Fishing In Akagera National Park.

During a Rwanda wildlife safari in Akagera National Park, one of the most educational activities available to tourists is fishing. Where is the park? It is the ideal location for a wildlife drive and is home to some of Africa’s rarest wild creatures. The 2500 square kilometer Akagera National Park is located in the eastern region of Rwanda and has a border with Tanzania.

It was designated as a national park in 1934 and was named for the Kagera River, which runs along its eastern border with Tanzania. Since Akagera National Park is the only savannah national park in Rwanda, it is the only location to see wildlife.

The park is home to a variety of unique wildlife species, such as the Big Five, which include elephants, buffaloes, lions, rhinos, leopards, and other exciting animals like zebras, giraffes, warthogs, impalas, bushbucks, hyenas, and several antelopes, including the roan antelope, Cape Eland, Topes, klipspringer, Oribis, water-buck, duikers, and impalas.

This park is home to several kinds of primates, including nocturnal bush infants, olive baboons, and vervet monkeys. Boat trips are the greatest way to see the many crocodiles and hippos that call Lake Ihema’s shallow waters home.

The banks of Lake Shakani, which is situated on the northeastern edge of Akagera National Park, are the best places to go fishing. Numerous fish species, including tilapia and catfish, can be found in Lake Shakani.

A unique water sport experience is fishing on Lake Shakani in Akagera National Park, which entails capturing and returning fish to the lake’s waters. Following the sport, you are permitted to take one fish and taste it. Among other fish species, those who wish to fish in the lake have the chance to capture tilapia and catfish.

Visitors who wish to participate in fishing activities in Akagera National Park can also enter a fishing game competition; however, they must plan and make reservations at least six months in advance.

The largest freshwater lake in the nation, Lake Kivu, is one of the other locations in Akagera National Park where you may go fishing.

In addition to sport fishing, visitors on wildlife safari in Akagera National Park can engage in exciting guided game drives that offer an opportunity to see a range of animals, including the Big 5 African animals—lion, elephant, buffalo, rhino, and leopard—as well as other adventure activities outside of sport fishing.

Giraffes, zebras, impalas, topis, olive baboons, vervet monkeys, blue monkeys, cape elands, Kobs, and many other creatures may be found in the park. You can also view nocturnal wildlife including hyenas, leopards, bush babies, civets, and various cats during night game drives in Akagera National Park.

You get to follow the tracks as you drive across the verdant savannah plains, past expansive woods, and into the habitat of stunning mammal species in Akagera National Park on a daytime game drive. The Defassa Waterbuck, Topes, Bohor Reedbucks, Oribis, Semi-Aquatic Sitatunga, Eland, Giraffes, Buffaloes, Elephants, and Lions are a few other creatures that can be seen on a day game drive.

Additionally, Akagera National Park provides night wildlife drives, allowing guests to explore the park with an armed park ranger to see nocturnal creatures, like the serval cats, civets, leopards, and wide-eyed bush babies. It only takes two to three hours, and you will be accompanied by an experienced ranger and your flashlight.

Nature Walks: The management of Akagera National Park provides ranger-guided nature walks in select park sections. You will follow several hiking trials during the two to three-hour nature walks, which will give you more time and opportunity to interact with butterflies, insects, and plants that you may otherwise overlook when on a safari. Among other things, you will take in the refreshing breeze, the stunning hills, and the pleasant sounds of various birds.

Boat rides: Located in the south of Akagera National Park, on Ihema, the largest and most well-known lake, boat trips are an intriguing activity. In Akagera, boat rides are scheduled according to two different schedules: morning and evening. Large schools of crocodiles and hippos can be seen in the water during the boat journey, along with other creatures like buffaloes, waterbucks, elephants, and warthogs that drink from the shoreline.

While in the park, you can also engage in various activities including helicopter excursions, cultural tours, Nile walking, behind-the-scenes tours, and many more.

The price of an Akagera National Park sport fishing permit

While fishing, tourists can sip cold beverages and listen to traditional tunes and stories, or stories recounted by local fishermen. Additionally, this is a fantastic chance for tourists to engage with Rwandans and gain a deeper understanding of Rwandan culture.

Sport fishing permits are available to those who wish to engage in sport fishing in Akagera National Park for a fee of $25 USD per person, per day. However, because fishing licenses are limited, particularly during the national park’s busiest season, visitors who are interested in the activity are urged to reserve their permits at least six months in advance.

Accommodations in the National Park of Akagera

Accommodations in Akagera National Park range widely, from low-cost to high-end. These include the luxury accommodations of Magashi Camp and Ruzizi Tented Camp, the mid-range accommodations of Akagera Game Lodge, and the Karenge Bush Camp. Additional lodging options close to the national park include Vintage Cottage, Akagera Country Club, and Akagera Resort.

Accessing the National Park of Akagera

since the lake is situated inside Akagera National Park. Akagera National Park is situated close to the Tanzanian border in eastern Rwanda. Akagera National Park is just 108 kilometers from Kigali, and it is reachable by road or a quick flight.

It takes roughly two hours by car. Additionally, it takes 30 minutes to travel from the capital city of Kigali through the village of Rwamagana to the park’s southern gate (the northern gate is now exclusively used for egress). For those seeking luxury, Akagera Aviation offers helicopter trips from Kigali International Airport to Akagera National Park.

Other destinations in Rwanda include the well-known Volcanoes National Park, which is home to golden monkeys and mountain gorillas, Nyungwe Forest National Park, which is home to chimpanzees and colobus monkeys, and the country’s canopy walk. The recently established Gishwati Mukura National Park, which is home to priceless primates, comes last.