Attractions in Akagera national park
Are you looking for attractions in Akagera national park? Located in the northeastern part of Rwanda on the boarders of Tanzania, Akagera national park covers a total area of 1,122 sq. km. Akagera national park got its name from the River Akagera that flows through the national park powering its waters in most of the lakes in the park. River Akagera has swamps and different vegetation covers on its shores that act as home to some of the animals and parks in the park.
Attractions in Akagera national park Rwanda
Wildlife
These are the main attractions of Akagera national park Rwanda and they do live in the savannah vegetation that acts as their habitats. There are so many wildlife species in Akagera national park that have made the park so famous for game drives and these include the big five animals – African elephants, African buffaloes, rhinos, lions, and leopards.
Other notable wildlife species in Akagera national park include the zebras, impalas, giraffes, cape elands, roan antelopes, waterbucks, bushbucks, bush babies, sitatungas, reedbucks, elands, klipspringer, side stripped jackal, oribis, serval cats, olive baboons, blue monkeys, and vervet monkeys to mention but a few.
Birds
Akagera national park has been listed among the best birding spots in Rwanda with over 400 bird species that have been so far recorded in the park. The birds of Akagera national park can be seen in the savannah vegetation, forests, swamps, and much more. The bird species commonly seen in Akagera national park include African rock pigeon, grey-backed fiscal, palm nut vulture, hamerkop, northern fiscal, marabou stork, eastern grey plantain eater, helmeted guinea fowl, African darter, crested barbet, woodland kingfisher, cattle egret, black-headed weaver, blue checked bee-eater, ross’s turaco, grey crowned crane, little bee-eater, cardinal woodpecker, spur-winged goose, lesser striped swallow, long created eagle, red-billed fire finch, saddle-billed stork, crowned lapwing, grey-backed fiscal, and common squacco heron among others.
Other notable bird species in Akagera national park include African grey hornbill, African jacana, papyrus ganalex, woodland kingfisher, white-faced whistling duck, grey crowned crane, goliath heron, pin tailed whydah, long-tailed cormorant, eastern grey plantain-eater, white-browed coucal, black-headed weaver, great egret, white-backed vultures, lilac-breasted roller, crowned lapwing, common squacco heron, lilac-breasted roller, white-browed coucal, saddle-billed stork, palm-nut vulture, viellot’s black weavers, and much more.
Water bodies
Akagera national park consists of several water bodies which are spread around the park. The park has Lake Ihema, Lake Mahindi, Lake Gishanju, Lake Shakani, and Lake Rwanyakazinga. Every lake has its own activities done on like Lake Ihema is for the boat cruise, and Lake Shakani is for sport fishing. Around the shores of these lakes are homes to different water birds and park animals which are clearly seen during boat cruises or nature walks. These water bodies act as homes to crocodiles and hippos as well as water sources for park animals like the elephants, buffaloes, giraffes, and antelopes to mention but a few.
Akagera national park also hosts of one the famous rives called River Akagera that flows through the eastern side of the park distributing water to different lakes in the park before flowing water into Lake Victoria of Uganda through Tanzania. Shores of River Akagera harbor water birds like African jacana, sandpipers, African fish eagle, cormorants, malachite kingfisher, herons, open billed stork, and much more.
Accommodation in Akagera national park
Accommodation is one of the things you need to think about when making preparations for a safari in Akagera national park Rwanda. There are several accommodation facilities in Akagera national park so you need to think about which is best for you based on your travel budget. Some of the lodges in Akagera national park include Magashi Safari Camp, Karenge Bush Camp, Shakani Campsite, Akarenge Game Lodge, Akagera Resort and Country Club, Mutumba Campsite, Ruzizi Tented Lodge, Vintage Cottage, Akagera Rhino Lodge, Muyumba Campsite, and Nyagasambu Realm Beach Hotel among others.
What is the most appropriate time to visit Akagera national park?
After understanding the main attractions of Akagera national park in Rwanda, you need to know the best time to visit the park for an amazing safari. Akagera national park is open at any time of the year but there are months that are better than the rest and these are the drier months of June to September and December to February. The above months in Akagera national park are characterized by little or no rainfall, the trekking game trucks are dry and not slippery, the vegetation is short giving clear views of the parks’ wildlife and the roads leading to the park are passable.
Tourists can still visit Akagera national park in the rainy season and this favors the budget travels because lodges offer huge discounts as well as the birders because there are a lot of birds in the park including the migratory ones due to plenty of foods. The rainy season occurs in March to May and October to November and in the park, the game trucks are muddy and slippery, the vegetation is tall with unclear views of the park animals and the roads leading to the park are impassable.
