What to do in Akagera National Park.
Activities in Akagera National Park: Akagera National Park is a 1,122-square-kilometer park in the northeastern region of Rwanda, in the Kibungu district that borders Tanzania to the east. The River Kagera, which runs along the park’s eastern edge, is the source of its name. One of Africa’s largest preserved wetland areas is Akagera National Park, which was created in 1934.
Nearly a third of the park is made up of lakes and wetlands. Swamps, marshes, papyrus swamps, woods, lakes, grasslands, and savannah plains make up the majority of Akagera National Park, which is rich in biodiversity and an excellent place for species to live.
Buffalos, lions, rhinos, elephants, leopards, zebras, bushbucks, Maasai giraffes, elands, topis, hyenas, warthogs, oribis, Sitatunga, Defassa waterbuck, roan antelopes, sable antelopes, reedbucks, civets, and various primate species can all be found in Akagera National Park.
The following are some of the well-known tourism activities in Akagera National Park. The park provides visitors who want to experience the thrill of outdoor adventure with exciting things to do or activities.
Drives for games
Once you take part, the game drive in Akagera National Park gives a peaceful and memorable wildlife adventure experience. Many wildlife species can be found in Akagera National Park. For example, in 2015, Rwanda and South Africa moved two male and five female lions to Akagera National Park through a partnership with one of the country’s non-profit organizations. This move helped introduce lion species to the country.
In addition, the Czech Republic brought five black rhinos—three females and two males—to Akagera National area in 2019, reestablishing the area as a habitat for the Big Five African animals: lions, rhinos, buffaloes, and leopards. In addition to zebras, bushbucks, Maasai giraffes, elands, topis, hyenas, warthogs, oribis, Sitatunga, Defassa waterbuck, roan antelopes, sable antelopes, reedbucks, and civets that are observed grassing on open savannah land, Akagera National Park is home to a variety of primate species, including vervet, blue, olive baboons, and silver monkeys.
Crocodiles and hippos are also observed swimming along the lakeshores, or bucks of the lake waiting for prey animals like antelopes and duikers that come to seek water. Elephants are typically observed roaming the savannah grasslands and occasionally the beaches of lakes Ihema, Shakani, and many others, while leopards and lions are constantly observed sleeping beneath the flora, primarily acacia trees.
A nature enthusiast will have the most incredible wildlife adventure experience of their life when they see all of this incredible animals. Both morning and evening game drives are available to visitors to Akagera National Park. Nighttime game drives are also held there, giving guests the chance to see nocturnal creatures including hyenas, leopards, civets, wide-eyed bush infants, serval cats, and more.
Observing birds
One of the most thrilling adventure activities that should not be overlooked on a Rwanda wildlife safari in the Akagera National Park is bird viewing. With approximately 450 different species of birds, including aquatic birds that are easily visible along the beaches of Lake Shakani and Lake Ihema Deeping in waters, Akagera National Park is renowned as a genuine birder’s paradise.
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 more are among the birds that can be seen in Akagera National Park.
Tours of boat cruises
The most thrilling activity available to visitors in Akagera is taking a boat excursion, either before or after engaging in the park’s endless attractions. Visitors can witness a large school of hippos and crocodiles in the water, as well as other animals like buffaloes, waterbucks, elephants, and warthogs.
They can also see water birds like African fish eagles, open-billed storks, egrets, cormorants, and African darters, among others, playing and drinking water along the shores. Boat safaris in Lake Ihema provide visitors with an experience they won’t soon forget. In addition, boat cruise trips give tourists the opportunity to observe savannah plains, lakes, grasslands, woodlands, marshes, and papyrus swamps, among many other places.
Activities in Akagera National Park Cultural excursions Boat cruises in Akagera
Cultural tours around Akagera National Park are fascinating and instructive, and visitors can also take part in touring some of the nearby settlements. Before or after taking part in park activities like game drives or boat cruises, visitors can enjoy exciting and engaging cultural tours in Akagera National Park.
Cultural excursions in Akagera National Park take you to four different parts of the park, including the Imigongo Art and Craft Center, Heritage, which is the culture for cattle, local production, which includes food, festivities, and breweries and bees. You can participate in a variety of activities with these communities, including milking, honey collecting, painting, cooking regional cuisine, and traditional Rwandan dances.
The tour of the town of Humure Refuge
One of the communities that tourists frequently visit when on safari in Akagera National Park is Humure Refugee Village. You can have an exciting cultural experience by participating in a variety of activities that will make your trip of the Humure Refugee Village unforgettable. The village offers an exciting tour of its little communities.
A trip to Humure Refuge Village astonishes visitors with equal chances to interact with locals, tour their homesteads, watch them go about their daily lives—digging, milking, grazing, etc.—visit some of the local art and craft stores, and, finally, enjoy performances by traditional dancers. When traveling by car, this community is approximately 45 minutes from Akagera National Park.
Recreational fishing
One of the most unpleasant outdoor pursuits in Akagera National Park is sport fishing. Sport fishing in the national park is typically done at Lake Shakani, where you may fish and learn about many marine species, including catfish and tilapia. Fishing in the calm waters is accompanied by the sound of singing birds and the grunting of hippos, which seem to encourage you. You may enjoy the flavor of fresh Rwandan fish by roasting, frying, or grilling your catch.
Nature hikes
Amazing nature hikes are available to visitors to Akagera National Park; these treks are led by the park’s armed ranger guides. While keeping you safe from potentially harmful park animals, the armed ranger guides lead you around several nature walk trails that highlight the park’s highlights. You may explore Akagera National Park on foot and see a variety of park species, including lions, elephants, rhinos, antelopes, giraffes, zebras, birds, lakes, and other flora types, on the nature trails.
