Akagera National Park is Rwanda’s only savannah conservation area. The national park is found in the eastern part of the country straddling its borders with Tanzania, the park is named after the river Kagera flowing along the floor of the park, over the years the national park faced a lot of depletion from the 1994 Rwanda genocide as most people sought refuge and a place to hide, 30% of the national park is covered in water bodies including the amazing Lakes of Ihema, Lake Gishaju and Shakani, the reintroduction of Lions in the national park made it an ideal location to view the so-called big five of the wilderness Lions, Leopards, African elephants, African buffaloes). The national park was founded in 1934 as a way of protecting the many species that call this home, it covers an area space of approximately 1,200 meters above sea level.
Akagera National Park is one of the few places to see wildlife in Rwanda. It is amazingly beautiful as most of the park premises overlook the open expanse of savannah dotted with shrubs and the many water bodies of the national park, these are toppled with the savannah grasslands, forests, plains, and angelic rolling hills which present some of the most amazing wildlife and nature views, the several park species include lions, leopards, elands, Topi, African elephants, African buffaloes, and over 500 birds of the national park, top activities to do in the national park include.
Game drives through the well-distributed game tracks of the park, tourists will have a chance, to explore the savannah plains, the drives in the national park are done in three sessions, in the morning, afternoon, and night time, early morning game drives begin at 6:30 am in search of animal species, the morning time is a busy one in the wilderness as most animals do come out to graze while others to hunt, expect to see lions, leopards, giraffes, zebras, impalas, Jackson hartebeests, and any birds of the savannah plains, night game drives are conducted in search of nocturnal species, these specifically move during the night more so the cat family like leopards, civets, jackals, and hyenas.
The safari game drives take 2-3 hours in the wild in search of game, they are conducted on a 4×4 safari car drive with an open rooftop to enable views of the animals, and proper camera shoot points, an English-speaking guide will accompany you as they explain most of what the park has got to offer, to enjoy a wildlife safari in Akagera National Park, it is important to consider preparing for the trip, bring camera equipment’s, binoculars for distant animal viewing, insect repellents, long-sleeved shirts and trousers, boots, huts and any other items of personal nature.
Boat cruises along Lake Ihema, are mostly conducted in the evening time, for 2-3 hours, these will help you to view mostly angelic beats including water animals like hippos and crocodiles, on a lucky day you may be chanced to see the critically endangered shoe bill stock along the marshy swampy areas through the ridges of the Lake. It is an important birding area of Rwanda, many birds can be spotted along the ecosystem
Akagera National Park can be visited throughout the year but is best during the dry season between June – September and December – February this is because mostly it is easier to attract game tracks within the park as they are less slippery. The grasses in this period tend to be shorter and hence animal viewing is easy.