Akagera National Park

While these photos may look like #Nyungwe National Park with large, mature trees, this is actually Shango Island in #Akagera National Park. Shango is Akagera's largest island at the northeast end of Lake Kivumba. Surrounded by thick papyrus swamp at end of Nyampiki Peninsula, the island is remote and hard to access. Take a tour of this incredible island through these camera traps images and meet some of the residents on this isolated island. The #Conservation and #Research team recently deployed camera traps across Shango’s diverse habitats to investigate which mammalian species inhabit the island. The diversity and abundance of large mammals is surprisingly high despite the thick papyrus around Shango. #Leopards, #bushbuck, #bushpigs, #hyenas, and #hippos were photographed often. Blue monkeys were also seen throughout the island. While not captured on camera trap, #elephants were encountered both while deploying camera traps and while flying over Shango recently. Despite being so remote, our ranger teams patrol Shango and the surrounding waters to ensure the resident #wildlife on the island are safe from any external factors. #KnowYourPark #OurAkagera #ShangoIsland #Diversity #Conservation #Rwanda #AfricanParks Photos: @drewbantlin

Ruzizi Tented Lodge was constructed in 2012, two years after @africanparksnetwork assumed the management of #Akagera National Park. It was carefully designed to blend in with its surroundings, letting guests connect with nature. Trees and vegetation were left undisturbed as much as possible, and the lodge prides itself on being environmentally conscious in its operations, in line with the sustainable tourism ethos of Akagera Park. Ruzizi is owned and operated by the park, with 100% of the profits from your stay directly reinvested back into conservation of the park. Contact us on ruzizi@africanparks.org or call the reservations team on +250 787 113 300 to book your stay. #RuziziTentedLodge #Environment #Conservation #OurAkagera #Rwanda #africanparks Photo credits: 1,2,3,6,7,8 (@gael.world ), 4(@sarahlhall3 ), 5,7 (@jolitropisme)

We are excited to open Mihindi Café and campsite this Saturday. The transformation of the ruined house at Lake Mihindi into a coffee shop is complete and ready to receive our first guests. Planning to visit this weekend? Pass by the coffee shop for a coffee or a craft beer from @kwezacraftbrewery , who are partnering with us for the official opening! Mihindi café and campsite is our newest facility operating in line with our conservation ethos. 100% of the profits from sales at the coffee shop and camping will be reinvested back into the conservation activities of the park and will help us reach our self-sustainability target. Photos: @lens_rwanda

We're thrilled to report another #shoebill sighting in #Akagera today. Numerous sightings since May give us hope of their potential nesting in Akagera's wetlands. Effective #conservation management has reduced illegal fishing and poaching in Akagera's wetlands, encouraging the reemergence of species highly vulnerable to disturbances, such as shoebill. Responsibility lies with us all now to continue to make Akagera Park a place where species can thrive. #Shoebill #OurAkagera #Rwanda #AfricanParks #visitrwanda Photos: @drewbantlin

Happy #WorldLionDay2021. #Akagera is the only savannah park in #Rwanda and is a home to a growing population of lions. From 7 reintroduced in 2015 and 2 in 2017 by @africanparksnetwork and @rdb.rwanda, the population of lions has more than quadrupled. #OurAkagera #VisitRwanda #AfricanParks Photos credit: @drewbantlin

Parike y'Akagera ibifurije umunsi mwiza w'Umuganura -------------------------------------------------------------- Akagera Wishes you a happy National Harvest Day. #Umuganura2021 #Akagera #Rwanda #VisitRwanda

The community freelance guides programme was launched in #Akagera in May 2014 to help the park meet the demand for guiding services and to support the local community allowing them to benefit from increased tourism to Akagera. Seven years later the program has had some great successes and due to the training and investment by the park and the enthusiasm and experiences gained by the guides, some of the community freelance guides have moved on from Akagera and grown their careers in the tourism industry. They have opened their own tour companies, been hired by local tourism companies or become freelance driver-guides among others… @mulindwadidier and @boscomugabe became members of the Rwanda Safari Guides Association (RSGA), doing tourism business throughout Rwanda and East Africa. Alphonse Ntabana was employed by @wearewilderness Safaris as a junior guide in Magashi Camp in Akagera Park. We have learnt that Alphonse is one step away from becoming the first FGASA guide with Rwandan Nationality. Meliane Unesha founded a tour company called Salama Africa Tours and Travels offering tours throughout #Rwanda. The aim of the program was to enable young people from the local community to benefit from the growing tourism, it is always great to see these individuals move on, keeping their feet in the industry and realise their ambitions. Now that tourism is re-opening, we hope to see you visiting #Akagera. We would encourage you to take a freelance guide, contribute to their story and support their aspirations. #OurAkagera #Akagera #Rwanda #Guiding #CommunityEngagement

The Akagera Community Team were excited to engage in a 3-week training with the National Geographic Society on the art of storytelling. Using the techniques of geo-enquiry and 360° photography, the team learnt the power of storytelling using the mediums of podcasts and mini-documentaries and will use the skills learnt to enhance communications with communities and especially in school programs and nature clubs. #StoryTelling #CommunityEngagement #OurAkagera #Rwanda #AfricanParks

On this #WorldRangersDay, we join the rest of the world to celebrate the courage and sacrifice of #Rangers in protecting our wild areas. When @africanparksnetwork assumed the management of #Akagera, the priority was to restore the security and the long-term sustainability of the park, a feat that could not have happened without our Rangers. In the early days, poaching was rife, with over 2000 wire snares recovered in 2013. Through the dedication of our Ranger team we have reduced poaching levels over the years to an all-time low, which has made it possible to reintroduce lions and black rhinos, restoring Akagera's Big Five status. Since 2010 large mammal numbers have increased from 5000 to over 13,500 animals. With #wildlife and their habitats are secured, Akagera' s tourism is able to thrive and make direct contributions to poverty alleviation and economic development of the surrounding #community. Today we honour the hard work of our Ranger team in making #Akagera a conservation success. #OurAkagera #AfricanParks #rwanda Photo credit: (1) and (2): @mathieucourdesses , (3) and (4): Scott Ramsey

Recently mating lions were sighted in the south of Akagera, hopefully leading to a new generation of cubs for Akagera’ s thriving lion population. #Lions #Akagera #Rwanda #AfricanParks #bigcats Photo: @drewbantlin

An African barred owlet was seen in #Akagera by Conservation and Research staff and Magashi Lodge guides. Considered a “rare vagrant” in Rwanda, this owlet has only been recorded once in the country previously, in 1981. More research into the population will help us to understand the dynamics of this fascinating bird in the park. Keep your eyes and ears open for them on your next night drive.” #Owlet #Akagera #Rwanda #AfricanParks #BirdsSeenIn2021 #Travel #visitrwanda #news Photo: @drewbantlin

Akagera's guide @isaac_wildlife_safariguide has returned from the second stage of the @africanparksnetwork Guide Training Program in Zambia which focused on driving and walking skills for safari guiding. Have you been guided by Isaac? Tell us how your experience with him was. #Akagera #Guiding #AfricanParks