Rwanda’s savannah in three days: game drives in search of lions, rhinos and elephants, a boat trip among Lake Ihema’s hippos and a night drive in a park reborn.
Akagera National Park is one of Africa’s great conservation comebacks. Since African Parks took over its management with the Rwanda Development Board in 2010, poaching has been reduced dramatically and lions, black rhinos and white rhinos have been reintroduced, making it Rwanda’s only Big Five park. This three-day safari from Kigali gives you a boat trip, a night drive and a full day of game drives.
Akagera is quieter than the big parks of Kenya and Tanzania, with rolling hills, papyrus swamps and a chain of lakes. The south is lakes and woodland; the north opens into grassy plains with the biggest herds. A park guide joins you for the full day to improve your chances of lions and rhinos.
Akagera has a handful of lodges and camps, from a forest lodge on the shore of Lake Ihema to a luxury camp in the north and a seasonal bush camp. Staying inside the park lets you enjoy a sunset on the lake and the dawn game drive.
Leave Kigali in the morning and drive east through rolling farmland to the southern gate of Akagera National Park. After lunch, take a boat trip on Lake Ihema, Rwanda’s second-largest lake, past pods of hippos, large crocodiles and a wealth of waterbirds, including African fish eagles, kingfishers and cormorants. After dinner, join a night drive with a park guide to search for leopards, hyenas, civets and bushbabies.
Spend the day exploring the park with a guide. Drive north through acacia woodland and over the hills to the Mutumba plains, the best area for big game: herds of buffalo, zebra, topi, impala and Masai giraffe, elephants in the woodland, and with luck the lions reintroduced in 2015 or the black and white rhinos brought back in 2017 and 2021. Picnic lunch is taken at a viewpoint over the lakes.
Set out at first light for a final game drive, when lions, hyenas and leopards are still active and the herds move out onto the plains. Your guide follows the latest sightings across the northern hills before you exit through the northern gate. Then drive back through the hills of eastern Rwanda to Kigali, about 2.5–3 hours, arriving in the early afternoon in time for an evening flight or an afternoon in the city.
Lodges shown match the quoted price. Ask us about mid-range and luxury upgrades.
Yes, all five are present. Lions, elephants and buffalo are seen regularly; rhinos and leopards need some luck.
Yes, but staying overnight adds the boat trip, a night drive and dawn game viewing.
June to September is driest and best for game viewing.
Yes, and between November and May it can help you qualify for the 30% gorilla permit discount.
About 490 species, including the shoebill in the papyrus swamps.
The south is woodland and lakes, with the boat trip and hippos. The north opens into grassy plains with the largest herds and the best chance of lions and rhinos.
Yes, for the full-day game drive. Akagera’s guides know where lions and rhinos have been seen recently.
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Change the dates, add a night, upgrade a lodge or combine it with Rwanda or Kenya. Tell us what you have in mind and we’ll send a revised plan and price.
