Akagera National Park attractions

Akagera National Park attractions: Akagera National Park attractions are those things that draw visitors to the park for adventure every year. The park is a protected area in the eastern part of Rwanda covering over 1,122 square kilometers. It was established in 1934 by the Belgian government to protect a number of wildlife species that had their home in the savannah, montane, and swamp vegetation cover.

Akagera National Park currently protects more than 50 mammal species and more than 490 bird species. The park is one of the national parks where tourists can see the big five mammals, which are the lions, buffaloes, leopards, elephants, and rhinos. Apart from the wildlife, Akagera National Park hosts water bodies such as Lake Ihema, Lake Shakani, Lake Hago, Lake Mihindi, Lake Rwanyakazinga, and River Akagera.

Top attractions in Akagera National Park

The big five mammals

Akagera National Park is home to the five big mammals; therefore, tourists on a safari to this park should look out for these animals, which can be seen during park activities. The game drives are the best way to see these big five mammals, which are the lions, buffaloes, elephants, rhinos, and leopards. With a good safari vehicle to take you all over the park using different game tracks, one will be able to see most of the animals.

Apart from the big five mammals, Akagera National Park is home to more than 50 mammal species, including zebras, hippos, olive baboons, oribis, giraffes, impalas, topis, waterbucks, klipspringers, kobs, bushbuck, warthogs, roan antelopes, duikers, and cape elands, to mention but a few. These animals can also be seen during game drives around the park as well as boat cruises around Lake Ihema.

The birds

Akagera National Park is a habitat of more than 490 bird species that live in different vegetation types across the park. Bird watching is an activity that enables birders to spot most of the bird species that find Akagera as their home. With the best birding guides, birders are able to see more than half of the bird species found within the park.

Birdwatching in Akagera National Park enables birders to encounter species such as the African cuckoo hawk, martial eagle, shoebill stork, papyrus gonolek, lesser kestrel, great snipe, black-winged pratincole, Arnot’s chat, Sauza’s shrike, bar-tailed godwit, black-bellied plover, Egyptian goose, blue-billed teal, scaly spurfowl, grey-crowned crane, and Ross’s turaco, to mention but a few.

Lake Ihema

Akagera National Park has several lakes spread across the park, and Lake Ihema is one of the most visited. Boat cruises within Akagera National Park are organized on Lake Ihema, giving tourists an opportunity to see water birds, aquatic animals, and park animals that come around the lake.

Boat cruises on Lake Ihema in Akagera National Park are carried out 4 times a day at 7:30 am, 9 am, 3 pm, and 4:30 pm. The boat cruises on Lake Ihema for about 1 hour, and during the whole cruise around the lake, tourists are able to see wildlife such as hippos, crocodiles, shoebills, papyrus gonoleks, and African fish eagles, among others. Tourists are also able to see park animals like the antelopes, zebras, buffaloes, and elephants, among others, drinking water or feeding on fresh vegetation cover.

Entrance to Akagera National Park

Located in the northeastern region of Rwanda, Akagera National Park can be accessed using two gates. The park can be accessed using the Kiyonza gate in the southern part of the park, as well as the Nyungwe gate in the northern part of the park. International visitors pay $100 for a single day, $150 for two days, and $200 for three days. East African citizens pay $50 for a single day, $75 for two days, and $100 for three days.

After accessing the park, tourists on self-guided game drives can hire guides from within the park to take them around for the drives at a fee. A guide for a self-game drive costs $25 for a half day and $40 for a full day. Children below 5 years old access Akagera National Park at zero fees. Payments for Akagera National Park can be made at the gate on the day of entry.

What is the best time to explore Akagera National Park?

June to September and December to February are the best times to explore Akagera National Park. These months are referred to as the dry season months because they come with little or no rainfall and plenty of sunshine. The weather keeps the vegetation very short, giving clear views of the park attractions, and the game trucks are dry and easier to pass through, making it easy to access most of the park areas.

Tourists can still visit Akagera National Park during other months like October, November, March, April, and May. These months are, however, called the rainy season months and are characterized by plenty of rainfall and little sunshine. This can keep the game tracks muddy and slippery, which can limit access to some of the park areas. The vegetation is very tall, and this might give unclear views of some of the park attractions.

Where to stay on a safari in Akagera National Park

Tourists who intend to visit Akagera National Park and would like to spend a night or more around the park have lots of accommodation places they can stay at. These accommodation facilities range from standard to mid-range to luxury options, with where to stay depending on a person’s budget. Lodges include Magashi Tented Camp. Akagera Game Lodge, Ruzizi Tented Lodge, Karenge Bush Lodge, and Akagera Rhino Lodge, to name a few.