Akagera National Park

As the only savannah national park in Rwanda – The Land of A thousand Hills, Akagera National Park is the most popular Rwanda destination for game safaris.

Alagera National Park is found in Eastern Rwanda about 2-hour drive from Kigali City and is mainly savannah land covering an area 2500 sq km, the park is named after Kagera River that flows along Rwanda’s Eastern boundary with Tanzania. The river feeds into Lake Ihema and other small lakes in and around the park.

Akagera National Park protects an African savannah landscape of acacia and bush with patches of open grassland and a dozen swampy lakes, the park has exceptional levels of biodiversity and forms a large protected wetland.

The park was established in 1934, at that time it covered 2,500 square kilometers and as a result of the civil war and the genocide, large sectors of the park were reallocated as farmland and by 1997. Akagera had halved in size, now it spans just over 1,000 square kilometers. Because of poaching many species including rhinos, lions and antelopes were wiped out, in 2010, African Parks formed a partnership with the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) and assumed the management of Akagera National Park.

Since the formation of this joint partnership, the park has seen huge changes, its attractive landscapes, diverse habitats and increasing wildlife worth every safari. Thanks to strict conservation laws, good management and reintroduction of rhinos and lions, the revamping of old camps and building of new ones, Akagera is now a must-visit on any Rwanda Safari.

Animals in Akagera National Park

Wildlife in Akagera National Park is home to a variety of wildlife including elephants, buffaloes, giraffe, zebras, leopards, hyenas, lions, topis, oribis, waterbuck, roan antelopes and duiker, klipspringer, impala and world largest antelope – the cape eland.

Also you can watch schools of hippos and crocodiles basking in the sun near Lake Ihema.

Akagera also has primate species including olive baboons, Vervet monkeys, blue monkeys and bush babies which are often seen on night drives.

Birds in Akagera National Park

Akagera National Park is a great birding destination with a variety of habitats which provide great habitat for over 500 bird species including about 100 species that are not found in any other protected area in Rwanda.

Akagera National Park is Rwanda’s second most important birding site after Nyungwe Forest National Park, common bird species include the remarkable shoebill, papyrus Gonolek, African Wattled Plover, Giant Kingfisher, Senegal Lapwings, Squacco Herons, African Open bill stock, Grey Crowned Crane, African Darter, Long-toed, Water Thick-knee, fish eagles, Cattle Egret, Hamerkop, Sacred and Hadada Ibis, Augur Buzzard, Long-crested Eagle, and Pied Crow. Black-headed and Viellot’s Black Weavers, Grey-backed Fiscals, Fan-tailed Widowbird and Caruther’s Cisticola among others.

Rwanda Safari Activities in Akagera National Park

Game Drives in Akagera National Park

Game viewing is the highlight of Rwanda Safari to Akagera National Park and they can be done in morning, afternoon and at night in the hills, plains and lakes. The park has well developed roads making game viewing more effective, this excursion is done with experience park guides who are knowledgeable about the area and will take to the right spot while sharing with you important information about the different species.

Night game drives can also be arranged in Akagera National Park offering you a chance to see nocturnal animals like genet, mongoose, bush babies, owls, nightjar, leopards, lions, hyenas and wild dogs.

Animals to lookout for during game drives in Akagera National Park include

Bird Watching in Akagera National Park

Akagera National Park is not only an important birding area in Rwanda but also a popular Rwanda birding destination, the park is a haven for bird watching enthusiasts with 500 birds including excellent sighting of the remarkable pre-historic shoebill.

Some of the bird species to lookout for on a bird watching safari in Akagera National Park include the arnot chat, black-headed gonolek, double-toothed barbet, suaza shrike, lilac-breasted roller, Meyer’s parrot, Ross’s turaco, red-faced barbet and the long tailed cistola among others.

Boat Safari on Lake Ihema in Akagera National Park

This thrilling Rwanda Safari Experience is the best way to spend an afternoon in Akagera National Park and is done on Lake Ihema, because of the heat from the sun most animals hide in the shades and some come to the lake to cool off and drink water.

On boat ride you will see animals like hippos and crocodiles in the waters’ lake and elephants, antelopes and buffaloes on the shores bathing and drinking water. There are a variety of birds you will watch on the wetlands on the shores of the lake like herons, Red-collared Babbler, Rwenzori Turaco, Handsome Francolin, Rwenzori Nightjar, Grauer’s Warbler, Regal, Blue-headed and Purple Breasted Sunbirds, Grauer’s Swamp Warbler, and Neumann’s Warbler among others.

Sport Fishing in Akagera National Park

Akagera National Park offers visitors an opportunity of sport fishing on Lake Shakani, to participate in this adventurous activity visitors are required to make a booking with the park. Even though the expectation is to catch and release, you are given an opportunity to take one catch for a meal if you are interested.

Cultural Tours near Akagera National Park

While on Akagera Safari you can experience the local life of Rwanda people around the cattle keeping communities near the park, you have opportunity to observe or participate in traditional activities such as cattle grazing, milking, traditional milk storage in calabashes for preservation.

You will also go through the process of converting milk into different products like traditional yogurt, ghee and take part in preparing local means with some of the ingredients made from the milk. This authentic cultural experience is shared by the locals living adjacent to the park through which they get to earn some income to supplement their agricultural income.

Eventually, this contributes to conservation culture and wild animals in Akagera National Park.

How to get to Akagera National Park

Safaris to Akagera National Park start from Kigali City – the capital of Rwanda, it is a journey of about 2 hours to arrive at the park entrance through Rwamagana town.

There  is an option of flying to the park using the services of Akagera Aviation for tourists not interested in driving for 2 hours.

Where to Stay in Akagera National Park

Accommodation in Akagera National Park is limited and the available accommodation facilities range from budget, midrange to luxury and they include

• Magasha Camp
• Ruzizi Tented Lodge
• Karenge Bush Camp (Seasonal)
• Akagera Game Lodge