Is Akagera National Park Worth Visiting?

What Makes Akagera National Park Worth Visiting in Rwanda?

Is Akagera National Park Worth Visiting? Akagera National Park is among the top destinations to visit while on your Rwanda safari for travellers interested in enjoying wildlife safaris. The park is home to the only Big Five animals. Located in the eastern part of Rwanda, adjacent to the Rwanda border. Covering 1,122 sq kilometres, which makes it the largest protected wetland in East-Central Africa, it harbours several attractions from the over 8,000 mammals, including the big five animals (lions, leopards, elephants, buffalo and rhinos). Over 500 bird species can be seen in the park, of which 100 species are found nowhere in Rwanda, and the rolling hills and drainage features are among other attractions that make the park one of the most beautiful national parks in Rwanda.

Akagera National Park is one of the national parks in Rwanda that shouldn’t be missed out on visiting, and in this article, here are some of the reasons why Akagera National Park is worth visiting, and some of the reasons you should hop on your next flight to Akagera National Park include the following:

Home to the big five animals

One of the reasons why travellers visit Akagera National Park is to watch the big five animals in the park. The animals include the rhinos, leopards, buffaloes, elephants and lions. Interesting about the animal species is the fact that you will enjoy tracking the species as you participate in the game drives in Akagera National Park. With the game drives in Akagera National Park, you can choose either the day or night game drives to watch the wildlife species. With the day drives, you’ll watch the species like the herbivores as they graze within the plains but also get to participate in the night game drives in Akagera National Park; you will have the chance to watch the carnivores catching their prey.

Away from the big five animal species, the park is also home to 85 mammal species that can be seen occupying the savannah plains, grazing within the plains, and along the water sources like the Akagera River and Lake Ihema as they quench their thirst from the water source. Some of the different animal species that can be seen include the gazelles, elands, bat-eared foxes, zebras, Masai giraffes, hippopotamuses, crocodiles, hyenas, and primates like the baboons, olive baboons, vervet monkeys, and blue monkeys, among other mammal species.

Home to the endangered shoebill stork

The park is home to the endangered shoebill stork, a prehistoric bird with several interesting facts, like the fact that the bird can stand motionless in one spot, keeping its eye on its prey. The bird also makes a sound similar to that of a machine gun and is considered one of the most intelligent birds that can be seen in the park.

You will also have the opportunity to access over 400 bird species for travellers interested in birding in Rwanda, where rare bird species like the papyrus gonolek and many other birding species can be seen during your birding experience in Akagera National Park.

Diverse eco-systems

Another reason you should make your way to Akagera National Park is so you don’t miss out on the different ecosystems in the park that act as habitats to several different species that will make your Rwanda safari experience quite memorable. Ecosystems like the savannah grasslands are home to several herbivores that can be seen grazing within the plains. Some of the species that can be seen include elands, gazelles, kobs, giraffes, bushbucks and many other species.

The wetlands and swamps, including the scenic Lake Ihema and River Akagera, will give you sightings of a number of attractions, including the endangered shoebill stork, kingfishers, and papyrus gonolek. You will also have the chance to watch some animals quenching their thirst from the water sources, like the elephants and buffalo taking dips in the water and the hippos. You will watch the crocodiles sunbathing as you enjoy the boat cruise and many other attractions while you enjoy your time in the park. The hills and woodlands offer habitats for mammals like the bushbuck, gazelles and the oribi and many more. The riverine forests act as habitats for primates like the olive baboon, the vervet monkey, the blue monkey and bush babies.

Easy accessibility

Another reason you should visit Akagera National Park is the fact that it is easily accessible from the airport and Kigali city. Travellers will take about 2 hours to reach the park from Kigali City, which makes a day-long Akagera safari experience quite possible, where you can participate in activities like the game drives and the boat cruise on Lake Ihema on the same day and then head back to Kigali City.

“With the above reasons and more, you should consider booking your next flight to Akagera National Park and let us customise your safari experience to your liking, and let us give you the chance to watch the big five animals, the big cats and many other eye-catching attractions that will make your Rwanda safari enchanting.”