Where is Akagera National Park Found?

Where is Akagera National Park Found? Akagera National Park is found in Rwanda in a province called Ruhengeri in the northeastern part of the country. The national park was established in 1934 and is one of Rwanda’s most prominent wildlife safari parks. It has a total size of around 1085 km2. It is within a two-hour drive east of Kigali, Rwanda.

The picturesque beauty of Akagera National Park in Rwanda is characterized by the maze of marshes and lakes that follow the meandering course of the Akagera River, the Nile’s most remote source. This is a classic African savannah landscape with tangled acacia trees and open grassland.

Bush Savannah tangled with acacia and branchystagia forests with stands of Euphorbia candlebrum, patches of rolling grasslands, riverine, lakes, and swamps are among the park ecosystems. Hills to the west of the park reach altitudes of 1600m-1800m above sea level.

Above all, Akagera is big game country! Herds of elephant and buffalo come from the forest to drink at the lakes, and tourists may sight a leopard, a spotted hyena, or even a wayward lion. The savannah is home to giraffe and zebra, as well as more than a dozen antelope species, including the attractive chestnut-coated impala, but also the small oribi and secretive bushbuck, as well as the ungainly tsessebe and the world’s biggest antelope, the statuesque Cape eland.

Akagera National Park’s key features and attractions include the Akagera River and lakes such as Ihema, Kivumba, Hago, Mihindi, and Rwanyakizinga. Elephants, buffalos, lions, Maasai giraffe, gazelles, impala, baboons, oribi, Butchel’s zebra, topi, bush baby, leopard, and bushbuck are among the mammals found in Akagera National Park.

Crocodiles and hippos are examples of aquatic life. With over 525 species documented, Akagera National Park also has a high concentration of avian life. Shoe billed stocks and papyrus gonolek are two unusual species that can be found. Endemics include jacanas, ibises, sand pipers, and herons.

Akagera Game Lodge and Campsites provide accommodation in Akagera National Park.

What is the weather and climate like in Akagera National Park.

Akagera has a continuous mild to warm temperature due to its proximity to the equator. Temperatures are very consistent throughout the year. Because the typical nightly temperature is around 10°C/50°F lower than the average daytime temperature, thick clothing is suggested for early morning game drives. The primary dry season lasts from June to September, with a brief respite from mid-December to mid-February.

What is the best time to visit Akagera National Park?

Although Akagera may be visited at any time of year, the greatest months for wildlife watching are from June through September. This coincides to the major Dry season, when animals are attracted to lakes for water. The jungle is also less lush at this time of year, making it easier to identify wildlife in the park. A dry spell in the Wet season, from mid-December to mid-February, is also an excellent time to visit.

What to do during your visit to Akagera National Park.

Boat Cruise

Boat cruises around the banks of Lake Ihema, Rwanda’s second biggest 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 around 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 sun set) to experience the park from the water level, which is surrounded by crocodiles, hippos, and birds.

Cultural Tours

Cultural tours at Rwanda’s Akagera National Park are an excellent opportunity to learn about Rwanda. Your visit to the nearby local community might spice up your safari and provide you with a fantastic opportunity to interact with the neighboring community, providing you with a great understanding of the Banyarwanda’s. Your tour operator guide or a freelance community guide can also arrange for you to partake in some exciting safaris and cultural activities for park visitors.

Bird Watching

Because Akagera national 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 a variety of rolling hills, woodlands, forests, seasonal and permanent swamps, lakes, Savannah vegetation, and sticking landscape within the park area, both inside and outside the park, due to their mobility. The national park is home to savanna species such as the black-headed gonolek, as well as marsh and lake birds such as storks and cranes.

The following birds can be seen during bird watching in Akagera National Park: During your birding excursion in Akagera national park, you may also spot Balaeniceps rex (shoebill) and Agapornis fischeri (Fischer’s lovebird). The gorgeous lilac-breasted roller, crested barbet, black headed gonalek, ross’s turaco, heuglin’s robin-chat, and grey hornbill are among the common species you will witness on your safari.

Bird watching tours in Akagera national park may be done during the cool hours of the day, either in the morning or in the evening.

Camping

Camping at Akagera National Park is one of the fantastic outdoor recreational activities that provide you with a great entire wilderness experience. Akagera national park has campgrounds that provide you with the experience you seek in more natural settings in pursuit of activities that provide you with delight. In general, individuals leave developed regions to spend time outside in more natural environments engaging in enjoyable activities.

Fishing

Fishing 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 the national park, 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 noises of the fish in the water.