Akagera National Park is one unique destination of Rwanda, it is the only savannah park and is the largest national park in the country, the conservation area is the largest protected wetland area of Rwanda covering an area space of approximately 1200 square kilometres home to several plant and animal species, its strategic location near the capital city of Kigali makes it an ideal destination and most visited after the volcanoes national park, the park straddles along the country’s border with Tanzania. It is most sought after when it comes to savannah species including the so-called big five of the wilderness (Lions, African elephants, African buffaloes, Leopards and Rhinos).
When considering flying to Akagera National Park, first one has to understand how to fly to Rwanda as a country and the requirements needed to be allowed into the country, all travellers coming into Rwanda land at the Kigali International Airport, to be granted a visa, one ought to have a valid passport of at least 6 months to the expiry date, confirmation from the respective tour operators or accommodation facility, passport size photograph and a yellow fever vaccination card, it is from here that you will connect to the Akagera national park using domestic flight handlers that deal with flights to the national park.
Akagera operates flights to the destination daily in the morning and in the afternoon, the company has been approved by the Rwanda civil aviation authority, to offer charter scenic flights to travellers, they mostly use helicopters for 30 minutes to the national park, flights can be arranged by your tour operator or directly through the company. Flying to Akagera National Park is best done in the dry season when the winds are less strong, with little or minimum rainfall.
The other option for reaching the Akagera national park is to drive to the conservation area, this takes approximately +/-3 hours passing through the amazing countryside of Rwanda, the lying conservation area majorly comprises a savannah, woodland, marshy swampy areas and numerous lakes, the large diverse ecosystem offers an opportunity to participate in the activities for example game drives, these are conducted through the well-distributed trails of the national park, expect to see wildlife like zebras, warthogs, waterbucks, hippos, crocodiles, bushbucks, giraffes, and many birds species.
Other things to do in the Akagera National Park include boat cruise experiences, the bait ride is done using mortised speed boats along Lake Ihema, along the banks of the river expect to see grazing water animals, and many birds, meet fishermen from the fishing villages. It takes 2-3 hours to do the activity. Birding, the conservation area is a haven of birds, it is recommendable for birds over 400 species have been recorded in the ecosystem to date.
Akagera National Park can be visited any time of the year but is best during the dry season between the months of December-February and June to September, what to pack for a wildlife adventure includes warm clothes, long-sleeved shirts and trousers, and any other items of personal nature.