Fishing Tours in Rwanda’s Akagera National Park: Fishing is one of the exciting activities that visitors to Akagera National Park may partake in while on vacation. The national park is located in the districts of Kayonza and Nyagatare in the north-eastern section of Rwanda. The park, which encompasses around 1,122 square kilometers, is Rwanda’s largest national park.
The Belgian colonial administration established Akagera national park in 1934, which previously comprised 2,500 square kilometers. However, during the 1994 Rwandan Genocide, part of this national park was destroyed. Today, despite the fact that the park must be restored to its previous size, enormous efforts have been made to return it to its former splendour by returning most of the animal species that had been extinct in the park.
Among these are the reintroduction of 18 black eastern rhinos in 2017 and five more from Europe in 2019, as well as the translocation of seven lions to the national park in 2015.
The national park is now maintained by the Akagera Management Company, which was formed through cooperation between the Rwanda Development Board and African Parks, a non-governmental organization.
Fishing Tours in Rwanda’s Akagera National Park.
Fishing at Akagera National Area is an incredible activity that each visitor to the park should try. Visitors may combine fishing with a boat ride on any of the park’s renowned lakes. Akagera National Park includes roughly ten lakes that are located within the park, and tourists can explore any of these lakes while visiting the park. Lake Ihema, which is famed for boat rides, Lake Gishanju, Lake Mahindi, and Lake Shakani are among the most frequented lakes in Akagera National Park.
The majority of Akagera National Park’s fishing activities take place on Lake Shakani. Visitors who want to go fishing in the lake can catch fish such as tilapia and catfish, among other things.
Fishing tournaments/competitions are also held at Akagera National Park on an annual basis. Tourists who want to compete in these fishing tournaments should start planning at least 6 months in advance. However, interested parties should be aware that the catch-and-release fishing competitions are not conducted directly by the national park, but rather by Akagera Game Lodge, which is located adjacent to the national park.
In addition, because the lodge has limited fishing equipment, visitors are urged to bring their own fishing equipment to minimize any hassles. Visitors who are interested in fishing activities in Akagera national park have to pay a fee of USD 25 dollars per person, per day and minors aged between 6 and 12 years of age are charged USD 15 dollars.
Fishing activities in Lake Shakani in Akagera National Park include tourists learning about the many ways of fishing used in Rwanda, which include the cast net method, gill net method, Lampara, Spearing and shot arrow method, Scoop net method, and Hooking method.
Visitors can have a refreshing drink while fishing while listening to folk tunes and folk tales or stories recounted by local fisherman. This is also an excellent chance for tourists to connect with Rwandans and learn more about their traditions.
Visitors to Rwanda’s Akagera National Park may participate in a variety of activities, including:
Game drives: Akagera National Area provides guided game visitation to tourists visiting the park. Visitors may combine fishing excursions with guided wildlife drives in the national park. The park provides guests game drives in the morning, afternoon, and evening.
While on a game drive at the national park, guests a graced with an opportunity to witness beautiful wildlife species such as; lions, elephants, leopards, rhinos, buffaloes, hyenas, oribis, zebras, giraffes, and antelopes among others.
Boat Cruise: In addition to fishing, visitors to Akagera may take a boat cruise tour on Lake Ihema, the national park’s largest lake. The national park provides guests scheduled boat tours at 7:30am, 9am, 3pm, and 4:30pm. However, non-scheduled boat cruises are offered in the national park for those who want private tours.
Camping, behind-the-scenes tours, walk the line, and community cultural experiences are among the other activities available at Akagera National Park. All of these activities are compatible with fishing in the national park.
Accommodation in Rwanda’s Akagera National Park.
Rwanda’s Akagera National Park has plenty of accommodation options for visitors who want to spend a night or more in the park. Accommodation options in Akagera national park include; Magashi Tented Lodge, Akagera Game Lodge, Karenge Bush Camp, and Rusizi Tented Camp to mention but a few.
In Summary; Fishing in Lake Shakani is an extra tourism activity for visitors visiting Rwanda’s Akagera national park on a wildlife safari. Fishing in the park is one of the most illuminating tourism activities that any ardent angler enthusiast on a Rwanda wildlife safari should never miss out on.
