Akagera National Park
Africa's greatest conservation comeback — Big Five restored, poaching down 96%, managed by African Parks.
About Akagera National Park
Akagera National Park covers 1,122 square kilometres of savannah, woodland, swamps, and lakes along the Akagera River in eastern Rwanda bordering Tanzania. Managed in partnership with African Parks since 2010, Akagera has undergone one of Africa's most remarkable conservation turnarounds: lions were reintroduced from South Africa in 2015 (the first in Rwanda since the late 1990s) and black rhino from South Africa in 2017 and 2019, restoring the Big Five. Poaching has declined by 96% since African Parks took over management.
When to Go
June to September dry season for best game viewing. December to February also good. Boat safaris on Lake Ihema operate year-round.
What You'll See
Reintroduced lions (approximately 40), 25+ black rhino, over 12,000 large mammals including elephant (120+), buffalo (3,000+), giraffe, zebra, hippo, hyena, and 525 bird species — the highest density in East Africa. The papyrus swamps support sitatunga and the globally threatened shoebill stork.
Your Journey Begins
2.5-hour drive from Kigali (120 km) via a scenic route through the eastern highlands. Helicopter transfers available (30 minutes). Akagera is Rwanda's most accessible savannah park and easily combined with Kigali's genocide memorial sites.
Within Akagera National Park
Lake Ihema
100 km² lake with hippo pods, shoebill storks, and twice-daily boat safaris through papyrus swamps.
Lake Ihema is Akagera's largest lake at 100 square kilometres, fringed by papyrus swamps and home to large populations of hippo, Nile crocodile, and the elusive shoebill stork. The 2-hour boat safari from Akagera Game Lodge departs twice daily and is one of the best ways to see hippo pods, African fish eagle, and papyrus-dwelling species. The lake's marshy islands provide nesting habitat for rare herons and migrant waders.
Northern Savannah
Open plains where Rwanda's reintroduced lions now hunt — night drives, buffalo herds, and Mutumba Hills sundowners.
The northern sector of Akagera features open grassland plains and acacia woodland where the reintroduced lion pride now roams. This area also supports the highest concentrations of buffalo, zebra, and giraffe. Night drives operated by the park reveal leopard, spotted hyena, serval, and aardvark. The Mutumba Hills in this sector offer scenic sundowner spots overlooking the lakes below.
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