Lake Ihema Boat Trip – Akagera National Park Rwanda

A boat cruise or boat trip in Akagera National Park is one of the boat safaris in Rwanda. The park is the only safari destination that hosts savannah wildlife species and the only Rwanda wildlife safari destination with game drives.

Boat trip safaris on the Akagera National Park’s Lake Ihema are one of the good ways of exploring the park and seeing wild animals.

Akagera National Park is a protected area in eastern Rwanda covering 1,122 square kilometers (433 sq mi) along the border with Tanzania.

Akagera National Park is named after the Kagera River which flows along with its eastern boundary feeding into Lake Ihema and several smaller lakes.

With the complex system of lakes and linking papyrus swamps, this is the largest protected wetland in Eastern-Central Africa.

Akagera National Park is home to all of the sought-after African Big Five wild animals which are the Buffaloes, Rhinos, Elephants, Lions, and Leopards.

Akagera is a much preferable East African destination since it is one of the closest wildlife parks to the country’s national Airport-Kigali International Airport.

It is just about a 3-hour drive to the park from the Airport. You also spot other wild animals like giraffes, zebras, and hippos.

Lake Ihema boat trip safaris in Akagera National Park

Boat cruises are offered daily on Lake Ihema which is one of the largest lakes in the country. The boat trip in Akagera lasts one hour and is led by experienced guides who take you across the lake.

You will meander along the forest-fringed shores in the hope of seeing some animals and bird species. Some of the animal and bird species that can be spotted include hippos, crocodiles, herds of buffalo along the shores, the African fish eagle, crowned cranes, Carruthers Cisticola, and shoebill stork.

The boat cruise helps you discover the birdlife and aquatic species in the wetland marshes.

Boat Trip Akagera National Park

Wildlife tours in Akagera National Park

During Akagera National Park wildlife tours and game drives, tourists are accompanied by knowledgeable driver guides. Always ensure to remain in the safari car all through the game drive. For long game drives, carry snacks and enough drinking water.

A very scenic and beautiful land of a thousand hills, Rwanda is one of the increasingly popular African safari destinations.

Other activities that can be done during a tour in Rwanda include gorilla trekking, golden monkey trekking and hiking in the Volcanoes National Park, chimpanzee trekking, canopy walk, and nature walk in Nyungwe National Park, birding in all of the parks, and cultural tours. Other East African safaris include Uganda gorilla safaris, Tanzania safaris, and Kenya safari tours.