Exploring the natural beauty of Kagera River : The Kagera River around the Akagera National Park, is one of the East African River, the river is as well- known as the Alexandra Nile. Kagera River is located in the east African ends of Uganda, forming part of the upper headstreams of the Nile River and carrying water from its most distant source, that has great influence on the Rwanda wildlife safari as it is one of the major source of water and habitat for wildlife at Akagera National Park. Kagera River begins in Burundi, flowing out from Lake Rweru. From the lake, Kagera River flows east along the Rwanda-Burundi and Rwanda-Tanzania borders to a confluence with the Ruvubu River. The streams of the Kagera River are thus provided by two major tributaries, the Nyawarongo (Naivarongo) of Rwanda, which feeds Lake Rweru, and the Ruvubu (Ruvuvu) of Burundi.
It is unknown which of these two Feeder Rivers is the longer and hence the ultimate source of the Nile River. From the confluence, the Kagera flows north along the Rwanda-Tanzania border, over Rusumo Falls and through Akagera National Park. It then takes a turn to the east, following the Tanzania- Uganda border and emptying into Lake Victoria in Uganda one of the most popular East African Safari sites. The river that gives the park its name, the Akagera, is renowned for its beauty and abundance of flora and fauna. It is home to several stunning bodies of water, including as Rwanyakazinga, Shakani, Ihema, and Gishanju, which add to the park’s allure and make safaris in Rwanda really unforgettable.
River Kagera features every astonishing history that makes it stand out in Rwanda, during the Rwandan foreign era in 1894 when the German Gustav Adolf von Gotzen crossed the Kagera at Rusumo falls. Thru the World War 1 in 1916, the Belgian defeated the Germans and used the same route as their entrance into Rwanda as their arrival path. However, Akagera river became so popular when it gained international prominence in 1994 being acting as the route for carrying people from the Rwandan genocide in to the lake Victoria, acting as a state for emergency in parts of the republic of Uganda , were the victims eventually washes up.
Thru the Rwandan Genocide of 1994, the Kagera was used as a dumping areas for the remains as hundreds of Tutsis and Hutu political moderates were murdered on the river banks. With its rich historical heritage, river Akagera has meaningfully continued to boast numerous number of visitors to come for a safari to Akagera national park for unforgettable Rwanda safaris experience
Some of the interesting attractions at the river Kagera is the Akagera which sits on an area of 2500 sq km and it is found on the boarder of Rwanda and Tanzania and the park was gazetted as a national park in 1934 and was named after the Kagera River which flows water along its eastern border with Tanzania. Akagera national park is the only savannah national park making it the only place for wildlife viewing experience in Rwanda and was simply named after the remarkable Kagera River.
With a number of other streams within it and these includes lake Ihema , lakes Mihindi and lake shakana , decides the waters in the park , there are several savannah animals in the area that feds near the river such as buffaloes, leopard, elephants, lions and rhinoceros, topi, hippos, crocodiles, warthogs, hyena, waterbuck, mongoose, eland, zebra, serval cats, duiker, impala, black masked civet, reedbuck, bush pigs, giraffe, side-stripped jackal, Klipspringer, Sitatunga Antelopes and roan antelope. Among the primate species include olive baboons, vervet monkeys, blue monkeys and bush-babies.
River Kagera is also habitat and waterstreems to over 500 species of birds at Akagera national park such as forest birds, water birds as well as savannah birds for example local red faced barbets, and the swamp fly catcher as well as the elusive shoebill stork all live in Akagera National park among others
There are other several activities that can be experienced on Rwanda wildlife safari at Kagera River from visiting the Akagera national park, this includes;
Nature Walks; nature walks around Kagera river can be arranged with the help of the park ranger guide or Achieve Global Safari, walking through different trails where you will be able to more time and engagement concerning butterflies, insects and plants that you could easily miss while on a safari. You will also enjoy the cool breeze, view of the beautiful hills, and listen to nice sounds of bird species among others
Cultural encounter; Achieve global safaris easily coordinate with close communities to allow tourists go for cultural visits. Allowing visitor learn how the locals take care of their long-horned cows, make beer, prepare food and celebrate important seasons of the year. Visitors can participate in milking the cows, taste some of the local food and dance to local/folk music. The visits last for 3 hours at most.
There are a various activities that visitors can take part in near the river and the countries at large. and such activities can involve visiting the national parks in the different countries and other attractive points and for such cases these can be selected with the help of the best tour guides in the in the country
Best time to visit Akagera national park
The best time to visit the parks is during the dry season which typically runs from June to September. This is because during this period, the wildlife is most active, and the vegetation is less dense, making it easier to carry out excellent wildlife spotting. The park has a variety landscapes including wetlands, savannah, and woodland, provide a unique backdrop for wildlife viewing and photography. Also from mid-December to mid-February, there’s a dry spell within the wet season, which is also a good time for wildlife spotting. During this time, animals tend to concentrate around the lakes due to the thinner bush cover.
How to get to Kagera River
To visit Kagera River on your Rwanda safari, you must first visit Akagera National Park, as the lake is located within the park. Akagera National Park is located in eastern Rwanda, near the Tanzanian border. The distance from Kigali to Akagera national park is about 108 kilometers and the park can be accessed by either road a short flight. By road it takes about 2 hours. And 30 minutes’ drive from Kigali the capital city vial the town of Rwamagana to the southern gate of the park (the northern gate is used for exit only at the moment). For those who would not wish to drive can opt for a short flight into Akagera and these services are provided by the Akagera Aviation.
Accommodation in Akagera National Park
Within Akagera National Park you will surely find a place for everyone to stay. The available accommodations here range from the luxury facilities such as Mgashi Lodge and Rusizi Tented Camp, then the mid-range facilities such as the Akagera Game lodge plus budget facilities as well as the camp sites for budget travelers.
