Akagera Game Lodge
Akagera Game Lodge is one of the luxury accommodations where travelers can stay while in Rwanda. The lodge is located in the southern part of Akagera national park near Lake Ihema and Lake Shakani. Akagera Game Lodge is situated just 5km from the southern entrance to Akagera national park, the lodge gives beautiful views of different animal species in the park as well as Lake Ihema and Lake Shakani.
Luxury travelers coming for a safari in Akagera national park don’t have to stress looking for the best lodge around the park when Akagera Game Lodge is situated right inside the park. Staying at Akagera Game Lodge gives guests an opportunity to spot different park animals such as zebras, lions, giraffes, antelopes, elephants that always room around the lodge.
Akagera Game Lodge has over 60 en-suite rooms built in a modern way with inbuilt bathrooms and private balconies that do offer beautiful views of Lake Ihema. The rooms of Akagera Game Lodge contain Air conditioning, Desk, Refrigerator, Television, Extra long beds, Walk-in shower, Private balcony, Safe, Telephone, Bottled water, Clothes rack, Laptop safe, Private bathrooms, Electric kettle, Complimentary toiletries, Hairdryer, and mosquito nets.
Some of the property amenities at Akagera Game Lodge include pool, free parking, tennis court, board games, high-speed internet, baggage storage area, meeting rooms, first aid kit, laundry service, kids pool, a bar with soft and hard drinks, and a restaurant that has got well-experienced chefs that prepare local and international dishes.
Akagera game lodge organizes activities such as birding, guided nature walks, game drives, boat trips, and cultural visits. Tourists coming to Akagera Game Lodge need to keep time for the lodge closed at 6 pm so this means you must be in the park within that period of time. The lodge is open to all kinds of people from different places in the world at any time of the year.
Activities to do while staying at Akagera Game Lodge
Game drives
Guests staying at Akarenge Game Lodge can head out for a guided game drive in Akagera national park. the game drives in Akagera national park are done in the morning and evening hours and offer the guests the same experience. Those who do early morning game drives have to wake up early so as to meet the early morning risers as well as nocturnal animals before they get back to their hideout places.
Guests staying at Akarenge Game Lodge will spot several animals in the park such as buffaloes, elephants, impalas, topis, giant forest hogs, bushbucks, waterbucks, lions, spotted hyenas, zebras, giraffes, leopards, rhinos, cape elands, roan antelopes, and so much more. They will also pass through different vegetation covers spotting different bird species and lakes within the park.
Boat cruise
Guests having a stay at Akagera Game Lodge can embark on a boat cruise since the lodge is located within the park. The boat cruise in Akagera national park is done on Lake Ihema so the guests at Akagera Game Lodge can opt to explore the lake and its surroundings. The boat cruise on Lake Ihema gives you an opportunity to spot several hippos and crocodiles, different water birds such as African harrier hawk, cardinal woodpecker, white-tailed blue monard, and grey craned cranes among others.
Birding
Guests staying at Akagera Game Lodge can opt to do birding activities around the lodge or within the park since the lodge is located inside the park. Bird watching activities in Akagera national park will expose you to over 400 different bird species and these include white-browed coucal, African jacana, papyrus ganalex, white-browed coucal, African grey hornbill, crowned lapwing, lilac-breasted roller, grey crowned crane, little bee-eater, woodland kingfisher, blue checked bee-eater, lesser striped swallow, goliath heron, woodland kingfisher, white-faced whistling duck, common squacco heron, long-tailed cormorant, eastern grey plantain-eater, lilac-breasted roller, cattle egret, black-headed weaver, and much more.
Other bird species include Saddle-billed stork, palm-nut vulture, eastern grey plantain eater, pin tailed whydah, black-headed weaver, great egret, crowned lapwing, northern fiscal, marabou stork, grey-backed fiscal, grey-backed fiscal, palm nut vulture, long created eagle, white-backed vultures, crested barbet, cardinal woodpecker, African darter, saddle-billed stork, ross’s turaco, grey crowned crane, red-billed fire finch, helmeted guinea fowl, and spur-winged goose to mention but a few.
Nature walks
Guests staying at Akarenge Game Lodge can opt for guided nature walks around the lodge or in Akagera national park since the lodge is located inside the park. the nature walks are led by the armed ranger guides who take you through different walking trails as you watch different wildlife of the park while they protect you from dangerous wild animals. The nature walk will give guests opportunities of seeing different park animals, birds, lakes, and vegetation types in the park.
Cultural tours
Tourists having a stay at Akagera Game Lodge can opt to have a cultural tour among the neighboring communities and one of them is Humure refuge village. The village is full of cattle keepers who you will meet in different homesteads led by a local guide. The visit to this village will give you an opportunity to know about the way of living of the local people, how they milk cows, taste their local foods and drinks, visit their craft shops and get entertained by the local traditional dancers.
What is the best time stay at Akagera Game Lodge?
Staying at Akagera game lodge is open throughout the year since Akagera national park can be visited all year-round for game viewing activities but the best time is the dry seasons. The dry seasons in Akagera national park happen from June to September and December to February and are characterized by little or no rainfall and this leaves the game trucks dry, the vegetation is very short giving clear views of the park animals, and the roads leading to the park are passable.
Tourists most especially the budget travelers can also visit Akagera national park in the rainy season which happens from March to May and October to November to enjoy huge discounts on accommodation facilities. The rainy season is characterized by too much rainfall and this makes the game trucks muddy and slippery, the vegetation is tall giving clear views of some of the park animals and lastly, the roads leading to the park are impassable.