Akagera ParkAt 280,000 acres in size, Akagera is a relatively small (by African standards) but exceptionally beautiful and biodiverse Park that protects the last savanna habitat in Rwanda and the largest pristine wetland in central Africa. It is also an inspirational conservation story. Refugees returning to Rwanda in the late 1990s after the Genocide found sustenance in the Park, but unfortunately almost wiped out the natural wildlife. Through concerted efforts by the Rwandan government and foreign NGOs, the refugees were resettled in more appropriate farming areas, poaching was stopped, and Akagera's wildlife has been proliferating since 2010 - the Park is now, once again, a "Big Five" destination with a burgeoning population of large mammals and over 500 species of birds. One of the Park's main highlights is its habitat diversity - from open, Serengeti-like plains to rolling mountains, large lakes, and extensive papyrus swamps, supporting exceptional biodiversity and offering a wide range of safari activities. Easily combined with Volcanoes National Park and other rainforest habitats in the west of the country, Akagera is one of Rwanda's hidden gems, and the perfect complement to gorilla trekking and other primate encounters. | | Share |
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