A Guide on Game Drives and Boat Safaris in Rwanda

A Guide on Game Drives and Boat Safaris in Rwanda: Rwanda, the country referred to as the land of a thousand hills is the center of tourism by the natural world. Although mountain gorilla tracking may be one of Rwanda’s biggest attractions, the country has much more to offer to adventurous tourists interested in a variety of wildlife options available. The game drives and boat safaris offer a perfect chance to view all the diversified fauna of Rwanda where they live naturally. From the extensive grasslands of Akagera National Park to the shores of the Ihema Lake; Rwanda is a fantastic country offering both on-land and water game viewing experiences. This guide looks at the best locations for game drives and boat safaris as well as other useful information necessary for the experience.

Akagera National Park: The Hub for Game Drives

Akagera National Park occupies the eastern part of Rwanda, adjacent to the Tanzania border, and is the only park with savanna habitat in the country. It sits across over 1,200 square kilometers of land and being a park, it is endowed with lots of wild animals some of which are referred to as the Big Five which include lions, elephants, leopards, buffaloes, and rhinoceros. Traditional African safari lovers will also find Akagera as the one ready to meet their expectations of game drives in Rwanda.

The game drives in Akagera enable enthusiasts to view this park and the ecosystems it supports including the rolling hills plains, the acacia woodlands, and the swamps. There are morning, afternoon, and night drives to enable guests to catch sight of the different animals that are most active at those times of the day. The best time to drive in the park is very early in the morning as this is when big cats like lions and leopards are usually most active and during the later part of the afternoon when one can see large concentrations of elephants, buffaloes, and giraffes.

Expectations while on the Game Drive

Safari in Akagera is normally through game drives conducted in 4-wheel drive vehicles that are suitable for use in the park. The drives usually take about two to four hours at most depending on the time at which the drive is made, and the route taken. There are several good trails with signposts, and local experts always guide tourists with some information about the species and terrain. As for the optimal shots, the large arsenal of the so-called golden hours will not leave a tourist indifferent, moreover, the morning and evening shots are ideal.

While on a game drive, visitors are advised to look out not only for the large animals of the park but also for the birds. It has been proven that Akagera has about 480 species of birds of which one can sight the African fish eagle and Shoebill stork

More to the experience it is wise to carry a pair of binoculars and a good camera, preferably with a telephoto lens. While some animals may be approached within easy photographic range, such as elephants, others such as leopards, or certain species of antelope require more space for observation. Game drive in Akagera is as much entertainment in the search for the park’s wonders as it is in the sighting of those marvels.

Boat Safaris at Ihema:

Apart from game drives, other activities in Akagera National Park include boat cruises at Lake Ihema, the largest of the lake habitats in the having various species of water animals. The boat ride is a completely diverse way of viewing the game and this is another exciting, albeit relaxed method of viewing the different species in Akagera National Park.

This is particularly true as Lake Ihema is full of water animals and people are almost certain to see hippos and crocodiles resting on the shore. That is why the number of hippos that inhabit the lake is one of the things that is difficult to forget when on a boat safari. Listening to these immense animals come ashore or bellow is truly incredible to behold and very hard to describe.

A Guide to Boat Safaris

Boat safaris around Lake Ihema take approximately an hour to complete and are led by qualified crews who guide visitors around the lake, to different sites of ecological interest. _GUIDES are usually familiar with wildlife and will be of great assistance in pointing out bird species, or in case there is water, where Hippos and crocodiles could be. The boat is covered to make sure that visitors do not overheat in case the day is sunny, meaning it is therefore a comfortable boat on a hot day.

The most appropriate time to undertake a boat safari is during the evening when the light is gentle, and the animals at the edge of the water come out. There is nothing as beautiful as the stretching sunsets over Lake Ihema we saw, and which really encouraged photographers. The shores of the sea are quite large and best suited for sunbathing; the orange and pink waters of the different beaches at different times give the vacation a unique feel while swimming on the clear water one is bound to meet different water creatures.

Nyungwe Forest National Park: Primates and Canopy Walks

While the highlight of the park is game drives and boat safaris, Nyungwe Forest National Park is a park that offers different forms of wildlife viewing. Known for rich and dense forests and many primates, Nyungwe harbors 13 different kinds of primates inclusive of chimpanzees and colobus monkeys.

However, due to the nature of the landscape and natural features that surround Nyungwe, game drives cannot be done, but there are guided walks and primate tracking. For the wildlife accuracies that prefer to trek on their own, this is a chance to see the primates in their natural environment. Another reward is the only canopy walk in the East Africa stretch that enables the visitor to view the forest and different wildlife from the top of the trees.

Tour Planning of a Safari in Rwanda

Regardless of whether your choice is a game drive, boat safari, or both, advanced planning is inevitable to fully benefit from your safari adventure. The park is always accessible all year round but the best time for game viewing is during the dry season, from June up to September. During this period grass is cut, and animals congregate near water supply stations and as a result, it is easy to see them.

Safari options include self-drive and guided drives though it is advisable for first-time visitors to go for the guided drive since they will be able to view more specs. Not only do the guides know the land well enough to show you around the park, but they also know about the habits of the animals and where the best vantage points are.

Finally, it is advised to pre-book for the boat safaris due to the duality of them getting booked beforehand and due to the current increased demand during the high travel season. The best way to harness this product and cover almost all the physical features of interest as well as the wildlife species in Akagera is to conduct both the game drives and the boat safaris.