Combine Akagera National Park & Nyungwe Forest National Park
Combine Akagera National Park & Nyungwe Forest National Park: Akagera National Park is one of Rwanda’s top national parks and the country’s only savannah national park with the Big 5. Akagera National Park, located in the eastern portion of Rwanda, is one of the most magnificent and attractive national parks in East Africa. The park is strategically located on the border with Tanzania, and it gets its name from the river Akagera, which runs through it from east to west and connects to Lake Victoria and Lake Ihema. The park was initially gazetted in 1934 under the Belgian administration, and subsequently owing to political problems in Rwanda, the park was deconstructed until the nation stabilized, at which point the park was gazetted, inviting people from all over the globe to participate in various park activities.
The park is now considered the best destination for nature lovers on an African safari because it has the best vegetation cover filled with savanna grassland, water bodies such as lakes and rivers, and a variety of wildlife species such as olive baboons, Vervet monkeys, different mammals, birds, and butterflies, among others.
Top Attractions in Akagera National Park, Rwanda.
Wildlife
Akagera National Park’s gorgeous flora cover, which includes rich pink and green savanna grassland, papyrus plants, and marshes, among other things, is well recognized for sheltering various animal species, including;
Olive baboons, vervet monkeys, and red tailed monkeys are among the primate species. Elephants-notably Mutware elephant, the park’s oldest elephant and king of the forest, giraffes, impalas, rhinos, Sitatunga, leopards, Topis, duikers, and hyenas, among others. In fact, Akagera National Park is home to all five of the Big Five.
The park is also noted for housing a variety of bird species, including aquatic birds such as the endangered shoebill stork. In fact, the park is the best spot in East Africa to see aquatic birds. Other bird species include Albertine rift endemics, raptors, and woodland birds, among others.
Top Activities in Akagera National Park, Rwanda.
Game Drives in Akagera National Park.
The Akagera National Park is the excellent spot to come for any traveller who wants to see wildlife creatures in Rwanda, particularly the Big Five. There are around 8,000 huge game creatures in the national park, including elephants, lions, rhinos, leopards, and buffalos. Visitors to the national park may see a variety of animals including the Bruchell’s zebra, giraffes, antelopes, impala, topi, Sitatunga, jackals, and hyenas thus Combine Akagera National Park & Nyungwe Forest National Park.
Spotting the Big Five in Akagera National Park is one of the highlights of any Rwanda safari. The park provides both day and night game drives, with night guided game drives providing tourists with the opportunity to see nocturnal creatures like as leopards, lions, civets, hyenas, bush babies, and serval cats, to name a few.
Visitors to Akagera National Park might also encounter night birds like Owls. Night game drives in the park last around 1-2 hours and cost USD $40 per participant. Day guided wildlife drives cost USD 30 per person and are available in the early and late afternoon.
Boat Cruise in Akagera National Park.
Visitors to Akagera National Park may take a boat ride on Lake Ihema, which is famed for its large populations of hippos, crocodiles, and various water birds. This is a must-do activity for any bird enthusiast. Boat cruises at Akagera National Park take place four times a day, at 7:30 a.m., 9 a.m., 3 p.m., and 4:30 p.m. Non-scheduled boat tours are offered at the park for tourists who want to take private boat cruises on the lake. A multitude of bird species, including the uncommon Shoebill stock, may be seen during a boat ride in Akagera. The park provides planned boat rides for USD 35 for the morning boat cruise and USD 45 for the evening/sunset boat cruise. The park does, however, provide private boat tours for a cost of USD 40, and these launch trips are not planned.
Birding in Akagera National Park.
Birding has long been the main activity for birders on a Rwanda safari. Akagera National Park is a birder’s dream in Rwanda, home to approximately 500 bird species, including water birds observed on boat rides around Lake Ihema, raptor bird species, and unique species, among others. The Little Bee-eater Goliath Heron, Bare-faced Go-away Bird, and other common bird species observed in the park include the Little Bee-eater Goliath Heron, Bare-faced Go-away Bird, and Bare-faced Go-away Bird. African Fish Eagle, African Jacana, Helmeted Guinea fowl African Darter, African Wattled Lapwing, Blue-cheeked Bee-eater, Squacco Heron, Crowned Lapwing, Eastern Grey Plantain-eater, Grey-backed Fiscal, Hammerkop, Lappet-faced Vulture, Cattle Egret, Bare-faced Go-away Bird, Long-tailed Cormorant, Marabou Stork, Pin-tailed Whydah, White-backed Vulture.
All a birder needs is a set of binoculars, sunscreen, a hat, gloves, and proper gear of long-sleeved shirts and pants before heading to the forest to observe birders. Birding is the finest pastime in the park surrounding Lake Ihema and the river Kagera. Thus, birding may be readily coupled with a wildlife safari, where birds can be viewed with other species on game drives and nature walks. A boat trip safari on Lake Ihema is another excellent method to observe birds in Akagera National Park.
Sport Fishing
Sport fishing is done in Akagera National Park on the banks of Lake Shakani, which is designated to enable catch-and-release sport fishing. However, at the conclusion of the day, passengers are permitted to bring home at least one fish for personal enjoyment. Lake Shakani is located in the extreme north-east corner of the park and is the greatest site in the area for sport fishing.
Travelers can see schools of bathing Hippos, crocodiles, and other species that gather to the coast for water while sport fishing. Including sport fishing on the list of top 5 things to do in Akagera national park while on a gorilla trekking tour in Volcanoes national park is such a gratifying and daring experience since one is permitted to spend a day catching and releasing fish, with one catch saved for food thus Combine Akagera National Park & Nyungwe Forest National Park.
Cultural Tours in Akagera National Park.
One of the best things to do on a Rwanda wildlife safari is go on a cultural trip near the park. This cultural trip allows visitors to explore surrounding areas of the park, meet native Rwandese cow keepers, and learn various techniques like as milking, grazing, milk preservation, and indigenous methods of obtaining ghee from milk.
Behind the Scenes Tour in Akagera National Park.
Visitors to Akagera National Park may now gain insight into the operations that take place in the park’s management. The Akagera national park’s ‘behind the scenes’ tour takes visitors through the park’s headquarters, where they can meet the park’s workers and hear about interesting conservation efforts in the park.
Where to Stay during your visit to Akagera National Park.
Visitors who prefer to stay more nights in Akagera National Park can do so at Akagera Game Lodge, Magashi Safari Camp, Karenge Bush Camp, and Ruzizi Tented Camp, to name a few.
How to get to Akagera National Park.
Travelling to Akagera National Park From Kigali
Road access to Akagera National Park is available from Kigali City. It is around 110 kilometers from Kigali and takes about two and a half hours to get there. Tourists are encouraged to hire 4×4 vehicles for their safari since the roads going to and within the national park are murrum, or dirt roads. Visitors can also hire a helicopter to bring them to the national park. Charter flights to the park are available through Akagera Aviation thus Combine Akagera National Park & Nyungwe Forest National Park.
Accessing Akagera National Park to Nyungwe Forest National Park.
Travelling from Akagera National Park to Nyungwe Forest National Park takes approximately 7½ hours driving. Visitors have an opportunity to explore the beautiful countryside in Rwanda. This also makes it easy for visitors to combine a wildlife safari in Akagera national park with a chimpanzee trekking tour in Nyungwe forest national park.
