AKAGERA NATIONAL PARK
GORILLA TREKKING
Akagera National Park is the only savannah vegetation park in Rwanda. The name Akagera was derived from the Kagera River that crosses through the Eastern side of the park into Lake Ihema.
Akagera National Park is the biggest park in Rwanda covering the Kanyoza and Nyagantare districts on 1122 square kilometres bordering Tanzania in the East. Additionally to being the only Savannah Park in Rwanda, it is the largest protected wetland in Africa with woodland, swamps, grasslands, and montane forests.
The park was established in 1934 by the Belgian government and throughout its 89 years of existence a lot has changed and those who saw it 20 years might not recognize its new glory.
The park was initially affected by poaching and the black Rhino species were extinct, the locals encroached on the forest for settlement, Animals were attacked by epidemic diseases like wild dogs in 1984, and the Rwanda civil war (Rwanda Genocide) demised over 300 lions.
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However, in 2009, the Rwanda Development Board collaborated with African parks to rebuild the park and now it is home to the big five including buffaloes, lions, rhinoceros, African leopards, and African bush elephants, a range of flora and fauna including the zebras, giraffes, hippos, hyenas, bushbucks, Topis, Oribis, water-buck, roan antelope and duiker, klipspringer, hippos, and crocodiles.
Along the Savannah animals, the park has primates like vervet monkeys, olive baboons, and nocturnal bush babies plus 500 bird species, the park has got savannah birds, migratory birds like elusive shoe bill stork, papyrus gonolek, lilac breasted roller, swamp flycatcher, ross’s turaco, grey hornbill, fan-tailed widow bird, cattle egret, Bateleur, African harrier, rare shoebill, giant kingfisher, flycatchers, white egrets, yellow sunbird, pie crow
Activities Around Akagera National Park
Game drive in Akagera national park
Game drives are done in vehicles through the demarcated trails in the park and this offers a classical safari feeling as you get to see the animals in their natural habitat.
The game drive is done in the morning, afternoon, and evening. However, the best times are morning and evening when the environment is cooler and the animals are active.
Animals you might spot include: the big -five the lions, the African leopard, the African bush elephant, rhinoceros, and buffalos, plus a range of flora and fauna like the zebras, giraffes, hippos, hyenas, bushbucks, Topis, Oribis, water-buck, roan antelope, bush babies, hyenas, leopards, mongoose, genet, owls, night jar and duiker, klipspringer, impala and world largest antelope and a variety of birds including the rare shoebill, giant kingfisher, flycatchers, white egrets, yellow sunbird, pie crow
Birding in akagera national park
Birding is one of the most interesting activities done in Akagera National Park and this can be done as either a foot or a vehicle activity.
Birding involves looking and listening to the birds in accompaniment of a professional birding guide who is well knowledgeable of the bird species in terms of names, sounds, and habitats. The guides also inform you of the dos and don'ts during the activity.
Akagera National Park has over 500 species including yellow sunbirds, flycatchers, shoebill stork, kingfishers, white egret, viellot’s black weavers, grey-backed fiscals, pie crow, Giant Kingfisher, Senegal Lapwing fish eagle, papyrus Gonolek, Hadada Ibis, Augur Buzzard, Long-crested Eagle African Wattled Plover, Squacco Herons, African Open bill stock, Grey Crowned Crane, African Darter, Long-toed and Water Thick-knee, Cattle Egret, Hamerkop, Sacred and Pied Crow. Black-headed and Viellot’s Black Weavers, Grey-backed Fiscals, Fan-tailed Widowbird, and Caruther’s Cisticola.
The guides will take you to birding spots like the shores of Lake Ihema, river Kagera, and the montane forests and you will also see different birds while on your game drive and nature walk. We recommend carrying along your binoculars for clear views plus your birding book guide -you will be surprised by the many birds you have ever seen.
Spot fishing in akagera national park
Akagera National Park has approximately 10 lakes but the most visited ones are Lake Gishanju, Lake Mahindi, and Lake Shakani and fishing is mainly done on Lake Shakani.
Different fishing tournaments are organized at Lake Shakani occasionally for the tourists to have fun and explore their fishing skills. Visitors get to learn different fishing methods like using the spear, gill net, basket fishing, scoop net method, and hooking fishing method to catch different types such as catfish, and tilapia. The trips are usually done in the morning hours and afternoon hours.
Safety measures like life jackets, boots, baits, fire extinguishers, and whistles are implemented on the boats.
Nature walk in akagera national park
Nature walks in Akagera National Park are done to explore the natural scenery on foot in the company of park guides through the montane forests, savannah plains, and wetlands either in the morning or late afternoon when the times are cool.
While on the nature walk, you look out for wildlife, plants, birds, and insects among others. You carry along a backpack, water bottles, insect repellent, first aid kit among others.
Animals expected to be sighted include Zebras, elephants, elands, impalas, and buffaloes as well as several bird species like rare shoebill, giant kingfisher, flycatchers, white egrets, yellow sunbird, pie crow seen in the montane forests making different sounds interesting and the big –five like the lions, African leopard, African bush elephant, rhinoceros, and the buffalos.
Community tours in akagera national park
Enjoy a cultural walk through the local communities and interact with the locals (Rwandese) who are farmers and pastoralists, this will give you a chance to experience traditional farming and gain knowledge of how to take care of the cattle. Spend time with the locals and learn how to make beers, prepare food, celebrate seasons of the year (in case it is time of the year), and also get a chance to participate or help in the milking activity, tasting the local dishes made from cow milk like ghee yogurt (bongo), enjoy the local dance, trying on the Rwandese traditional wears, listen to the historical stories from the elders, enjoy the folk songs and buy crafts (handmade shoes from cattle hides) as gifts for people back home.
Boat cruise in akagera national park
Akagera National Park has over 10 lakes and the Boat cruise is done on Lake Ihema, which is the largest lake in the park.
Tourists get a chance to see hippos, crocodiles, and bird species on the shores like African fish eagle, giant kingfisher, African wattled plover, Senegal lapwing, squacco herons, cormorants, papyrus gonolek marsh flycatcher, open bill stork, fish eagle, blue-headed coval, cormorant and other animals that come to the shores to refresh and quench their thirst like elephants, buffaloes, antelopes. The departure timings for the boats are scheduled for morning and afternoon sessions and the trip normally lasts for 2 hours. Tourists are able to take memorable photographs of beautiful sceneries with animals.
How to get to akagera National Park
Rwanda has one international airport known as Kigali International Airport where all International clients land before dispersing to their next destinations.
You can access Akagera National Park by air or land. Akagera is the nearest park to Kigali from the North Eastern side of Rwanda at about 110km, with an approximately 2 hours drive to Kiyonza Gate in the south close to the Park Headquarters or fly for 30 minutes from Kigali to Bugesera Airfield.
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