Tourism activities in Akagera National Park
Are you looking for tourism activities in Akagera National Park? Yes, Akagera National Park is a natural wonderland of wetlands, lakes, savannah plains, and mountainous terrain surrounded by carefully terraced hills. This attractive area was designated as a national park in 1934 and was named for the river that runs through it, the River Kagera. It is situated in the northeast of Rwanda, bordering Tanzania. The park has different vegetative zones and a plethora of mammal and bird species, some of which are exclusively found in Akagera National Park. There are several sights and sounds to behold while visiting the park, but we have compiled a list of the top tourist activities to do in Akagera National Park.
A game drive in Akagera National Park: A game drive in Akagera National Park is the greatest way to experience the best of Rwanda’s wildlife. It is the only area in Rwanda where you can see the majestic impala and topi, as well as the only place where you can observe the big five. You can choose between a morning game drive to see the morning hunters and grazers; or an afternoon, evening, or night game drive to see the nocturnal animals in the park. During a day game drive in the Akagera National Park, you will be taken along the routes, across the lush savannah plains, past wide-leaved woods, and into the habitat of numerous mammal species. Your tour guide will make an effort to drive through places where most animals spend their days. Some of the creatures to look out for during a day game drive include the Defassa Waterbuck, Topis, Bohor Reedbucks, Oribis, Semi-Aquatic Sitatunga, Eland, Giraffes, Buffaloes, Elephants, Lions, and the recently reintroduced Rhinos. The night game drive is an adventure that takes you into the wild to see nocturnal wildlife such as wide-eyed bush infants, serval cats, civets, and leopards. Your flashlight and an experienced ranger will lead you. If you’re going to see the wild, you should have some experience.
Camping in Akagera National Park: This is one of the best tourist activities found in Akagera National Park. Akagera National Park has the only flat Savannah grasslands, making it ideal for camping. Camping at Akagera National Park is one of the amazing outdoor recreational activities that provides you with a great wilderness experience. Akagera campgrounds provide you with the experience you seek in more natural settings in pursuit of activities that provide you with enjoyment. In general, individuals leave developed areas to spend time outdoors in more natural environs, engaging in enjoyable activities. Customers have previously chosen camping not just for its recreational value but also for its low cost. The Shakani Akagera Campsite: This campsite is likewise located on the shores of Lake Shakani, the park’s sole lake where fishing is permitted. Camping in the area will allow you to see the many hippos that live in the area, some of which will graze in the cool evening hours or at night near your campsite.
Boat cruise in Akagera National Park: Boat cruises along the banks of Lake Ihema, Rwanda’s second largest lake, give some spectacular aquatic bird sightings, making it the single best way to explore the park, and you can also observe some of the fauna that lives in the lake’s waters. This will provide you with an excellent opportunity to enhance your animal count from the safari game drives. Keep a watch out for crocodiles, buffaloes, and hippos, as well as colorful kingfishers, gorgeous fish eagles, egrets, Hammerkops and their massive nests, and even the prehistoric-looking Shoebill during your boat launch. Endangered species include jacanas, Ibis, plovers, herons, malachite kingfishers, hawks, and many others. The boat excursion lasts about 2 to 3 hours and provides you with an unforgettable experience of Rwanda’s national park. Trips leave at 7.30 a.m., 9 a.m., 3 p.m., and 4.30 p.m. There are also three pre-planned boat rides (day, morning, and sundown) to experience the park from the water level, which is surrounded by crocodiles, hippos, and birds.
Fishing activities in Akagera National Park: Fishing in Akagera National Park is typically done on Lake Shakani, which is well-known for its diverse fish species, particularly tilapia and catfish. Visitors can spend the day relaxing and fishing on the lake’s shoreline, then cook their catch over an open fire at their campsite. Visitors who intend to participate in fishing activities in the park should bring their equipment. The Akagera National Park also hosts fishing events. Visitors who are interested in fishing can participate in catch-and-release tournaments on Lake Shakani. These fishing tournaments are organized on certain dates in the park, therefore tourists interested in participating in these activities should contact management at Akagera Game Lodge for additional information.
Fishing: This is one of the most popular sports along the shores of Lake Shakani in Akagera National Park. Other activities include a game drive in Akagera National Park, a night game drive in Akagera, and a boat cruise on Ihema Lake. Hippos and crocodiles share the same water as the fish, and you can hear the hippos’ snorts, the calls of the water birds, and the sounds of the fish in the water. During the game drive at the Akagera National Park, which is Rwanda’s sole Savannah park and is home to various mammal species such as lions, elephants, giraffes, hippos, kobs, zebras, bushbucks, waterbucks, and most recently, black rhinos from South Africa.
Bird watching as a tourist activity in Akagera National Park: Bird watching at Akagera National Park or Nyungwe National Park: Akagera Park is the only Savannah park in the country of a thousand hills, boasting over 480 bird species, both migratory and resident, that live in the diversity of rolling hills, woodlands, forests, seasonal and permanent swamps, lakes, Savannah vegetation, and sticking landscape within the parking area, both inside and outside the park because they are mobile. The Akagera National Park is home to savanna species like the black-headed gonolek, as well as swamp and lake birds like storks and cranes. Bird watching is also possible in Nyungwe National Park, which is home to certain endemic species such as the blue turaco. The Akagera National Park in Rwanda is home to approximately 480 bird species, many of which are only found in this park. The numerous bird habitats at Akagera National Park allow you to see a wide variety of bird species. There will be birds on the savannah plains, hills, forests, lakes, and rivers. Some of the more satisfying sights while birding include Red-Faced Barbets, Great Snipes, Lesser Kesterel, Armot Chats, Swamp Fly Catchers, Papyrus Gonolex, and Shoebills.
Visitors to Akagera National Park can put themselves in the shoes of the park’s fence attendants. Visitors hike along a 120km perimeter fence with park guides for two hours to ensure it is fully secure and working. The walks begin at the park’s entry and carry tourists through the park’s picturesque hills, ending on top of a ridge with amazing views over the park in all directions. Visitors who want to participate in this activity should bring enough mineral water to last them the full trek.
The Akagera National Park in Rwanda is a beautiful national park with many activities for guests to enjoy while on a Rwanda safari. The national park is the country’s lone refuge for wildlife savannah animals. Book a visit to Akagera National Park with us and enjoy exploring the park’s animals.