What to do in Akagera National Park.
What to do in Akagera National Park: Akagera National Park is one of the most sought-after national parks in Rwanda, known for hosting the African Big Five mammals. It’s the only Rwanda’s savannah national park located in the northeastern part of the country, bordering Tanzania. Akagera National Park was named after the Akagera River, which flows along its eastern boundary and feeds a system of lakes and swamps, like Lake Ihema, Lake Gishanju, Lake Mihindi, Lake Rwanyakizinga, among others. It has various natural systems, including lakes, woodlands, savannah grasslands, and wetlands that provide habitats to various birds and wildlife species.
It’s home to over 90 mammal species, such as the African Big Five lions, elephants, rhinos, leopards, and buffaloes. It has up to 480 bird species, including the water birds, migratory birds, woodland species, savannah birds, and the park’s endemics, 200 butterfly species, amphibians, and reptiles. The park’s rich biodiversity supports various activities that visitors can do on their safaris, including game drives, nature walks, boat cruises, sports fishing, bird watching, and counter encounters.
What to do in Akagera National Park.
Bird Watching.
Akagera National Park is a paradise for bird watching with up to 480 unique bird species that reside in the park, including migratory birds, woodland birds, savannah birds and the forest’s endemics. This activity is led by a park birder who is well knowledgeable about the park’s species and assists travellers by identifying the birds by their sounds, songs and gives more insights about the birds that they might encounter. Some of the birds to see in the park include shoe bill stork, Osprey, White-faced Whistling-Duck, Fulvous Whistling-Duck, Knob-billed Duck, Secretary bird, 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, among more.
Game Drive
This is one of the thrilling things to do in Akagera National Park that gives nature lovers an opportunity to explore the park’s open savannah grasslands and woodlands in a pop-up vehicle. Game drives are done in the morning, allowing visitors to see animals as they prepare for the day, evening, and night. This gives travellers a chance to see nocturnal animals and birds like leopards, hyenas, civets, and genets, which rest during the day and are active at night. Travellers will see various animals like elephants, lions, giraffes, impalas, rhinos, serval, leopards, vervet monkeys, blue monkeys, bush babies, elands, zebras, warthogs, hippos, crocodiles, bushbucks, and waterbucks. Bird lovers will delight themselves in over hundreds of bird species including 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, Klaas’s Cuckoo, Swamp Nightjar, Fiery-necked Nightjar, among others.
Boat trips.
These are among the amazing safari activities in Akagera National Park that can allow visitors to explore the beautiful scenic views of the park while relaxing in the boat, and exploring the park’s rich biodiversity. This is done on Lake Ihema and can be done in the morning, afternoon, and late afternoon, all provide unique safari experiences. Visitors will have a chance to see various bird species like the elusive shoebill stork African Fish Eagle, Hamerkop, African Darters, Cormorants, Open-billed, Yellow-billed, Saddle-billed, Papyrus Gonolek, African Jacanas, and weavers among more. They will see schools of hippos swimming, crocodiles basking in the sun, buffaloes, waterbucks, warthogs, and elephants bathing or drawing water from the shores, since it provides water to the park’s inhabitants.
Nature Walks.
It’s among the top things to do in Akagera National Park, which allows nature lovers to explore the park on foot. These are guided activities led by an experienced park guide who gives more insights about the park’s inhabitants that you might encounter and an armed game ranger who ensures your safety in the park. There are well-maintained trails that are used for nature walks in the park. Visitors will have a chance to explore the breathtaking views of the park, see various tree and plant species, animals like giraffes, elephants, elands, zebras, waterbucks, warthogs, vervet monkeys, and more.
