What to see and observe in Akagera national park.
Highlights of Akagera National Park: Highlights of Akagera National Park! The eastern province of Rwanda, which borders Tanzania, is home to Akagera National Park, which transports visitors to the heart of the bush. The park offers a mesmerizing combination of varied species and breathtaking scenery. The 1,089 square kilometer Akagera National Park was gazetted as a national park in 1934 and was named for the Kagera River, which runs along its eastern Tanzanian border.
Akagera National Park is surrounded by cultivated hills, which are a major feature of Rwandan landscapes. The panorama is just stunning. Although it continues with the overall rough topography that is so typical of Rwanda, the landscape is low and consists of broad plains that are dominated by grass, the cactus-like Euphorbia candelabra shrub, and both thick and thin woodlands.
The park is home to a variety of unique wildlife species, such as the Big Five, which include elephants, buffaloes, lions, rhinos, leopards, and other exciting animals like zebras, giraffes, warthogs, impalas, bushbucks, lions, hyenas, and several antelopes, including the roan antelope, Cape Eland, Topes, klipspringer, Oribis, Cape Eland, water-buck, duikers, and impalas.
This park is home to several kinds of primates, including nocturnal bush infants, olive baboons, and vervet monkeys. Boat trips are the greatest way to see the many crocodiles and hippos that call Lake Ihema’s shallow waters home. This book outlines all the sights and things to look for on a Rwandan wildlife safari in Akagera National Park.
The Five Greatest Gems
The only national park in Rwanda that is home to the Big Five African species is Akagera National Park. African elephants, gentle giants, wander the country’s forests and savannas. African Buffalo are powerful herbivores that flourish in Rwanda’s national parks because of their remarkable size and intellect, which make them a symbol of strength and wisdom. They are respected for their strong physique and erratic conduct.
A critically endangered species, the Eastern Black Rhinoceros, can also be found in Rwanda. In 2019, five of these magnificent rhinos were moved from Europe to Akagera National Park, where they are currently residing. It’s an amazing feeling to see them reintroduced. Solitary cats are excellent hunters, and African leopards are elusive.
They are difficult to see because of their spotted coats, which fit in perfectly with the lush Rwandan scenery. Lions are also seen roaming freely in the savannah grasslands of Akagera. It’s an exciting experience to see these famous creatures in their natural environment.
These amazing creatures can be seen in their native habitat when you visit Rwanda’s national parks, and Akagera National Park is now well-known for housing them. For both nature lovers and conservationists, Rwanda’s wildlife provides an enthralling experience, from the verdant woods to the expansive plains.
Herbivores and Antelopes
Numerous antelope species, such as elegant impalas and large herds of topi, can be found at Akagera. Watch out for Masai giraffes and Burchell’s zebras, among others. When you take part in the park’s wonderful games drive, you can easily spot these beautiful animals. With breathtaking vistas of all or a few of these magnificent species, Akagera National Park provides visitors with the best wildlife drives.
Primates
Numerous primates, including vervet monkeys, Anubis baboons, olive baboons, blue monkeys, and bush babies, can be seen in the park. Experiencing the vervet monkeys and Anubis baboons swinging through the branches in Akagera National Park leaves a lasting impression of being in the wild. The park’s biodiversity is enhanced by these amusing primates.
Observing birds
With a diverse population spanning from lowlands to savannah, birdwatching in Akagera National Park is an amazing experience. There are more than 480 bird species in the national park, which reflects its richness. Akagera is a bird lover’s heaven. Some of the savannah and lowland birds, including those native to the Albertine Rift, such as the magnificent Shoebill, graceful Grey-crowned cranes, striking saddle-billed storks, Northern Brown-throated Weaver, Papyrus Gonolek, White-Winged Swamp Warbler, Carruthers’ Cisticola, White-collared Oliveback, Bareface-Go-Away bird, and African fish eagle, can be seen during a birding safari in Akagera National Park. Grey-crowned Cranes, Fork-tailed Drano, and Black-headed Gonolek Among them are the Dimorphic egret, Grasshopper buzzard, and Shouldered Robin-chat.
Things to look out for at Akagera National Park
A branch of the Akagera River, which feeds water to other lakes in the park, provides the water for Lake Ihema, which is situated in the southern section of Akagera National Park. Given its size, it is clear that Lake Ihema is the largest lake in the park. The Nyabugogo branch, Muhanga branch, and Muhanga River are the three main branches of Lake Ihema that are tributaries to the Kagera River.
The lake is over 50 kilometers long and up to 30 meters deep at its deepest point. With more than 155 bird species, including the endangered shoe bill stork, papyrus gonolek, jacanas sandpipers, Malachite Kingfisher, and herons, among others, the lake is endowed with a diverse biodiversity.
Numerous papyrus wetlands surround the lake, where you can see buffalos, hippos, and other creatures in addition to a diversity of bird species. The park is a great place to go birdwatching because the papyruses are also bird sanctuaries for many different kinds of birds. Take a boat ride to see the stunning Lake Ihema, which is home to a variety of aquatic wildlife in addition to being scenic.
The ideal time to travel to Akagera
Although Akagera National Park is open year-round, the best time to see game is during the dry season, which runs from June to September. This is because the vegetation is sparse, making it easier to see the animals, and many of the water sources have dried up, causing the majority of the animals to gather around the few water sources that are still available.
