Activities in Akagera National Park
Activities in Akagera National Park are those tourist activities that travellers visiting the park can take part to explore the park as well as enjoy its abundant flora and fauna. Akagera National Park is a beautiful park that has a blend of swamps, lakes, savannah plains and rugged terrain of the neatly terraced hills. Gazetted as a national park in 1934 making it one of the oldest national parks in Africa, Akagera National Park was named after River Akagera that runs through the park. Akagera National Park is located north east of Rwanda and is only a few hours away from Kigali city.
Akagera National Park boasts of its great diverse vegetation zones that host loads of wild animals and various bird species some of which are endemic to the park. With so much to see in the park, the various activities in Akagera National Park are a great way to experience and explore the park. Below are the most done activities in Akagera National Park;
Game drives
Game drives are the most done of all the activities in Akagera National Park. Game drives have travellers driving along tracks and the savannah plains of the park that inhabit loads of mammal species. some of the animals to be encountered while on a game drive in Akagera National Park include waterbucks, oribis, elands, giraffes, buffaloes, elephants, lions, the recently reintroduced rhinos, and topis among so many others. Birds can also be spotted while on a game drive in Akagera National Park. Travellers can have either a day game drive or a night game drive. Day game drives has travellers spotting more wildlife that are not nocturnal, with an opportunity to see those rather hard to see in the day very small.
Night game drives have travellers get to spot nocturnal wildlife like the serval cats, civets, leopards, and wide-eyed bush babies among others. Night game drives in Akagera National Park are done in the guidance of a ranger guide.
Nature walks
Nature walks in Akagera National Park are done in some parts of the forest in the presence of a park ranger guide. Nature walks are a great way to greatly explore the park and get to learn in great detail about the park and its inhabitants. It’s also a good way to find those hard to spot attractions that would otherwise have been missed while on a game drive in the park.
Bird watching
Bird watching in Akagera National Park is a fascinating activity that travellers and particularly birders can enjoy while in the park. Akagera National Park has about 480 species of birds with a number of endemics that can be found only in the park. The diversity of the park makes it a hot spot for birds that can be spotted in the savannah plains, hills, lakes, river as well as the forest. Bird watching in Akagera National Park can be done while on a game drive in the park, while on a boat safari, or nature walk. Some of the birds travellers will come across while bird watching include the red faced barbets, the armot chat, papyrus gonolex, shoebill stork, and the lesser kesterel among so many others.
Boat safari
A boat safari is one of the most relaxing activities in Akagera National Park. A boat safari in Akagera National Park is done on Lake Ihema which is the second largest lake in Rwanda. The abundant wildlife on Lake Ihema give travellers a wonderful sight say crocodiles and large schools of hippos. Going on a boat safari in Akagera National Park gives travellers an opportunity to take great photos of animals up-close. At the shores, other animals can be seen as they have a dip or an afternoon drink to quench their thirst.
Sport Fishing
Sport fishing is one of the most adventurous activities in Akagera National Park. Sportfishing in Akagera National Park is done on Lake Shakani that is south of the park, as well as on Lake Ihema. Travellers get to enjoy fishing in the calm waters of the lakes as you enjoy the sight of hippos and birds chirping not so far off. Travellers can keep their catch if they so will it and enjoy the meal, or they can let the fish go thereafter.
With the above mentioned activities in Akagera National Park, travellers are sure to have only wonderful experiences in the park. Travellers can spend at the very least 3 days in Akagera National Park Rwanda, or can actually combine the safari with other activities like gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park or maybe cross and do gorilla trekking in Bwindi from Rwanda, or even combine the three gorilla countries. Take time to reach out to a reputable tour operator like Explore Rwanda Tours and be guided on planning one of the most memorable Rwanda safaris for an opportunity to enjoy among others various activities in Akagera National Park.
