Akagera River; the Kagera River, is one of the East African rivers, forming part of the upper headwaters of the Nile and carrying water from its most distant source, that has great impact on the Rwanda Safaris as it is one of the major sources of water and habitat for wildlife at Akagera National Park.
Akagera river origination
Originating from Burundi, flowing out from Lake Rweru. From the lake, Akagera River flows east along the Rwanda-Burundi and Rwanda-Tanzania borders to a confluence with the Ruvubu River. The waters of the Akagera River are thus provided by two major tributaries, the Nyabarongo of Rwanda, which feeds Lake Rweru, and the Ruvubu of Burundi. It is unknown which of these two Feeder Rivers is the longer and hence the ultimate source of the Nile. Following the confluence, the Akagera runs north through Akagera National Park and along the Rwandan-Tanzania border, passing via Rusumo Falls.
Following the Tanzania-Uganda border, it then turns east and empties into Lake Victoria in Uganda, one of the most well-known East African safari destinations. The river that gives the park its name, the Akagera, is renowned for its beauty and abundance of flora and fauna. It is home to several stunning bodies of water, including as Rwanyakizinga, Shakani, Ihema, and Gishunju, which add to the park’s allure and make safaris in Rwanda really unforgettable.
History about kagera river
The river stands out in Rwanda because of its incredible history. The Rwandan colonial era began in 1894 when German Gustav Adolf von Götzen crossed the Kagera at Rusumo Falls. The Belgians defeated the Germans in 1916 and used the same route as their entrance into Rwanda during World War I. However, the Akagera River rose to international prominence in 1994 when it was reported to have carried victims from the Rwandan Genocide into Lake Victoria.
This led to the declaration of a state of emergency in parts of Uganda, where the bodies eventually washed up. The Kagera was used to dump of remains as hundreds of Hutu and Tutsi political moderates were killed on the riverbanks during the Rwandan Genocide of 1994. Due to its rich historical heritage, River Akagera has significantly increased the number of tourists that come for safari visits to the Akagera National Park, making for an amazing safari experience in Rwanda.