Akagera National Park – Rwanda
The Akagera National Park is one of the top wildlife parks of Rwanda. It covers 1,085 km² and found in the Eastern of Rwanda, against the Tanzanian border. Akagera National Park was founded in 1934 to protect animals and vegetation in three eco-regions namely; the savannah, mountain and swamp.
The park derives its name from the Akagera River which flows along its eastern boundary feeding into several lakes the largest of which is Lake Ihema. The Akagera River is regarded as the most remote source of the World’s longest river in the world, the Nile.
The complex system of lakes and linking papyrus swamps makes up over 1/3 of the park and is the largest protected wetland in central Africa.
At first, the Akagera Park used to twice its current area coverage, with 2,500 km² but much of the savannah area of the park was settled in the late 1990s by former refugees returning after the end of the Rwandan Civil War. As a result of land shortages, in 1997 the western boundary was re-gazetted and much of the land allocated as farms to returning refugees thereby reducing the park loosing almost half of its land.
The park is now jointly managed by the management of the Akagera Management Company formed in 2010 together with the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) with an aim to make it a world class National Park. There are plans of fencing the entire reserve in order to protect the Big Five from roaming in human settlements where their life and numbers could be threatened.
Attractions
There are a number of attractions to see and activities to do while in the Akagera National Park, one of the most diverse and scenic of Africa’s game reserves in terms of landscape.
Wildlife in the Park
The African Big Five & Primates
The Akagera National Park is renowned for habiting the African Big Five among the Safari parks of Rwanda. These Big Five include the Lion, Elephant, Buffalo, Leopard and Rhinoceros. A few of other mammal species that you will encounter on your visit to this spectacular place include the Zebras, spotted hyenas, Giraffes and up to 12 species antelopes such as the Impala, water bucks etc.
There are other small predators that you may see including the Mangoose, Serval Cats, genets, side striped jackals among others. The not to miss primates in the park include the olive baboons, vervet monkeys, bush babies and more rarely the Silver monkeys.
Aquatic Life of the Park
The Akagera and its lakes are home to one of the greatest concentration of hippopotamus in Africa, alongside harboring the world’s largest reptile, the Nile crocodile.
Birds
Akagera is indisputably one of the best spots for bird watching in Rwanda. The park has upto 525 bird species encouraged by the Park’s three habitants; Savanna, Mountain and Swamp.
The Park is the Birding haven for Savannah and water birds and raptors while in the land of a thousand hills.
Tour Activities
Game Drives: You can embark on a game drive to spot the variety of wildlife that the park offers. Night game drives are also possible to see the animals rarely out during day and other Nocturnal creatures such as the Bush Babies though these can best be tracked during a forest walk.
Boat Cruises: How can you tell friends that you enjoyed a visit to the Akagera without taking a boat on Lake Ihema!! This is one of the top adventurous activities in the park as you will be enjoying the ride and the spectacular views of the lake while spotting numerous hippos, outsized crocs, water birds among others.
Bird Watching: The Akagera is complementary in terms of birdlife. A true bird lover will certainly be impressed by the variety bid sightings of the elusive shoe bill stork, papyrus gonolek, Carruther’s Cisticola, red faced barbet, long tailed cisticola, Bennett’s Woodpecker, Miombo wren warblers, white winged warbler, white-collared oliveback and the Papyrus Canary among others.
Where to Sleep
There are a number of accommodation facilities that range from budget to up-market such as the Akagera Game Lodge which is close to Lake Ihema and close to the park alongside a series of campsites. Camping facilities are readily available around the park.