The Eastern province is a fairly flat and low elevation area bordered in the north by Uganda, in the east by Tanzania and in the south by Burundi. It is here that the Albertine Rift descends into Tanzania. The climate is more humid and warmer than the rest of Rwanda and as a result, it features fertile agriculture lands and excellent grazing. The Eastern province’s main attraction is Akagera National park but Lake Muhazi, enroute from Kigali and the Rusumo Falls on the Tanzanian border, deserves a visit and is worth a detour.
RUSUMO FALLS
A waterfall situated on the Akagera River on the border between Rwanda and Tanzania. These falls have played an important part in the history of Rwanda because they form the only bridging point on the river in that area. The falls saw the first arrival of Europeans in Rwanda.
AKAGERA NATIONAL PARK
Akagera National Park is on the north-eastern edge of Rwanda. It is the largest National Park in Rwanda covering an area of 1,085km squared. It borders Tanzania and incorporates the kagera River, hence the name Akagera. The national park was founded in 1934 to protect animals and vegetation in three habitats: savannah, mountain and swamp. The Akagera River, the most remote source of the Nile, flows along the Eastern part of the park and feeds many lakes, the largest being Lake Ihema. The Labyrinth of lakes and papyrus swamps follows the river’s course to make up over a third of the park. This is the largest protected wetland in Central Africa.
In 2010, the Rwandan Development Board and the African Parks Network agreed to collaborate in the management of Akagera. Their aim is to make Akagera a world-class National Park. Some planned expansion over the next five years includes the fencing of the entire reserve and to ensure that the Big Five ( Lion, elephant, buffalo, leopard and rhinoceros ) roam around the park in large numbers. In contrast to the cultivated hills and mountains of Rwanda, Akagera is at a relatively lower altitude, the climate is moderately warmer and the area mostly low-lying savannah, with rolling plains of broad-leafed and acacia woodlands and grasslands. This open expansiveness is the only savanna national park and is ideal for game viewing safaris in Rwanda.
LAKE MUHAZI
Lake Muhazi is a long and shallow lake situated 30km from Kigali. Farming and fishing are the main activities of the population living around the Lake. Lake Muhazi is particularly known for its large population of spotted-necked otters but there are a number of bird species around the lake, including African Fish Eagles, Malachite Kingfishers, Pied Kingfishers, swamp Flycatchers and ,many more. The future of Lake Muhazi looks promising. This 60km long and 5km wide lake with 26,580 hectares of land available for development holds great potential for the future. Some of the conservation, community and tourism projects for this lake area include: community markets and local community shops, a tourism centre, reforestation and conservation, with a 200m buffer allocated for conservation, an integrated resort centre and country club.
WILD ANIMALS
Akagera with its many lakes, is big game country. A few of the species that you will encounter are; buffalo, elephant, zebra, giraffe and a variety of antelope. Important to note is that Akagera and its lakes are home to one of the highest concentrations of hippopotamus in Africa. One of the animals that you will probably also see is the Nile Crocodile which is the World’s largest reptile. Of the shy animals that you may be able to spot, Akagera has a small but nonetheless important population of leopards and spotted hyenas. Lions are being re-introduced into the park. The smaller predators to be found within the park are mongooses, genets, serval cats and side-stripped jackals. Also very common in the park, are the primates: olive baboons, vervet monkeys, bush babies and more rarely, silver monkeys. Of the 12 antelope species that may be observed in Akagera, the grateful impala is the most common and will probably be impossible to miss.
Akagera National Park is one of the most diverse and scenic of Africa’s game reserves in term of landscape and one where you can still drive for some hours without encountering another vehicle.