Akagera National Park

Akagera National Park, in the warm lowlands of eastern Rwanda along the Tanzanian border, offers a classic African savanna safari that contrasts beautifully with the country's misty forests and volcanoes. A scenic landscape of rolling grasslands, forested ridges, lakes and papyrus swamps, it has been remarkably restored through conservation, with lions and rhinos reintroduced to complete the Big Five, alongside elephants, giraffes, zebras, hippos and abundant birds, all explored on game drives and a boat safari on its lakes.

History

The park was founded in 1934 over 2,500 km2, and it once held so many African wild dogs that it was known as the Parc aux Lycaons, until disease cut their numbers. In 2009 the Rwanda Development Board and African Parks agreed to manage it jointly for 20 years, and the park now covers 1,122 km2 along the Tanzanian border (Wikipedia, Akagera National Park).

The landscape

• The Big Five - the lions, rhinos, elephants, buffalo and leopards.
• The game drives - the safaris across the savanna and by the lakes.
• The boat safari - the trip on Lake Ihema past hippos and birds.
• The scenery - the rolling grasslands, ridges and papyrus swamps.

When to go

The drier seasons, June to September and December to February, are best for wildlife viewing, when animals gather near water and the roads are better; the park is scenic year-round, and the boat safari is excellent in any season.

Practical notes

It is a genuine conservation success story, restored from near-collapse, though its wildlife is not yet as dense as in the great East African parks, so it is more about the scenic beauty, the boat safari and the satisfaction of a recovering wilderness than guaranteed big-game action. It is an easy few hours from Kigali. Its restoration, scenery and the contrast with Rwanda's forests make it a rewarding addition to a trip.

Nearby

Kigali and the eastern province are within reach.

Key facts