Activities in Akagera National Park
Activities in Akagera National Park include the ventures in which travelers engage in to spice up their Rwanda safari while on a visit to the national park, and these include activities like boat rides, day and night game drives, fishing, camping, community cultural experiences, birding, behind the scenes and walk the line among others. There is just so much that visitors can see and do while in Akagera National Park.
Game Drives in Akagera National Park.
Akagera national park is the ideal place to be for any visitor who wishes to see wildlife animals in Rwanda, especially the Big Five animals. The national park sits on a 1,122 square kilometer piece of land and has over 8,000 large wildlife animals including elephants, lions, rhinos, leopards, and buffalos. Travelers visiting the national park can view a variety of wildlife like; the Burchell’s zebra, giraffes, antelopes, impala, topi, Sitatunga, jackals, and hyenas among others.
Sighting the Big Five in Akagera national park marks one of the highlights of any Rwanda safaris in the country. The park has recently seen the addition of 5 more black eastern rhinos, which were transferred from the Czech Republic in Europe.
The national park offers visitors both day and night game drives, with night guided game drives giving visitors a chance to view the nocturnal animals like leopards, lions, civets, hyenas, bush babies and serval cats to mention but a few.
Visitors in Akagera national park can also see a few nocturnal birds such as Owls. Night game drives in the park take between 1-2 hours and cost USD 40 dollars per person. Day guided game drives cost USD 30 per visitor and are conducted in the early morning and late afternoon.
Boat Trips in Akagera.
Visitors in Akagera national park seeking to experience the beauty of its lakes should consider a boat trip on Lake Ihema, which is the second biggest lake in Rwanda. Visitors taking boat trips in Akagera can drift along the forest-fringed body of water. Visitors can get the chance to sight aquatic animals like hippos and crocodiles. Boat trips in Akagera national park happen four times a day at 7:30 am, 9 am, 3 pm and 4:30 pm respectively. However, there are also non-scheduled boat trips available in the park for visitors who wish to take private boat trips on the lake. Visitors on a boat trip in Akagera can also sight a number of bird species including the rare Shoebill stock.
Birding activities in Akagera National Park.
Akagera national park is one of the places that any bird lover should not miss out on. The national park is home to over 500 species of birds. Visitors on a birding trip in the park can spot bird species like; marabou stocks, egrets, crowned cranes, herons, Swamp Fly Catchers, the Red-Faced Barbets and the well sought after Shoebill stock. The diverse habitats for birds in Akagera national park give visitors a chance to view different kinds of bird species residing within the national park.
Fishing activities in Akagera national park.
Fishing in Akagera national park usually takes place on Lake Shakani, which is popular for its variety of fish species especially Tilapia and catfish. Visitors can spend a day relaxing and fishing on the lake shores and later cook your catch over an open bond fire at your campsite. Visitors who wish to take part in fishing activities in the park are advised to carry their own equipment.
Akagera national park also organizes fishing tournaments in the park. Interested visitors can take part in the Catch-and-release fishing tournaments that are carried out on Lake Shakani. These fishing tournaments are held at specific dates in the park and therefore, visitors interested in these activities should contact management at Akagera Game Lodge for more details.
Hiking and Guided Nature Walks.
Visitors in Akagera can embark on hiking adventures and guided nature walks in the national park. Hiking and natures walk in the park give visitors an opportunity to view a variety of flora and fauna species including plant, tree, insect, butterfly and bird species.
Community Cultural Experiences in Akagera National Park.
A Rwanda safari is not complete without a visit to the communities within and near Akagera national park. Community cultural trips in Akagera give visitors an opportunity to explore the rich Rwandan culture and her people. While on these cultural tours in the national park, visitors get to mingle with the local people, learn their lifestyles, and also learn how to milk cows on a farm, make local banana beer and honey among others. All the revenue collected from community cultural tours is given back to these communities that tourists visit.
Behind the Scenes in Akagera national park.
Travelers visiting Akagera national park can now get an insight into the activities that take place in the management of the national park. The ‘behind the scenes’ tour of Akagera takes visitors through the park’s headquarters where you can get to meet the staff of Akagera national park, and learn about exciting conservation projects in the park.
Walk the line hiking tour in Akagera national park.
Akagera national park offers its visitors a chance to step in the shoes of its fence attendants. The 2-hour long walk has visitors hiking along with park guides along a 120km perimeter fence, checking if it is fully secure and operational. The walks begin at the park’s entrance and take visitors through beautiful hills in the park and end on top of a ridge, where visitors can enjoy spectacular views of the park in all directions. Visitors who are interested in taking part in this activity should ensure that you pack enough mineral water to last you the entire journey.
Akagera national park in Rwanda is a stunning national park with plenty of activities for visitors to take park in while on a Rwanda safari. The national park remains the only haven for the wildlife savannah animals in the country.
