Akagera national park is a protected area in Eastern Rwanda covering 1,22km² (433 sq. mi) long the international border with Tanzania, it was founded in 1934, and it includes savannah, montane and swamp habitats. The park is named Akagera for the Kagera River which flows along its eastern boundary feeding into Lake Ihema and several smaller lakes, the complex system of the lakes and linking papyrus swamps makes up over a third of the park, which is the largest protected wetland in Eastern-Central Africa.

Attractions in Akagera National Park.

Animal species.

Akagera national park is a home to a variety of animal species including the major attraction that is the Big five that is leopards, lions, rhinos, buffaloes, elephants. Not only that the park inhabits other animal species like the giraffe, zebras, antelopes, bush bucks, topis, oribis, water-buck, roan antelope, duiker, eland, impala and many more. The tourists on the safari to the park can also watch the hippos, crocodiles basking in the sun near Lake Ihema, and the common primates in the park are the olive baboon, vervet monkeys, bush babies, blue monkeys and these can be best spotted during game drives.

Bird species.

Akagera National park has got wide habitats that gives a great number to over 500 bird species which makes a park the birding haven. The park has a variety of the bird species like the papyrus Gonolek, African Wattled Plover, Augur Buzzard, Cattle Egret, Sacred and Hadada Ibis, Long-crested Eagle, Caruther’s Cisticola, Senegal Lapwings, Squacco Herons, grey Crowned Crane, Water Thick-knee and many more that can be observed in Akagera National Park.

Activities in Akagera National Park.

Game Drives.

Akagera National Park is the great place for any tourists who would wish to spot the entire wildlife animal species in Rwanda, especially the big five including the lion, elephant, buffalo, rhino and leopard. Not only that during the game driving safari is where  the guests can be able to spot other animal species including the zebras, antelopes, giraffes, impala, topi, sitatunga, jackals and among others. Akagera national park offers day and night game drives to the visitor, then during the night game drives a tourist can be able to spot the nocturnal animal species including the civets, lion, leopards bush babies, hyenas and many more.

Bird watching.

Akagera national park is a birding destination, the park is a home to over 500 bird species. The bird lover during their safari to the park can spot various bird species including the crowned cranes, herons, shoebill stock, marabou stocks, egrets also the various habitats for the bird species in the park gives chances to the visitors to view different kinds of bird species residing in the park.

Fishing safari.

Fishing safari in Akagera national park takes place on the Lake Shakani, due the fact that the lake has got various fish species like tilapia, catfish, the visitors can get a day relaxing and fishing on the lake shores and after the activity they cook what they have caught on the over open bond fire at their campsite. The guests who wish to do the fishing safari are always advised to carry their own fishing equipments.

Boat trips.

The tourists who visit Akagera National Park do enjoy the boat trips while experiencing the beauty of its lakes especially Lake Ihema, which is the second biggest lake in Rwanda, during the boat trips the visitors can get the chance to sight aquatic animal species like the hippos and crocodiles. The visitors on a boat trip to Akagera can also sight a number of various bird species like rare shoebill stock and many more.

Hiking and guided nature walks.

Hiking and guided nature walks in Akagera national park gives the tourists great opportunities to explore the entire national park and the chance to view a variety of the flora and fauna species like the plants, trees, insects, butterflies, bird species and animal species.

Community cultural experiences.

A Rwanda safari cannot be complete without visiting the communities within the near Akagera national park, the community cultural trips in Akagera gives the guests a great opportunity to find the rich Rwandan culture and her people, while on these cultural safari in the park the visitors get to participate in various activities like mingle with the local people, learn their life style and also learn how to milk cows on a farm, making the local banana beer and many more.

Behind the scenes in Akagera National Park.

Tourists who visit Akagera national park can engage themselves in the activities that take place in the management of the national park, the Behind scenes Rwanda safari to Akagera takes the visitors through the park’s headquarters where you can get to meet the staff of the park and learn about the exciting conservation projects of the park.

Walk the line hiking safari.

Akagera national park offers its visitors a chance to step in the shoes of its fence attendants the 2-hour long walk as the guests hike along with park guides along a 120k perimeter fence while checking if it is fully sure and operational, this activity starts at the park’s entrance and the visitors take through beautiful hills in the park and end on the top of a ridge, its where the visitors can enjoy spectacular views of the park in all directions.

Best time to visit Akagera National Park.

The best time for the visitors to visit Akagera national park is during the dry season, which is between June to September, the climate in the park does not change much throughout the year, but the visitors will experience warmer temperatures during the long dry season.

Where to stay in Akagera national park.

Akagera national park has got various accommodation facilities for the guests who come to visit the park, these are categorized into the Budget, Mid-range, Luxury accommodations that are comfortable to the guests such as the Ruzizi tented lodge, Akagera Game Lodge, Akagera Rhino lodge, Magashi lodge, Karenge bush camp,

How to get to Akagera National Park.

Akagera national park can be accessed into different ways from Kigali city to the park.

By Road transport.

You can drive from Kigali through Rwamagana town to Akagera national park the entrance is only through southern gate. Northern gate is currently as the exit gate The journey takes you a total of about 2 hours or 2 and a half hours to arrive at the park entrance. The distance from Kigali to the park is 120km/75mi.

By Air transport.

Air transport to the AKagera National Park is that there are no domestic flights to Akagera, but Akagera Aviation offers the charter helicopter transfers to anywhere in the country. The flight from Kigali to Akagera National Park takes 22 minutes.