Budget activities in Akagera National Park
Rwanda’s largest and only savanna park is Akagera National Park, which is situated in the eastern part of the country. Explore the park with a range of low-cost tourist activities that give you a peek of its stunning scenery and fauna, which includes a diverse population as well as a diversity of animals and birds. The park was established in 1934 and is one of the remaining protected savannah and wetlands protecting most of Rwanda’s adopted wildlife species.
During the 1994 genocide and civil war, many refugees, left the country through the park and later returned through the same park. since they had no land and food, they resorted to hunting and poaching the wild animals, cut trees for settlement and timber, thus becoming a great threat for wildlife, which led to the extinction of some species. After the war, the government allocated part of the park to the homeless people and the remaining half that covers 1122 square kilometers, was left for wildlife conservation.
In 2010, the Rwandan government in partnership with African Parks, made a turning point for re redevelopment of the park. New wildlife species like lions and rhinos were reintroduced to the park from different parts of the world, security was improved, and a fence was constructed to protect the wild animals. Today, Akagera National Park boasts of flourishing wildlife populations, including the most sought-after big five animals, antelope species, giraffes, hippos, and birds.
Despite being a relatively small park, Akagera National Park provides a variety of budget activities, affordable for all travellers, especially those who cannot manage paying for the costly gorilla trekking permits. Some of the budget activities in Akagera National Park include:
Game drives:
Game drives are the most sought-after activity in Akagera National Park. this activity provides an opportunity to see different wildlife that find refuge in this park. the park offers day and night game drives. Day game drives can be half-day drives of full-day game drives.
Half-day game drives usually start in the early morning hours up to 12:00 pm midday.
Full day game drives start as early as 6:00 am and end at 5:00 pm. After paying a park entrance fee to the park authorities or after booking through a trusted tour agent, you can be part of an organized safari with a driver and a guide, or you can get more adventurous and then drive yourself in your vehicle. Driving by yourself is more enjoyable, but you may not know the best spots for wildlife.
However, you can hire a park guide for $25 for a half-day game drive or $40 for a full-day game drive. If one hires a vehicle within the park, they should be ready to pay $180 for a half-day game drive and $280 for a full-day game drive.
Night game drives are also arranged on special request and cost $40 per person. The maximum number of people allowed on a vehicle is seven, including the driver and guide. This charge includes the guide’s payment. Night game drives are done using spotlights and an open-roof vehicle to allow visitors to spot nocturnal animals like genet, mongoose, bushbabies, owls, nightjar, leopards and hyenas.
If you wish to conduct a night game drive, you must book your accommodation within the park, either in a hotel or a camping site.
Boat trips
Despite the existence of many water bodies in Akagera National Park, boat cruises are mainly carried out on Lake Ihema and its the largest lake within the park. boat cruses are an affordable activity that can even be enjoyed by budget travellers. Participating in a boat cruise on Lake Ihema rewards you with sights of aquatic creatures like hippos, crocodiles, fish and many water birds. At times, you can spot the endangered shoebill stork.
Boat cruises are always carried out in shifts on a day and take only one hour, though you can request for more time at an extra fee.
Boat cruises are scheduled at :
- – 7:30 – 8:30 am
- – 9:00 – 10:00 am
- – 3:00 – 4:00 pm
- – 4:30 – 6:00 pm
These scheduled boat trips are grouped into morning boat trips, which cost $35 per person, afternoon trips, and sunset trips, which cost $45 per person. Visitors can also opt for private boat trips, which cost $180 as a flat rate.
Camping
Camping is another budget activity in Akagera National Park that offers visitors an opportunity to explore the park up close. While camping in the wilderness, visitors experience a fresh breeze of the atmosphere in the park and also appreciate the amazing scenery. Enjoy beautiful nights under the sky as you gaze at the stars, relax with colleagues at a campfire listening to their experiences, ideas, and tales.
This activity is ideal for couples to spend romantic evenings and nights. Campers enjoy listening to the sounds of the wild and wake up to the beautiful sounds of birds singing and tweeting in the early morning hours.
Akagera National Park has different camping sites, including Shakani in the southern part of the park at the shores of Lake Shakani, Muyumbu in the southern part of the park close to Lake Ihema and Lake Shakani, and Mutumba campsite in the northern part of the park . all these camping sites charge only $25 per person per night for adults, at Mihindi campsite and cafe charges $50 per person for adults and $30 for children aged 6-12years per night.
Camping is available in Akagera National Park all year round. However, the periods from June to September and December to February are the dry months, providing dry camping grounds for backpackers, thus making them the best time for camping.
Walk the Line experience
This is another budget activity that allows you to explore the park attractions on foot. The activity starts from the southern park entrance with a briefing and later a guided walk around a 7-kilometer fence. The hike lasts for two hours as you observe different wildlife creatures and ends at the top of the hill, where you are exposed to all directions of the park.
Travelers who wish to participate in the Walk the Line experience only pay $30 per person and $20 for children. You will get to understand the importance of the park towards the conservation efforts in the park.
The best time to visit Akagera National Park for the Walk the Line experience are the dry months of June to September and December to February, because the hiking trails are dry and the vegetation is not too dense, which allows you to spot different wildlife creatures.
Fishing
This is an activity mainly carried out on Lake Shakani. Visitors spend a day relaxing and fishing on the lake shores. Some of the fish types you expect to catch include tilapia, and catfish. Visitors are advised to come with their fishing equipment. Fishing activities are mainly organized by lodges, so if you wish to participate in this activity, inform your accommodation in advance.
If you are planning a safari in Rwanda, you must visit Akagera National Park, a breathtaking park that offers a wide variety of affordable activities. For numerous savannah animals, this park is still the only haven in the country.
