What Makes Akagera National Park Unique?

Why Akagera National Park Stands Out as Rwanda’s Top Safari Destination.

What Makes Akagera National Park Unique? Akagera National Park is Rwanda’s savannah and is famous for being Rwanda’s only savannah national park, making it one of the most rewarding national parks in Rwanda for travellers interested in wildlife safaris in Rwanda. The park is located in the eastern province of Rwanda on the Tanzanian border in the Kayonza district, and it covers 1,222 sq km. The park is known for having different ecosystems, which makes it the perfect destination that has allowed different animal species to thrive in their respective habitats. In this article, we are going to understand what makes Akagera National Park unique and why it attracts a number of travellers to visit the park to embark on different activities.

Home to the Big Five Animals

The park is home to the big five animals, and it is the only park in Rwanda where travellers can access the big five animals, namely, the lions and elephants. Leopards, buffaloes and rhinos. These can be seen when travellers participate in the game drives in Akagera National Park, and these include the day and night game drives. With the full-day game drives, you can participate in the morning game drives and the afternoon game drives that will give you the chance to watch the herbivores as they graze within the plains.

During the night game drives, you will watch the carnivores hunting, like the leopards, lions, hyenas and many others. The night game drives will give you the chance to see how the park comes to life when the sun sets; you will watch the herbivores in their night hiding spots. For travellers interested in birding in Rwanda, the night drives will give you access to bird species like the nightjars, making the experience quite rewarding and unique.

Largest protected wetland in Central Africa

Another reason why Akagera National Park is unique is the fact that it is the largest protected wetland in central Africa. Two-thirds of the park consists of wetland, which includes the papyrus swamps, lakes like Lake Ihema and Lake Shakani, and many floodplains that are linked to the River Akagera. These ecosystems are a host to many mammals and over 500 bird species, including endangered species like the shoebill stork and sitatunga antelope and other species like the hippos and Nile crocodiles that can be seen sunbathing as they await their prey to attack. These can be seen when you embark on activities like the boat cruise on Lake Ihema, the game drives in Akagera National Park, and the nature walks that will take you along the acacia bushes.

Birding  hotspot

Another unique and interesting aspect about visiting Akagera National Park is the fact that the park is one of the prime birding hotspots for travellers interested in birding in Rwanda. The park is home to over 500 bird species that can be seen when you embark on activities like birding and the boat cruise on the lakes, and on rare occasions, you can watch the bird species.

Some of the notable species that can be seen include the endangered shoebill stork, papyrus gonolek, red-faced barbet, kingfishers, fish eagles, herons and raptors, among other bird species. These birds range from the endemic/speciality birds to water birds, raptors, and savannah and woodland bird species because of the different ecosystems that can be seen in the park.

Tourism sustainability

Akagera National Park focuses on sustainable tourism to ensure the safety of the animals and also to increase their numbers in the long run. Several ecotourism initiatives that have been introduced have made the success of sustainable tourism evident. Programs like the partnerships with organisations that focus on sustainability, like the African parks that transformed the park from a heavily poached landscape into a safe park with a growing number of animals.

It was able to reintroduce lions in 2015 and rhinos in 2017. The park has emphasised the establishment of eco-friendly lodges like the Ruzizi tented camp and Magashi tented camp, a plastic-free policy and many other policies that have ensured sustainable tourism in the park.

Easily accessible from the park

From Kigali City, the capital city of Rwanda and the home to the Kigali International Airport, the park is just a 2-hour drive, making it easily accessible compared to other national parks in Rwanda, like Nyungwe Forest National Park, which takes about 8 hours for travellers to access from Kigali City. Volcanoes National Park is 4 hours away from Kigali city. Interesting about the park is the fact that you can land in Rwanda in the morning, make your way to Akagera National Park to participate in the full-day game drive and then make your way back to Kigali city and fly back to your country. Some of the 1-day safaris you can embark on include the 1-day full-day game drive; you can also participate in a boat cruise on Lake Ihema, then participate in the full-day game drive and many other rewarding activities that will make your Rwanda safari quite rewarding.

With these and more, book your next safari adventure in Akagera National Park, and let us help you explore the wildlife gem that has a lot to be uncovered for travellers interested in having a rewarding safari adventure while on your safari experience.