect session for spotting predators  such as lions, elephant and early riser animals before they run into their hideouts by sunlight. Evening game drive is a perfect session for spotting predators as they target their prey such as rodents and small size animals, this game drive is also a chance for you to spot nocturnal animals such as the big eye bush babies and this experience is done with a help of a spot light.

The best time to game viewing in Akagera national park is dry season which is experienced in the period of June to September, what makes this season to be the best time is that the grass cover is apparently short and the trails are dry and less muddy. the best place to visit in the park while on the game drive is the banks of river Akagera as it get crowded by animals which come to drink water most especially in the dry season.

Bird watching  

 Akagera national park is a recognized bird habitat and a fantastic bird watching spot in Rwanda, the park is a habitat to over 480 bird species which live in the savannah wood land, forest galleries of the park, on the banks of lake Ihema and  Akagera river. Bird watching experience in the park is done on a number of trails which run through the park and as you walk through the savannah and thickets you get to spot birds like red faced barbets, Amur falcon, Beaudouin’s snake eagle, booted eagle, brown-chested lapwing, cabanis’ bunting, crested barbet, Denham’s bustard, grasshopper buzzard, northern brown-throated weaver, papyrus gonolek, shoebill, short-tailed pipit, Shelley’s francolin and many more.

Akagera national park offers bird watching safari experience throughout the year and it is a rewarding experience but the best time to go for this experience is in the dry season, the dry season is experience in the period of June to September and in the period of November to April when migratory bird species are present in the park.

Nature Walks

Akagera national park a scenic endowed national park with a landscape dotted with a variety of physical features such as Lake Ihema and Lake Shakani, River Akagera and it is dominated by savannah woodlands and forest galleries. Nature walks in Akagera national park are done on foot under the guidance of an experience safari ranger, this safari experience gives you ample time to tour the park as it leads to most parts of the park which cannot be accessed using a vehicle. As walk through the park using well define trails you spot animals like buffaloes, elephants, lions, rhinos, giraffes, elands, defassa waterbuck, semi-aquatic sitatunga, reedbucks, topis, oribis, civets. And  many birds such as red faced barbets, Amur falcon, Beaudouin’s snake eagle, booted eagle, brown-chested lapwing, cabanis’ bunting, crested barbet, Denham’s bustard, grasshopper buzzard and many more

Fishing

Fishing safari experience in Akagera national park is done on two lakes that is Lake Ihema and Lake shakani which are both found in the park, fishing experience at times referred to as fishing tournament by tourists is a very rewarding experience as it offers tourists ample time to explore the lakes and bond as individuals. These lakes hosts various species of fish but the most prized species caught is the tilapia   and cat fish, on this same experience you also get to spot crocodiles and hippopotamus.

Fish caught is barbequed in the evening at the lodge which is another experience of its own.

Boat ride

Boat rides in Akagera national park are dome Lake Ihema which is situated in the southern region of the park, this lake is the largest lake in Akagera national park and the second largest in Rwanda covering an area of 90 square kilometers with a variation of depth from 5 to 7 meters deep.  Boat ride on Lake Ihema is an opportunity for tourists to enjoy the calm waters of the lake, spot water animals like crocodiles and hippopotamus. As you sail on the water you will also spot a variety of bird species as the lake is a habitat to over 550 bird species  such as shoebill,  the jacanas, ibis, plovers, herons, malachite kingfisher, hawk, papyrus gonolek and many more which live in the papyrus vegetation on the shores of the lake.

Boat rides on Lake Ihema are offered in three sessions that is day, morning and sunset/evening boat ride and each boat ride no matter the session lasts for one hour.

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