One of the smallest countries on the African continent turns out to be with the amazing experience while travelling and exploring the continent. It is in Rwanda where you will leave to tell when you find yourself in the country’s most top destination, the Akagera national park. The park is located in the north eastern part of Rwanda along its border with Tanzania, the park attained its name after the Akagera river that flows along its eastern boundaries and later feeds into a series of lakes the largest being lake ihema. Akagera national park is composed of rolling hills of acacia and brachystegia woodlands together with scattered grasslands and swampy-fringed lakes located along the meandering Akagera water course. These all combined create a park of breath taking scenic beauty.
Covering about an area of 1200 square kilometers, Akagera National Park was founded in 1934 as an area to protect animals and vegetation in three eco-regions, the savanna, mountain and the swamp and of late its one of the most interesting destinations when you visit Rwanda that you can’t afford to miss.
When you are in Akagera national park, they are a lot of amazing spots and attractions that will keep you wanting and demanding for more and in the long run you may want to extend your itinerary in case you had underestimated the experience. Amazing and astonishing are the;
Wonderful birds
Almost 525 bird species harbor in the Akagera national park reflecting the extremely wide diversity of habitat. They include 44 species of raptor, balaenniceps rex and many palearctic migrants which include the falco naumani, gallinago media, glareola nordmani. The park also represents a number of zambezian biome species including lanius souse, mymecocihla aenoti and the cristicola angusticauda. In addition to that there are also species of guinea-Congo forests biome and seven of the afro tropical highlands biome. Their names are scientific in nature and had to pronounce but they are so amazing and wonderful but the breasted roller, black headed gonolek, heuglin’s robin chat, ger horn bill, crested barbet are also a must watch. Therefore if you are to go for are birding safari to Rwanda, their is only one park where you can make it to your expectations and it is non other than Akagera National Park.
Wildlife
Akagera national park is just a big game area where you will be able to find lots of game ranging from huge herds of buffaloes emerging from the gentle woodlands to drink at the lakes. The chosen ones or lucky visitors may also stumble across a leopard, a spotted hyena or even a stray lion. The giraffes and zebras haunting the savanna are also at your disposal coupled with dozens and dozens of antelopes. You won’t miss the handsome chestnut-coated impala and the diminutive oribi and the secretive bush buck as well as the ungainly tsessebe and the cape eland, the world’s largest antelope.
The African elephants of Akagera national park are a very stunning. Transported from bugesera in Kigali and by that time they were 7 years old but as per now 26 elephants are at your disposal at the park with stunning names like the mwiza, helicon, mutware being the chief and also the oldest. I can’t just mention all the game but when you reach the park, believe me you will just leave to tell.
The beautiful views and scenery of the park’s grasslands just wrap up you stay within the park especially on your evening and morning game drives when the sun is setting and rising.
Things to Do in Akagera National Park
The most stunning activities in the park are;
Birding
Due to its wide variety of habitats, Akagera is an important ornithological site with nearly 500 bird species. The rare and elusive shoebill shares the papyrus with other rarities such as the exquisite papyrus gonolek and countless other water birds that inhabit the wetlands in large numbers. Short boat trips are available on Akagera’s lakes which will give you the opportunity to get close to the plentiful water birds including numerous African fish eagles, marabou stork, crowned cranes, open-billed stork, cormorants, herons and egrets. If you are lucky you may even get to see the elusive shoebill stork.
Game viewing
Akagera is above all parks in terms of big game! Herds of elephant and buffalo emerge from the woodland to drink at the lakes, while lucky visitors might stumble across a spotted hyena or even a stray lion. Giraffe and zebra amble through the Savannah, and more than a dozen types of antelope inhabit the park, most commonly the handsome chestnut-coated impala, but also the diminutive oribi and secretive bushbuck, as well as the ungainly tsessebe and the world’s largest antelope, the statuesque cape eland. The roads in Akagera national park have been improved since the African parks came on board which allowed many game drives around the plains, hills and lakes. These usually take place in the morning and afternoon or can take a full day exploring the north with the night game drives viewing the Akagera nocturnal wildlife.
