What to do in Akagera National Park

What to do in Akagera National Park : Akagera national park is located in the northeastern part of Rwanda in Kibungu district boarding Tanzania in the East, covering an area of approximately 1,122 square kilometers. The park derives its name from the River Kagera that flows along its eastern border. Akagera National Park was established in 1934 and is one of the largest conserved wetland areas in Africa. Its swamps and lakes make up almost a third of the park. Akagera National Park is mainly composed of swamps, marshes, papyrus swamps, woodlands, lakes, grasslands, and savannah plains, making it rich in biodiversity and a very suitable habitat for wildlife.

Akagera National Park is home to various wildlife species, including buffalos, lions, rhinos, elephants, leopards, zebras, bushbucks, Maasai giraffes, elands, topis, hyenas, warthogs, oribis, Sitatunga, Defassa waterbuck, roan antelopes, sable antelopes, reedbucks, civets, and different primate species.

The park offers interesting things to do or activities to visitors who are interested in feeling to witness the wilderness adventure, among the following are the famous tourism activities in Akagera national park.

Game drives

Game drive in Akagera national park offers unforgettable and tranquil wildlife adventure experience once you participate in. Akagera national park is a home to variety of wildlife species for instance in 2015 Rwanda in collaboration with South Africa through their partnership with one of its non-profit organizations, relocated 2 male lions and 5 female lions to Akagera national park which later led to the introduction of lion species in the country. Besides that in a recent in 2019 about 5 black rhinos that included 3 females and 2 males to Akagera National Park where introduced by Czech Republic which made the park to be re-known as a home to Big 5 African animals such as Lion, Rhinos, Buffaloes, Leopards and Leopards. Akagera National Park is home to other various wildlife species, including , zebras, bushbucks, Maasai giraffes, elands, topis, hyenas, warthogs, oribis, Sitatunga, Defassa waterbuck, roan antelopes, sable antelopes, reedbucks, civets that are spotted grassing on open savannah land and different primate species such as vervet monkeys, blue monkeys, olive baboons, and silver monkeys among others, crocodile and hippos are also seen swimming at the lakes shores or bucks of the lake waiting for prey animals like antelopes and duikers as they come to search for water. Leopards and lions are always spotted resting under the vegetation mostly acacia trees and Elephants are normally seen moving around the savannah grasslands and at time around the lakes shores of lake Ihema, lake Shakani and many more. Sighting all this amazing wildlife give a nature lover the most astonishing wildlife adventure experience that will last long. Akagera national park offers tourists both morning and evening game drives, night game drives are also conducted in the park, offering visitors great opportunities to watch nocturnal animals like leopards, hyenas, wide-eyed bush babies, serval cats, civets among others.

Bird watching

Bird watching in the Akagera national park is one of the most exciting adventure experience that should not be missed out while on Rwanda wildlife safari in the park. Akagera national park is known as a true birders paradise housing over 450 different kinds of birds including water birds that can be easily spotted around the lake shores of lakes Shakani and Lake Ihema Deeping in waters. Some of this birds that can be spotted in Akagera national park includes the swamp flycatcher, shoebill stork, red-faced barbet, marabou stork, African fish eagle, open billed stork, cormorants, African darter, lilac-breasted roller, Suaza shrike, long-tailed cisticola, Ross Turaco, papyrus Gonolek, Huglen’s robin-chat, and many others.

Boat cruise tours

Boat cruise in Akagera is the most exciting activities offered to tourist after or before participating in the tireless activities in the park. boat safaris in lake Ihema offers travelers with unforgettable adventure safaris where visitors gets an opportunity to see large school of hippos and crocodiles in the waters, see other animals like buffaloes, waterbucks, elephant, and warthog’s as well as water birds like African fish eagle, open billed stork, egrets, cormorants, African darter and among more playing and drinking water at the shores. Boat cruise tours also gets a chance to visitors to see swamps, marshes, papyrus swamps, woodlands, lakes, grasslands, and savannah plains and many more.

Cultural tours

Visitors to Akagera national park can also part in visiting some of the communities near the national park, cultural tours around Akagera national park are so exciting and educative. Cultural tours in Akagera national park are very thrilling and entertaining as well and are done before or after enjoying since of the park activities such as game drives, or boat cruises. Cultural tours in Akagera national park take you to four different areas around the park such a Heritage which is the culture for cattle’s and Imigongo Art and Craft Centre, local production, that’s beers and bees as well as food and festivities. All of these communities do take you through different activities such as milking, harvesting honey, paintings, making local meals, and traditional Rwandan dances.

The Humure refuge village tour

Humure refugee village is one of the commonly visited community by visitors that have a safari in Akagera national park. Humure refugee village offers thrilling tour around their small villages where you will have one of the thrilling cultural experience through the different activities that you can participate in to have amazing and memorable tour at the village .A visit to Humure Refuge Village amazes tourists with equal opportunities of meeting local people, visiting their homesteads, observing them carrying out their daily activities like digging, milking, grazing, visit some of the art and craft shops in the area, and in the end get entertained by local traditional dancers. This community is situated about 45 minutes from Akagera national park when using road type of transport

Sport fishing

Sport fishing is one of the most and unjoyful adventure activities in Akagera national park. Sport fishing in the national park is normally done ii Lake Shakani where you will get an opportunity of fishing and know the different marines species such as Tilapia, Cat fish among others. At the tranquil waters you can fish to the background music of chirping birds and hippos that grunt as if to cheer you on. You are free to keep your catch to roast, fry or grill it and enjoy the taste of fresh fish from Rwanda.

Nature walks

Akagera national park offers marvelous nature’s walks to travelers around the national park, nature walks in the park are guided by the armed ranger guides of the park. The armed ranger guides take you through different nature walk trails showing you different attractions of the park as they protect you from dangerous park animals. The nature walks in Akagera national park will give you an opportunity to walk around the park on foot as you encounter different park animals like lions, elephants, rhinos, antelopes, giraffes, zebras, birds, lakes, and different vegetation covers.