Getting to Akagera National Park

Getting to Akagera National Park is a simple task as travelers have to just prepare the required documents and then follow the required directions with a tour operator. Rwanda is frequently referred to as the ‘Land of a thousand hills’ and visitors traveling to this small central African country have not been disappointed on their arrival. Rwanda is literally a land of a thousand hills! Upon your arrival into the country, you will be welcomed by the fresh breeze and clean streets of Kigali City, Rwanda’s capital city. A short tour around the Kigali city will show you plenty of well-terraced hills that clad the city with their beautiful, lush green stature.

Visitors who proceed to explore Rwanda’s countryside on longer Rwandan Safaris will be astounded by the beautiful scenery that comprises dazzling, green, contoured hills, blue crystal lakes, and the warm and friendly locals.

It is a common practice for every traveler to research a given destination they are planning to go to; and among most of the common questions we ask ‘google’ is, how to get to that given destination. Well! Here is some good news for visitors planning a trip to the tranquil Akagera National Park in Rwanda. This article will give you a detailed and accurate explanation of how you can get to Akagera national park in Rwanda.

A brief background of Akagera National Park in Rwanda.

Among Rwanda’s popular tourist destinations is Akagera National Park, located in the north-eastern province of the country. The national park is the only one, of four national parks, where visitors can get to view savannah wildlife animals in Rwanda.

Akagera national park in Rwanda was first established as a national park in 1934 by the Belgian colonial government. The national park covers an area of 1,122km², making it the largest savannah national park in the country. It is the only national park in Rwanda, where visitors will get the chance to view the famous ‘Big Five’ animals in the wild.

The national park is named after River Kagera, 400km long, with its source in Lake Tanganyika, in Tanzania. The river flows through Akagera national park, from Tanzania through Burundi and Rwanda, until its final destination which is in Uganda.

Visitors traveling to Akagera national park will find that the national park is mainly dominated by swamps, marshland, savannah grasslands and quite a large number of lakes. For this reason, travelers will find it a bit difficult to navigate through the park, and therefore will need 4×4 wheel drive vehicles to ease their navigation.

The northern part of Akagera national park in Rwanda is dominated by low lying grasslands and savannah plains; with well- endowed and evergreen, erect hills, and valleys on the western side of the park.

Visitors exploring the eastern part of Akagera will find dazzling and breath-taking lakes and rivers, which are home to a number of bird species like; the shoe bill stock, suaza shrike, raptors, lesser kestrel and the great sniper bird to mention but a few.

Akagera national park is home to quite a large number of wildlife species which includes; over 100 savannah elephants and about 500 bird species. There are estimated to be about 8000 large wildlife animals in the national park such as; the African elephant, Burchell’s zebra, giraffe, hyena, lions, impala, leopard, hippos and crocodiles among others. With all this in mind, one can say that Akagera national park is the ideal place to be for any wildlife viewing safari in Rwanda.

The national park is currently being managed by Akagera Management Company, after a joint management agreement signed in 2010, between Rwanda Development Board and Africa Parks.

Tourists visiting Akagera national park in Rwanda can engage in a variety of tourism activities such as; day and night guided game drives, nature walks, community/ cultural tours, bird watching, fishing and boat cruises among others.

How visitors can access Akagera National Park.

Visitors planning to travel to Akagera National Park in Rwanda can access the park either by road or air. It is important for travelers to note that the main entry point into Rwanda is through Kigali International Airport, which is about 10km on the outcasts of Kigali City.

By Road: Tourists are usually advised to travel to Akagera national park by road. The short drive to the national park offers guests a chance to explore the outstanding beauty of Rwanda’s countryside, her remarkable hills and valleys, as well as her gleaming, crystal clear lakes and rivers.

Akagera national park in Rwanda is located approximately 110km from Kigali city, which is a 2½ hour’s drive to the national park. The best part of the journey to the national park is comprised of well-tarmacked roads, and about 28km of the total journey leading to the park is characterized by dirt roads. So to avoid any inconveniences caused by bumps on the murram roads, it is better for travelers to hire 4×4 wheel safari vehicles.

The national park can also be accessed by visitors traveling from the towns of Kibungo and Rwamagana, which are approximately an hour away from the park. A road trip to Akagera national park is the best experience any traveler could ask for.

By Air: Akagera national park in Rwanda can also be accessed by air. This is recommended for tourists with a tight travel schedule. There are some private flight companies such as Akagera Aviation Company, which offer tourists chartered flights to Akagera National Park. Most charter flights to Akagera national park take between 45 minutes to 1 hour.

The Best Time to Visit Akagera National Park.

Tourists planning to travel to Akagera National Park can visit the park at any given time of the year. However, the best time for visitors to travel to the national park could be between December to February and from June to September, during the dry seasons in the park. The dry seasons in Akagera national park offer visitors ideal chances to view wildlife in the park, as the grass in the park is short during this time of the year.

Akagera National Park in Rwanda is the number one place to be for any traveler who wishes to explore the pristine savannah lands in the national park, and wildlife animals in the country.

Do contact us at Explore Rwanda Tours for the best offers on wildlife safaris to Akagera National Park, and get to witness the beautiful scenery in this national park.