Boat trips
Boat trips along the shores of Lake Ihema, Rwanda’s second largest lake, yield some great aquatic bird sightings and you can even fish on Lake Shakani. Pods of 50 hippopotami grunt and splutter throughout the day while out-sized crocodiles soak up the sun with their vast jaws menacingly agape. Magically, the air is torn apart by the unforgettable high duetting of a pair of fish eagles, asserting their status as the avian monarchs of Africa’s waterways. Lining the lakes are some of the continent’s densest concentrations of water birds, while the connecting marshes are the haunt of the endangered and exquisite papyrus gonolek, and the bizarre shoebill stork – the latter perhaps the most eagerly sought of all African bird
Fishing
Fishing is done if you have your own gear (rods only) . You can pay a fee of $20 for a permit to fish for the day from the shores of Lake Shakani. Hippos stay in the water during the day and the banks of the shore are gently sloped. This adds an element of excitement to fishing!
Cultural tours
In collaboration between the park and local communities, freelance community guides have arranged for some interesting tours and cultural experiences for park guests to participate in. There are four choices – Heritage (The Culture of Cattle), Local Production (Beer and Bees), Arts and Crafts, and Celebration (Food and Festivities). Each of these tours offers a glimpse into life in communities around the park. Try your hand at everything from milking a cow to making an imigongo painting, to sampling honey on the comb, to helping in preparing a local meal, to having a go at traditional Rwandan dancing. Each cultural experience tour takes around three hours.
Walk the Line
This tour is an interesting opportunity to see a portion of the park on foot. Join community freelance guides as they guide you in the shoes of a fence attendant to check the fence that allowed the reintroduction of lions into the park. The moderate walk is about 7kms long and takes about 2 hours, which ends on a ridge with a beautiful view over the park.
Camping
While in the Akagera, camping alongside the fascinating lakes of the park is truly a mystical introduction bringing you close to the wonders of the African bush, pods of about 50 hippos that splutter throughout the day while the outsized crocodiles soak up the sun with their vast jaws. On your camp nights, be rest assured to experience a real African night in the wilderness with the sounds of the swamp birds like the papyrus golonek and other interesting birds.
Sport fishing is also another amazing activity along the Akagera river and the lining lakes so if you want to enjoy your evening, go fish along the river and the lake Iheme, the activity is so relaxing when you see the sun set back to its home.
After booking you self a stay in the Akagera game lodge with its beautiful and amazing facilities, Always remember that the animals are wild animals. Keep your distance. Never get out of your vehicle except at designated points. It is illegal to feed any animal, make excessive noise to attract their attention while in the park and Close all windows when you leave your room and spray it with insect repellent.
Accommodation
- Camping
Sleeping in the park with nothing between you and the animals but a thin sheet of nylon is an exhilarating experience and something fairly unique to Akagera Park. But spending the night around the campfire with a group of friends, some beers and the wide open sky makes a great break from city life and is one of the best overnight or weekend trips you can do in Rwanda. There are three campsites with the one in the north at Mutumba known as being the most beautiful
- Lodges
There are fabulous lodges where one can spend the night. These include Akagera Lodge which is fairly simple but good enough to spend the night and it is not far from the main entrance to the park. Another is Ruzizi tented lodge for upscale experience which is nice and glamorous and near to the park. Also is the Karenge bush camp a popup style tented camp and the experience is luxurious and is worth a visit.
Accessibility
The Akagera can be accessed from Kigali in about 2 hours’ drive whereas from Kibungo / Rwamagana it takes about 1 hour. The usable entrance-gate, 500 meters from the newly established Akagera Game Lodge, which can be reached using a 27 kilometers dirt road that branches from the major surfaced-road at Kabarondo, just 15 kilometers north of Kibungo. This road is in a reasonable condition, which can be used by all types of vehicle with the exception of the rainy months.