Why Visit Akagera National Park? Akagera National Park is the largest protected wetland and the last remaining refuge for savannah-adapted species in Rwanda. The park presents a unique natural setting of vast emerald-green rolling hills, wooden savannah, papyrus swamps, a complex system of lakes, and a network of beautiful intertwining swamp-tiled rivers. It boasts a near-endless honeycomb of rolling mountains, undulating valleys, rocky studded hills, and more cherished dotted green golden plains. The beautiful combinations of fascinating settings and landscapes sport an extremely rich biodiversity encompassing big mammals and notably the esteemed Big Five including lion, elephant, rhino, buffalo, and leopard. In 2010, larger herbivores had returned to Akagera and their populations are growing. In late 2013, more lions have been reintroduced from South Africa, and because of the existing infrastructure and number of lions.
The park is located in the eastern part of the country and bordering Tanzania, Akagera National Park counts with the magnificent lakes Borogwe, Ihema, and Kivumba. They have in common a stunning shoreline decorated with clusters of water lilies or naturalized papyrus tethered with a web full of primordial granite rocks. The islands in Lake Ihema draw scores of waterbirds but more so breed few good fish then stay in a facing off with the fishermen and rafting crocodiles. The park huddles in and is situated in the most environmentally significant landscapes and is providing jobs, revenues, food, and water. Eight-day birds, iconic mammals, and the authentic presence of people and wildlife coexist sustainably for their mutual achievements. It is like a historical documenting book where the heroes are the community, wildlife, and the park, as the tourists, the employees, and the wilderness are the writers and readers
Wildlife lovers and those interests are drawn to Akagera for its impressive diversity of animal species. The Park is a Home to majestic African Big 5 and other primates such as Elephants, Lions, Leopards, Giraffes, Zebras, and buffaloes, Different antelopes like Impalas, Topis and Oribis be moving around the grassland, while Hippos and crocodiles inhabit the lakes and waterways.
Akagera not only homes Wildlife only but also a diverse array of Bird species, with over 500 birds recorded in this Park, Akagera which includes Savannah plains, forests and papyrus swamps. The rare Shoebill stork and Papyrus Gonolek can be spotted during a boat trip along the lakes in the park. Other species include the African fish eagles, cormorants, crowned cranes, egrets, Herons, marabou stork and open-billed stork among others which ranks the Park a paradise for bird watchers and it offers breathtaking and incomparable views and sounds of Birds.
Game drives in Akagera is a fascinating safari experience this activity can be carried on either in the early Morning hours around 6am because then animals are very active or afternoon around 2pm or even at night however night Game drives can be at an extra cost ,All these sections in which game drives are done they offer a rewarding wilderness experience where different animals like Lions,buffaloes,elephants,antelopes among many more primates that inhabit in this Park.
During game drives Park knowledgeable guides are allocated to every team or group embarking on a game drive because them can only can be able to allocate the areas where these animals can be found depending and will take you to the right spots while sharing with your important information visitors needs to know about the different species and their names.
Among very few National Parks and National Reserves that offers Night Game Drives Akagera is on the list that arranges and offers rewarding and amazing night Game drives. Night game drives are conducted using torches and lights with an open-roof vehicle to allow visitors spot nocturnal animals like genet, mongoose, bushbabies, owls, nightjar, leopards and hyena which can be very tricky and hard to get them during day.
Birdwatching at akagera national park with over 500 bird species in the Park Bird watching in Akagera is great activity to do which provides opportunities to spot all the birds. There are few forest birds and Albertine Rift species and those of Savannah and woodland species which can be spotted in the park. Some of these bird species we can talk of the Arnot chat, black-headed gonolek, double-toothed barbet, Sauza shrike, lilac-breasted roller, Meyer’s parrot, Ross’s turaco, red-faced barbet and the long tailed cistola. The great Shoebill stock can be spotted in the park however much they aren’t Many in the Park.
Akagera national park offers different tourist activities and its unique trail is that it is one of the few national parks that offers a hot air balloon experience in east Africa so as visitor who is on a Rwanda safari tour, this destination is a must go to destination.
