Akagera National Park – The home to Big 5

Just in case you are on a Safari in Rwanda and interested in having that wildlife feel or experience, Akagera National Park in the North Eastern part of Rwanda is the place to be. With an area size of 1122 km2, Akagera National Park is Rwanda’s only Savannah Park that covers almost similar wildlife experiences as the rest of the parks in East Africa. These include; Masai Mara National Park in Kenya, Serengeti National Park, and Ngorongoro Conservation Area in Tanzania.

Akagera National Park derives its name from the Akagera River which feeds into Lake Ihema and Lake Victoria the largest freshwater lake in the whole world. During the Rwanda Genocide Era, the park was greatly encroached on by refugees and the cattle-keeping communities in Rwanda. These hunted down most of the wild animals to extinction. They reduced the park size by 10% of the original 2500 km2. However, in 2010, the Rwanda government under its statutory body the Rwanda Development Board took over the management of this Park. This brought a whole new kind of tourism and conservation to this park.

TOURIST ACTIVITIES AND ATTRACTIONS IN AKAGERA  NATIONAL PARK

BIRDING

Today Akagera National Park has over 500 bird species. These range from water and some forests to savannah species. They include; the Papyrus Gonolek with this count bird watching tourists on Rwanda tours in this park will live up to their expectations.

GAME DRIVES

The Safari Game Drives in Akagera are the most popular tourist activity in Rwanda. The game drives here are so rewarding whereby you are exposed to more chances of a lot of wildlife in a shorter period. The most common ones are Giraffes, Zebras, elephants, impalas, and other small primates like the vervet monkeys.

BOAT CRUISE

Travelers on Rwanda Safaris in Akagera National Park could also go for a Boat trip on Lake Ihema inside the park which is the second largest lake in Rwanda after Lake Kivu. The Boat Cruise in the Park on Lake Ihema will give you that water-based experience that you will find nowhere else in Rwanda. Prepare yourself to spot some basking Crocodiles, yawning hippos, Zebras quenching down their thirst and a lot of birdlife for Bird Lovers.

COMMUNITY VISITS

You could also visit the cattle-keeping communities around the Park to know how they go about their daily pastoral life. Akagera National Park is that one Rwanda tour destination every traveler on an Africa Tour should not skip out. Why not add this beautiful national park to your Tours in Africa?