Are you ready to go off the beaten track to explore nature’s goodness? If yes, then participate in camping while on a Rwandan Safari. Camping is when you have overnight stays away from home, and not in a house but rather in a tent, Caravan or a Motorhome. This outdoor activity can be enjoyed if you go from the usual and do it from the National Park. One of the wonderful places that offer the most fascinating camping experiences in Rwanda is Akagera National park. Besides the close encounter you have with nature, this recreational activity is cheaper when compared with accommodation in Safari Lodges or Hotels.
Akagera National Park is the only Savannah National Park in Rwanda and is situated in the North-eastern side of the country at the border with Tanzania. It was established in 1934 and covers an area of 1122 square kilometers. Akagera National park is the only place in Rwanda where you will see the Big five animals (Lions, leopards, buffaloes, Rhinos and elephants) in addition to other usual animals such as spotted hyenas, the Burchell’s zebras the Masai giraffes, Crocodiles, the serval cats, warthogs, Hippos, Mongooses, the side-striped jackals, primates such as the blue monkeys, the bush babies, the olive baboons and vervet monkeys and antelopes like impalas, waterbucks, bushbucks, Topis, the Klipspringer, the Elands, the Sitatungas, the Bohor reedbucks and Oribis among others.
There are also more than 500 species of birds that tourists can enjoy when they visit the Akagera National Park, but the common ones include the papyrus gonolek and the blue-headed coucal among other captivating bird species. With all these interesting attractions, you might desire to camp within the flat savannah plains of this riveting National Park. There are several phenomenal campsites in this Park and they include;
The Muyumba Campsite
This wonderful Campsite is found on a Ridge and rewards tourists with the mind-blowing views of two beautiful Lakes-Lake Shakani and Lake Ihema in addition to the bordering country (Tanzania). Of all the three campsites in Akagera National park, Muyumba Campsite offers a breathtaking backdrop of the rising sun and is the only camping ground that it near to the Kiyonza park entrance. Some of the facilities available at the campsite include a washroom and pit toilets but tourists are advised to carry their own tents. Not to worry, you can hire a tent at only $20 and the cost of camping at this magnificent Campsite is estimated at $25 per person.
The Shakani Akagera Campsite
The Shakani Campsite is situated on the shores of Lake Shakani and offers incredible views of the magnificent Lake while at the same time relishing the sights and sounds of some of the aquatic wildlife such as Hippos and birds like the African Fish eagles and the Pink-backed pelicans among others. This Campsite provides a close link for tourists that desire to participate in sport fishing within Lake Shakani.
The Mutamba Akagera Campsite
Situated in the Northern side of the Park, Mutamba is the most towering/elevated area in the whole of Akagera National park and is popular for offering shelter to the large mammal species such as Buffaloes, roan antelopes, large herds of elands and Elephants that always converge at the place. Camping at this Campsite offers tourists with the opportunity to enjoy a closer encounter with the wildlife species in the National Park. There is also a pit latrine and a washroom at the Site. Tents are available for hiring at the Park reception/headquarters and firewood for camp fires are always provided at the Campsite but tourists are always advised to carry their own camping equipments such as tents and supplies.
In conclusion, Camping is both a form of accommodation facility and an adventurous activity that tourists visiting Rwanda especially Akagera National Park can engage in while on a Safari.