When is the best time to visit Akagera National Park Rwanda?

When is the best time to visit Akagera National Park? Most visitors want to know when the best time is to visit Akagera National Park in Rwanda and enjoy a wildlife safari. Visitors going to Akagera National Park will see a lot of tourist attractions and engage in various activities. Thus, you will need to know the right time or best time when you can engage in these safari activities within the park. Akagera National Park is located in eastern Rwanda, near the border with Tanzania. The best months to visit Akagera National Park are July to September, as well as January, which is the dry season of the year. The wet season, which occurs in March, April, and December, is another season encountered in Akagera National Park. Due to road conditions, the wet season does not promote game watching or other activities within the national park.

The temperature in Akagera does not vary greatly throughout the year, but the lengthy dry season (June-September) offers warmer temperatures, while the rains bring cooler weather (October–November, and March-May). Temperatures usually vary between 20 and 30 degrees Celsius.

The dry season is brief (December–February): There may be some rain during this time, but it will be sporadic and will not persist for long. The park can be exceedingly dry by February.

The long rainy season (March–May) is distinguished by consistent rain and an abundance of green grass. The limitless views of lush green grass and clear blue skies provide fantastic photographic opportunities.

The long dry season (June-September): The Park can become dry and dusty at this time of year due to the high temperatures. However, due to the abundance of water in lakes near Akagera’s eastern edge, the lengthy dry season is a good period for game viewing because grasses are short and animals remain scattered across the park.

The first rains dissipate the haze, and the park returns to its lush green form during the short rainy season (October-November). Birding is especially good during this time of year, as many migratory birds pass through Akagera in October and November.

Different tourists come to the Akagera national park to see animals and go on game drives across the park, taking in the gorgeous beauty of the rolling hills, open grasslands, woods, rivers, lakes, and swamps while watching the wildlife species graze and roam. Tourists visiting Akagera National Park can participate in activities like game drives, boat excursions, guided nature walks, birding, and fishing.

See Elephants in Akagera National park

Another pastime at Akagera National Park is fishing on Lake Shakani, which includes a variety of fish species such as tilapia and catfish. Tourists can also unwind on the lake’s shores after a day of fishing.

Game drives are conducted throughout the day as tourists hunt for the famous big five creatures, which include lions, leopards, buffalos, rhinos, and elephants, as well as other wildlife species within the national park. These game drives take place both during the day and at night. The difference in game drive times is that animal species can be easily noticed during morning game drives because they are more active at this time of day than during evening game drives. Night game drives provide a unique game viewing experience as travelers explore the national park in quest of various nocturnal wildlife species in Akagera national park, such as leopards, lions, civets, hyenas, bush babies, cheetahs, and several cats, to name a few. During wildlife drives in the broad savannah plains, tourists can also appreciate the spectacular scenery within the Akagera national park.

Boat rides are another activity offered within Akagera National Park along Lake Ihema, Rwanda’s second largest lake. This boat ride allows travelers to witness aquatic species such as crocodiles and hippos, as well as water birds. Boat rides on Lake Ihema are also available at various times throughout the day, including 7:30 a.m., 9:00 a.m., 3:00 p.m., and 4:30 p.m. Visitors to this national park can also go on private boat tours that are not organized.

Tourists can see the following attractions while visiting Akagera National Park:

Tourists visiting Akagera National Park can view elephants, buffalos, zebras, leopards, hyenas, lions, antelopes, hippos, crocodiles, oribis, and impalas, as well as bushbucks, reedbucks, and elands, among other wildlife.

Primate species found in Akagera National Park include olive baboons, vervet monkeys, bush babies, and blue monkeys. Water birds, papyrus gonolek, crested barbet, black-headed gonolek, shoebill stork, egrets, grey-crowned cranes, herons, jacanas, kingfishers, and other bird species can also be spotted in this national park at several birding areas.

The Akagera national park is named after the River Kagera, which runs through it. This river is home to a variety of fish species, and corpses were thrown along its banks during the Rwandan genocide, which resulted in the deaths of thousands of Rwandans.

Lake Ihema is located in the Akagera National Park’s southern region. Many aquatic species such as hippos, crocodiles, fish, and a variety of bird species can be found in this lake. This lake is also surrounded by seasonal papyrus and wetlands, which serve as wildlife habitats.

Guided nature walks are also available in Akagera National Park, allowing travelers to get up close and personal with the savannah plains and many attractions inside the park, such as fauna and plant species.

Bird watching includes travelers seeking various bird species within Akagera National Park, such as the uncommon shoebill stork, papyrus gonolek, several types of water birds, and a variety of other birds.

Getting to Akagera National Park

Tourists traveling by vehicle to Akagera National Park can do so from Kigali via Rwamanga Town and then continue to the park while taking in the breathtaking scenery.

Tourists can enter Akagera National Park by air or flight via flights organized by Akagera Aviation, which organizes domestic and charter flights for tourists to other national parks in Rwanda.

Choose the finest time of year to visit Akagera National Park and experience fantastic wildlife viewing opportunities.