What are the rules for visiting Akagera national park? Do you need regulations to visit one of Africa’s fastest growing national park? It’s should be noted that the park is now home to black rhinos and lions making Akagera one of the few parks in Africa where tourists can see the Big five including buffaloes, lions, elephants, leopard and rhinoceros
African Parks in collaboration with Rwanda Development Board has set clear rules to protect and preserve wildlife and habitats in Akagera national park which were at the verge of being lost forever during the genocide of 1994. As the park management works tireless to restore wildlife in Akagera national park, it’s important to create regularities to the tourists who come to visit the park.
As much as tourists bring in money that promotes wildlife conservation, its necessary to protect the habitat and wildlife for the future.
It’s important that tourists and tour guides adhere to the guidelines protecting the park to ensure a rewarding adventure.
- For safety of tourists, it’s important to keep inside your vehicles while inside Akagera national park. Only leave your vehicle at your hotel and demarcated picnic areas. Do not wonder further from your accommodation area as wildlife can get nearby. Keep within your campsite area.
- Speed limit in the Akagera national park is limited strictly to only 40 km/hr. Wildlife runs about the park and collusion can easily happen. It’s important to stick to the speed limit as most roads within Akagera are single track dirty roads. The wet season is specifically slippery and muddy and some road are not accessible by vehicle. Driving at small speed gives you the chance to observe any changes on the roads.
- You can always inquire at the reception before setting off for your game drive about present road status. On a rainy day be careful on slippery roads as the staff may not be aware yet of a fault in a roads to make a notification at the entrance.
- Akagera national park opening hours start at 18H00 and closes at 6H00 for day visitors who will not be spending a night at accommodation within the park
- If you havent exited the park by 6:30 PM and staff failing to trace where you are, Park management will have to send out a rescue operation
- All costs of the rescue search are catered by the lost party which may include
- vehicle(s) and or helicopter as deemed appropriate by the park management
- The park management must approves all vehicles which enter the Akagera national park
- Drivers must keep to the designated tracks while doing game drives so that you dont get lost in the park. Off-track driving isn’t allowed in Akagera as you can easily collide with wildlife, get lost within the park.
- Avoid following mapped roads unless you can easily see the track, and do not take roads which are not
- Littering the park isnt allowed. Find better management of your waste to keep the park clean. Don’t be tempted to feed the wildlife in the park as human diseases can catch wildlife and is very deadly.
- Visitors spending a night in Akagera national park must use designated campsites only, or a recognized overnight facility. No bush camping is allowed in Akagera for tourists protection. In set camping areas, make sure to light fire, but don’t leave fire unattended and make sure fires are fully extinguished before leaving to avoid any chance of accidental fires in the park.
- Don’t pick any plants from the park in form of flowers, rocks, wood or any other natural objects in the park. Many tourists come in to view and enjoy watching the same wild eco-system and there is need to preserve it.
- Park management doesn’t allow drones to be flown inside the park. Please check-out the park drone policy at the website.
- Make payments at the park offices as you enter the park and as you exit, make sure to present your receipt at the exit of the Akagera national park to clarify that you are authorized to be in the park.
- Failure to adhere by the rules set by the Akagera management will result in penalties and on-the-spot fines of $150.
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