One exciting activity in Akagera National Park is taking a game drive. You can start at the main gate and journey to the northern Nyungwe gate, where wildlife populations are higher. Keep an eye out for hyenas, leopards, topis, elands, and the recently reintroduced Eastern Black Rhinos. Elephants, zebras, giraffes, buffaloes, and lions can also be spotted. The diverse landscape offers a chance to see various antelope species, including giraffes, impalas, topis, zebras, bushbucks, African swallows, elands, vervet monkeys, warthogs, baboons, mongoose, hippos, crocodiles, and elephants.
Akagera National Park is a haven for bird watchers, boasting over 480 bird species. These include migratory and residential birds residing in the rolling hills, woodlands, forests, swamps, lakes, and savannah vegetation. Common bird species include the majestic shoebill and Fischer’s lovebird. During your birding safari, you may encounter the beautiful lilac-breasted roller, crested barbet, black-headed gonalek, Ross’s turaco, Heuglin’s robin-chat, and the grey hornbill, among others.
A serene boat cruise along Lake Ihema, Rwanda’s second-largest lake, offers a unique perspective of Akagera National Park.
This aquatic journey provides excellent sightings of birds and wildlife living around the lake. Look out for crocodiles, buffaloes, hippos, Kingfishers, Fish Eagles, Egrets, Hamerkops, and the fascinating Shoebill. Endemic species like jacanas, ibis, plovers, herons, malachite Kingfisher, and hawks add to the vibrant experience. The 2-3 hour boat ride enhances your animal count from the game drives, leaving you with lasting memories of this Rwandan national park.