Top Activities in Akagera National Park.
Are you planning a safari in Akagera and looking for the top activities in Akagera National Park to enjoy on your safari? This blog will discuss bout the top activities to do in the park that cater to all levels of fitness. It is the only Park in Rwanda where travellers will have a complete Big Five safari. It is situated in the northeastern part of the country, bordering Tanzania, and is the only savannah park. Akagera National Park is the place for travellers seeking classic African wildlife safaris in Rwanda. The park was established in 1934, spanning an area of approximately 1,122 square kilometers. It is known for its rich biodiversity, including over 480 bird species, such as waterbirds, savannah birds, acacia-dwelling birds, and migratory bird species. It has up to 90 mammal species, including the African Big Five: lions, elephants, buffaloes, leopards, and rhinos, and other species like zebras, elands, giraffes, and waterbucks, among others. The park offers various activities, including birding, sports fishing, game drives, nature walks, cultural encounters, and more.
Top Activities in Akagera National Park.
Boat Cruise.
This is one of the best activities to do on your safari in Akagera National Park, which is done on Lake Ihema. There are three sessions: the morning, afternoon, and late afternoon, all provide an unforgettable safari experience. This allows visitors to fully immerse themselves in nature and explore the beauty of the park. They will have an opportunity to see various birds and animals like crocodiles relaxing in the sun, schools of hippos swimming or relaxing in the water, elephants, buffaloes, waterbucks, and elands bathing or drawing water from the shores, since Lake Ihema is one of the biggest lakes in the park and acts as a vital water source to the park’s inhabitants. Bird lovers will enjoy the melodic song of various birds like Grey Heron, Little Egret, Black Crake, shoebill stork, African Openbill stork, African Fish Eagle, Great Egret, African Jacana, Swamp Flycatcher, Pied kingfisher, Papyrus Gonolek, among others.
Bird Watching.
Bird lovers will find the park a paradise for bird watching, as they enjoy it as one of the top activities in Akagera National Park. The park is blessed with over 480 bird species, including water birds, migratory birds, woodland species, savannah birds, and the park’s endemics. This is a guided activity led by an experienced park birder who gives more insights about the park’s inhabitants that you might encounter. Bird enthusiasts will encounter birds like Secretarybird, Red-faced Barbet, Egyptian Goose, African Pygmy-Goose, Red-billed Duck, Garganey, Blue-billed Teal, Helmeted Guineafowl, Crested Francolin, Ring-necked Francolin, Shelley’s Francolin, Coqui Francolin, Hildebrandt’s Spurfowl, Blue Quail, Red-necked Spurfowl, Red-winged Francolin, Dusky Turtle-Dove, Speckled Pigeon, Mourning Collared-Dove, Ring-necked Dove, Emerald-spotted Wood-Dove, Blue-spotted Wood-Dove, Laughing Dove, Tambourine Dove, Red-eyed Dove, African Green-Pigeon, Denham’s Bustard, Black-bellied Bustard, White-crested Turaco, Ross’s Turaco, Purple-crested Turaco, Eastern Plantain-eater, Bare-faced Go-away-bird, Blue-headed Coucal, White-browed Coucal, Black Coucal, Blue Malkoha, Great Spotted Cuckoo, Pied Cuckoo, Thick-billed Cuckoo, Dideric Cuckoo, African Cuckoo, Madagascar Cuckoo among others.
Game Drives.
Game drives in Akagera National Park are one of the most sought-after safari activities by tourists visiting the park. It’s the only savannah park in the country that gives visitors a chance to explore its open savannah grasslands and woodlands in search of various mammal and bird species. The park has well-maintained tracks, which are specifically for game drives and offer equal chances of spotting birds and mammals. This is a guided activity led by a knowledgeable park guide who helps visitors by identifying various birds and mammal species that they might encounter. They will see animals like lions, elephants, buffalo, and rhinos roaming around the park, leopards with prey or preparing to hunt, warthogs, waterbucks, giraffes, zebras, elands, and many more. Bird lovers will enjoy watching various bird species, including Red-billed Duck, Garganey, Blue-billed Teal, Helmeted Guineafowl, Crested Francolin, Ring-necked Francolin, and Shelley’s Francolin, among others.
Nature Walks.
Nature walks are among the top activities in Akagera National Park for nature enthusiasts, which allow them to explore the scenic views of the park on foot. This is normally done in the southern sector of the park, and it’s a guided activity led by an armed game ranger who ensures the participant’s safety and an experienced park guide who gives more insights about the park’s inhabitants that you might encounter. Visitors will enjoy the breathtaking views of the park and will have a chance to see various trees and plant species. They will see animals like zebras, impalas, elands, bushbucks, warthogs, and more. Bird lovers will be delighted to see various bird species like Mourning Collared-Dove, Ring-necked Dove, Emerald-spotted Wood-Dove, Denham’s Bustard, Black-bellied Bustard, White-crested Turaco, Ross’s Turaco, Purple-crested Turaco, and Eastern Plantain-eater, Red-faced Barbet, Crested Francolin, Ring-necked Francolin, Shelley’s Francolin, Red-necked Spurfowl, Red-winged Francolin, Dusky Turtle-Dove, Speckled Pigeon, among others.
