Akagera lost its lions in the aftermath of 1994 and its rhino not long after. Lions were returned in 2015 and eastern black rhino in 2017, and the park now holds all of the Big Five two and a half hours from Kigali. It is one of the more convincing conservation turnarounds in Africa.
- Size
- 1,122 sq km
- Managed by
- African Parks, in partnership with the government
- Lions
- Reintroduced 2015
- Rhino
- Eastern black rhino returned 2017
- From Kigali
- 2.5 hrs
- Landscape
- Largest protected wetland in East Africa
What you see
Elephant, buffalo, giraffe, zebra, topi, eland, roan antelope and a growing lion population across rolling savannah and papyrus swamp. Leopard are present and elusive; rhino sightings are improving but not routine. The northern plains hold the densest game.
The lake and the swamp
A boat trip on Lake Ihema gets you hippo, crocodile and superb waterbirds, including the shoebill in the papyrus. The chain of lakes along the eastern boundary makes Akagera look nothing like the savannah parks of Kenya or Tanzania — it is greener, wetter and more intricate.
Night drives and behind-the-scenes
Akagera runs guided night drives, which few East African parks permit, turning up bushbabies, genets, hyena and occasionally leopard. Behind-the-scenes conservation tours explain the rhino monitoring operation directly.
How it fits a Rwanda trip
Two and a half hours from Kigali in the opposite direction to Volcanoes, so it adds two nights rather than a detour. For travellers who want gorillas plus classic savannah game without changing countries, it is the answer — though Uganda's Queen Elizabeth and Murchison are larger and wilder.
Questions
Frequently asked
Does Akagera have the Big Five?
Yes, since the return of lion in 2015 and eastern black rhino in 2017. Seeing all five in a short visit is another matter — rhino and leopard both take luck.
Is Akagera worth adding to a gorilla trip?
If you want savannah game and are staying in Rwanda, yes — it is close, well run and improving each year. If you are willing to cross into Uganda, you get more wildlife for less money.
Next
Keep planning
- Rwanda gorilla safaris — building a Rwanda itinerary
- Volcanoes National Park — gorillas, in the other direction
- Kigali — two and a half hours away
- Queen Elizabeth National Park — the Ugandan comparison