Reasons to visit Akagera national park
The reasons to visit Akagera national park in the northeastern part of Rwanda are those points that can force travelers to visit the park and get to see and explore the attractions of the park. Akagera national park is one of the 4 national parks that are found in Rwanda and can be visited at any time of the year. The attractions in Akagera national park include animals, birds, lakes, vegetation, and culture among others. Some of the reasons tourists should visit Akagera national park include the following
Akagera national park hosts the big 5 mammals
Akagera national park is the only place that hosts the big five mammals among all the national parks of the country. The big five mammals of Africa can be seen on game drives which are done in the morning or evening as well as during the nature walks in the park. The big five mammals of Africa are lions, elephants, buffaloes, rhinos, and leopards.
Akagera national park did not have all the 5 mammals in the beginning but in 2017, 18 rhinos were introduced in the park from South Africa, and in 2015, 7 lions were introduced in the park from South Africa and this made the park to have all the big 5 mammals. The lions and leopards can still be seen in the night drive drives since they are nocturnal animals.
Akagera national park hosts the highest population of animals in Rwanda
Akagera national park is home to over 800 large mammals that can’t be found anywhere else in Rwanda and this makes one of the reasons to visit the park. The national park has animals such as lions, buffaloes, impalas, cape elands, duikers, topis, elephants, roan antelopes, klipspringers, hyenas, leopards, cheetahs, zebras, giraffes, oribis, waterbucks, and bushbucks among others. Most of these animals are seen during the morning and evening game drives as well as night game drives for those that want to spot nocturnal animals. Other animals can be seen in the swamps during the boat cruise on Lake Ihema, especially in the dry season.
Akagera national park hosts over 400 bird species
Akagera national park is home to over 400 bird species that have been so far recorded in the park and can be seen during the birding activities in different spots of the park. The birds in Akagera national park include Amur falcon, hamerkop, white-winged swamp warbler, African jacana, blue-shouldered robin-chat, helmeted guinea fowl, papyrus gonolek, beaudouin’s snake eagle, African grey hornbill, tabora cisticola, red-winged francolin, booted eagle, cardinal woodpecker, souza’s shrike, crested barbet, browned-chested lapwing, grey crowned crane, and grasshopper buzzard.
Other bird species in Akagera national park include dimorphic egret, cabanis’s bunting, carruther’s cisticola, stripped pipit, common squacco heron, white-faced whistling duck, goliath heron, grey-backed fiscal, sooty falcon, black-headed weaver, denham’s bustard, palm nut vulture, slate-colored boubou, ring-necked francolin, ring-winged francolin, eleonora’s falcon, blue checked bee-eater, red-faced barbet, grey-backed fiscal, long-tailed cormorant, black-headed weaver, dimorphic egret, and yellow-billed eremomela.
Akagera national park hosts over 7 lakes
Akagera national park hosts a number of lakes and each of them has unique attractions. The lakes are spread in different parts of the park and most of them get their waters from the River Kagera that passes through the park. The lakes in Akagera national park include Lake Ihema, Lake Hago, Lake Shakani, Lake Rwanyakizinga, Lake Kivumba, Lake Mihingi, and Lake Cyambwe. Lake Ihema is where the boat cruises are done in Akagera national park while Lake Shakani is where those that do love sportfishing go.
Several activities can be done in Akagera national park
With several activities being able to be done in Akagera national park, tourists should visit this park on their safari to Rwanda. The most done activity in the park is game viewing where you get to see most of the park animals in a safari car, there is the boat cruise which is done on Lake Ihema, there is sport fishing that is done in Lake Shakani, nature walks, birding, walk the fence tour and lastly nature walks.
Akagera national park is located near the city
Another reason as to why you need to visit Akagera national park is that the park is located very close to the city. Akagera national park is located 110 km away from Kigali city and getting to the park takes a 2-3 hours drive. This means that one can even sleep in Kigali city and then drive to Akagera the next morning and be part of any activity they want.
Akagera national park is safe
Tourists need to visit Akagera national park because it is safe. The park has well-trained staff among which include armed ranger guides who make sure that the park is safe all throughout the year so you dint have to worry about being attacked or your property stolen within the park. the armed ranger guides also protect tourists from dangerous wild animals. While entering Akagera national park, you will meet security personnel at the park entrance who will check for all kinds of weapons or harmful devices, and there are also briefing sessions where tourists are told about the dos and dont’s before any park activity.
Akagera national park has the best accommodation facilities
The other treason you need to visit Akagera national park is that the park is developing each year and new and good lodges are being constructed. The park has several accommodation facilities that are spread in different parts of the park ranging from budget to mid-range to luxury options and these include Magashi Tented Camp, Ruzizi Tented Camp, Lake Kivu Serena Hotel, Karenge Bush Camp, Magashi Safari Camp, Akarenge Game Lodge, Akagera Resort and Country Club, Vintage Cottages, Akarenge Game Lodge, Nyagasambu Real Beach Hotel Akagera Rhino Lodge among others.
Akagera national park can be visited at any time of the year
Yes, Akagera national park is open at all times of the year for tourists. The part has 2 seasons which are the dry season and the rainy season. Most of the tourists visit Akagera national park in the dry season of June to September and December to February because during such months there is little or no rainfall in the park, the game trucks are dry, and the roads leading to the park are impassable.
Tourists that visit Akagera national park in the rainy season of March to May and October to November benefit from huge discounts on accommodation facilities but there is always plenty of rainfall in the park that leaves the game trucks muddy and slippery, the vegetation tall giving unclear views of animals, and the roads leading to the park impassable.