Boat cruise safaris in Akagera National Park : On Lake Ihema, boat safaris are offered in Akagera National Park. Because they provide the best opportunities for guests to see and explore the park’s wildlife, the boat safaris in Akagera National Park provide the best safari experiences. The greatest method to explore the park is by boat along the banks of Lake Ihema, Rwanda’s second-largest lake after Lake Kivu, which offers some amazing aquatic bird views. You can also see some of the fauna that inhabits the lake’s waters. You will have a fantastic opportunity to increase the number of animals you have seen on safari game drives thanks to this. During your boat launch, keep an eye out for crocodiles, buffaloes, and hippos as well as colorful kingfishers, stunning fish eagles, egrets, Hammerkops with their enormous nests, and even the Shoebill, which has an ancient appearance. Jacanas, Ibis, plovers, herons, malachite kingfishers, hawks, and many other species are among the endangered ones. The boat voyage takes two to three hours.
Visitors to Akagera National Park can also take boats out on the water. Visitors can explore the lakes and nearby islands in the national park, as well as the wildlife that lives in the lake and along the beach. Exhilarating and risky experience is boating through Akagera National Park. The majority of the boat cruises offered by Akagera take place on Lake Ihema. One of the park’s ten lakes, the lake is situated in the southernmost part of the national park. The surface area of Lake Ihema is about 90 square kilometres, and its depth is about 5 to 7 metres. The Tanzanian border is where the lake’s eastern end is located. The renowned River Kagera, which supplies water to most of the lakes in the national park, feeds the lake.
Boat tours are available for Lake Ihema visitors who want to see the diverse species that lives there and nearby. Take a boat ride on Lake Ihema in Akagera National Park to see wildlife like hippopotami and crocodiles. It is commonly known that the lake has the highest density of hippos in East Africa. A wide range of bird species, including the Papyrus Gonolek, jacanas, herons, sandpipers, malachite kingfishers, hawks, and the rare shoebill stork, are also visible to visitors.
Visitors can fish on the lake after a brief boat safari in Akagera National Park. The most prevalent fish caught in Lake Ihema is tilapia.
However, Lake Shakani is where National Park is located, and visitors are welcome to bring their fishing gear. Large seasonal and perennial papyrus wetlands dominate Akagera National Park’s shoreline of Lake Ihema. In these marshes, tourists have an excellent chance of spotting the elusive Shoebill Stork. One of the biggest threats to Lake Ihema is the water hyacinth infestation. Many aquatic animals and birds are put in risk because of the water hyacinth in the lake. Along with the water’s quality, the water hyacinth affects how easily boats can navigate the lake. The majority of the marshes in Akagera National Park and the Akagera River, also called the Kagera River, are connected to the lake as well.

Experience a thrilling boat safari in Akagera National Park.
When to go on a boat safari in Akagera National Park.
At Akagera National Park, the bulk of boat tours are organized, leaving four times per day at 7:30 a.m., 9 a.m., 3 p.m., and 4:30 p.m. For individuals who desire to take private trips, the national park offers non-scheduled boat cruises. For morning boat tours, visitors to Akagera National Park must pay USD 35, while evening boat cruises cost USD 45 per person.
Trips depart at 7:30, 9:00, 3:00, and 4:30 p.m. The park, which is populated with crocodiles, hippos, and birds, may also be seen from the water on three pre-scheduled boat tours (during the day, early in the morning, and at sunset). You have the option of taking a boat excursion in the morning, mid-morning, afternoon, or at sunset, all of which will reward you with a great sight-seeing journey of various wildlife and bird species. The park administration can also arrange cruises on Lake Ihema to witness the enormous Nile crocodiles and difficult-to-see hippo pods. This is also the finest method to view the abundant aquatic species in the park, including the open-billed stork and the noisy, foul-smelling cormorant breeding colonies.
For a maximum of 11 people, the one-hour boat tour costs $40 per person. If you want to organize your own private group adventure, the entire boat can be rented for S 180. In Akagera Park beside Lake Ihema, you can also have a boat safari where you can see lots of hippos and crocodiles. The boat on this lake costs $30 per person for an hour with a guide during the day. A day or night wildlife drive can be added to the boat trip to further enhance your visit to Akagera National Park. Combine a thrilling boat ride on Lake lhema with your wildlife safari in Akagera.