Akagera National Park Rates
Akagera National Park Rates, 2019 – 2020
Akagera National Park is remarkably the only savanna wildlife park in Rwanda where you can spot out the big game (elephants, leopards, lions, rhinos and buffalos) as well as other savanna grassland dwellers.
This park derived it’s name from Akagera River which runs through it. It boasts of its breathtaking sceneries offering exceptional views over Tanzania plains. While on a safari in this park, you have a chance to spot out variety of wildlife species including crocodiles, hippos, zebras, giraffes, reedbuck and elands, Oribis, duikers a mention but a few.
Besides, there are also bush babies, olive baboons, vervet monkeys, black masked civet, blue monkeys, black tailed mongoose, bush pigs, warthogs and others. For bird lovers, Akagera National Park boasts of over 520 distinct bird species that include about 44 raptors species. The notable birds for you to sight at include shoebill stork, papyrus gonolek, great snipe, lesser kestrels and many more.
How to get to Akagera national park?
To get to this park, you need pay entrance fees and these range from foreign international visitors at 35 dollars, Rwanda or East Africa $25 per person, Rwanda or East Africa nationals $7 per person, children below 5 years free admission and children above 6 years pay the same amount like the adults.
The cost for park guides especially for self-drive game drives cost $25 for half day tour wildlife viewing and $40 for entire day wildlife viewing. Park guides are very knowledgeable with wildlife species that thrive within the park. Besides, you can pay a visit to information center where you can get guidance on wildlife species and the best routes that you can use.
This park is ideal for game drives both day and night for you to explore most of the savanna grassland dwellers including elephants, African lions, buffaloes, rhinos, leopards and other night dwellers, bird watching including woodland bird species as well as water birds including shoebill stork, papyrus gonolek, great snipe, lesser kestrels, sport fishing, boat cruise, aerial tours and many more.
Where to stay at Akagera National Park?
The available lodges for visitor overnight stay at Akagera National Park include;
- Akagera Game Lodge
This comes with incredible amenities, facilities and its strategic location offers you a chance to engage in various activities like birding, game drives, sport fishing, and cultural tours among others. It is situated along the shores of Lake Ihema hence providing breathtaking views over the Lake.
- Ruzizi Tented Lodge
This is ideal for visitors who are in need for luxury lodging facilities. Its tents accommodate up to 2 visitors at about $165 for foreign visitors and nationals at $130. This cost covers breakfast, dinner and a night stay here is the best for you to find value for your money.
- Karenge Bush Camp
This camp is usually open on 1st June up to 31st August then mid-December up to the end of February each year. Ideally, it is a season lodge but offers the best accommodation. It costs about $150 per person on full board but you are encouraged to find the current rates prior the actual date of travel. There are also many other newly set up tented camps for you to spend a night while on a wildlife safari in Akagera national park.
Akagera national park is exceptionally the only savanna grassland park in Rwanda that offers you a great opportunity to view variety of wildlife species. It is located about 3 hour drive from Kigali, the capital of Rwanda. To many visitors to Akagera National Park in particular and Rwanda in general, a tour around Africa’s cleanest and safest city is a must. Among the places to visit while on a tour around Kigali include local markets for art and crafts, fruits markets, the first house, Camp Kigali and Kigali genocide museum, and this is the most popular attraction while on a city tour in Kigali.
Kigali City and Genocide Memorial
If you are on vacation in Rwanda, don’t miss to pay a visit to Kigali genocide memorial site while on Kigali city tour. The Kigali genocide site was set up in remembrance of the victims of the 1994 Rwanda genocide that took place between the Hutus and Tutsis.
This genocide memorial center is memorial site where more than 259000 bodies of those that were murdered during the Rwanda genocide were buried. This remarkable tourist site features a visitor center for students and even for those who would like to pay a visit to this site to explore more about what occurred in 1994.
It is a permanent memorial center for the victims of the Rwanda genocide and it became a main area where most bereaved bury their family members and friends. It is operated by the Aegis Trust and the Kigali Capital Council. Kigali genocide site is located in Gisozi about 10 minutes’ drive away from Kigali capital.
The site was set in 2000 by the Kigali City Council and later joined by Aegis. The memorial center features among the 8 main Rwanda genocide centers which were set up in remembrance of those that became victims of this terrific event that claimed over 800.000 innocent people. Other centers include Bisesero, Ntarama, Murambi, Nyarubuye genocide memorial centers.
Kigali genocide memorial site was opened in April 2004, conceptualized by Aegis Trust an organ that is devoted to genocide prevention and education, in conjunction with the government of Rwanda. The area features exhibits, burial sites, gardens and the walls of names memorial.
The inside museum consists of 3 displays; the major one being the comprehensive history of the year/documentary center which takes you to the genocide and events of the massacres that include personal accounts, Education center and memorial gardens.
Texts are displayed in Kinyarwanda, English and French. Video clips, photographs, artifacts of the genocide and many other pieces that are used to make others understand what took place during this horrific event.
There is someone to take you through, explain to you meanings of the pieces displayed in any language of your choice. Visitors pay about $100 if you are a professional, $15 if you are an adult and $10 for students and residents.
No entry fee apply however, audio guides are also there to help you and you will pay Rwf 9000 for adults, 6000 for students and 3000 for members of the East African community and residents. They are available in German, Dutch, English, French, Kinyarwanda and groups of about 4 to 10 visitors pay around 100 dollars, 11 to 15 pay 125 dollars and 16 to 25 are charged 150 dollars. The site is open from 8:00am to 5:00pm each day. The informative audio tours costs $15 and include background on the divisive colonial exploration in Rwanda.
Lastly, if Rwanda / Akagera National Park is your dream destination and you are interested in city tours, count Kigali genocide memorial site a must to visit and be in position to explore more about the 1994 Rwanda genocide.
