Akagera National Park is located in eastern Rwanda and covers an area of approximately 1,122 square kilometers. It is named after the Akagera River, which flows along its eastern boundary. The park is known for its diverse wildlife, including the big five, giraffes, zebras, and various antelope species.
It also boasts a variety of bird species, making it a popular destination for birdwatchers. On this three-day tour, we will encounter the Big Five and other wildlife that call this place home, including, but not limited to, lions, Leopards, Black and White Rhinos, elephants, buffalo, giraffes, zebras, hippos, and so many others. We will stay at Akagera transit lodge, located a few minutes' drive from the park gate.
Detailed itinerary
Arrival at Akagera national park and game drive
Your tour guide/driver will pick you up from your hotel/residence in Kigali at 7:00 am and depart for Akagera National Park east of Rwanda. The distance from Kigali to the Akagera National Park entrance gate is about 110km, and the travel time is about 2.5 hours.
Upon arriving in Akagera, you will immediately go on a game drive to see your first wildlife and enjoy the beautiful scenery. Later, you will continue to your lodge and have lunch. At 2:30 pm, you can go on a one-hour boat trip to Lake Ihema, the biggest lake in the park. The boat trip offers terrific views of hippos, crocodiles, and other wildlife along the lake shores and islands.
Meal plan
Boat safari on Lake Ihema
Today, we will take a morning boat trip to Lake Ihema. After lunch, we will return to the lodge and spend the rest of the day leisurely.
Optional activity: Night safari: You can do a night game drive after 6 pm to look for elusive nocturnal animals such as leopards, hyenas, jackals, genets, bush babies, porcupines, serval
optional: Hot air balloon safari; you can start with the hot air balloon safari over Akagera, which begins at 5 am. It is a 45-minute flight and provides access to areas of the park that are not reachable by car, giving you incredible views of the breathtaking Akagera landscape and a chance to spot more animals. After the balloon safari, we will continue with the game drive.
Meal plan
Long Game drive and transfer back to Kigali
This is a six-hour game drive from the lodge/entrance in the south to the exit in the north of the park. You will cover a variety of habitats, including woodland, wetlands, bushes and thickets, forest, and grassland, which will provide a variety of wildlife. Finally, you will reach the Kilala plains in the north.
Kilala plains are beautiful, flat savanna plains where many animals graze, such as antelopes, buffaloes, and zebras. The variety of grazing animals in the Kilala plains makes it a favorite hunting ground for predators. Therefore, it is the place to look for lions, hyenas, and other predators.
These plains are the main animal-watching area of the park, and one cannot afford to miss them.
Optional activity: Morning rhino tracking: You can join the park's Rhino monitoring team, which tracks the rhinos on foot each morning to check their safety and health and collect other important information about them.
Meal plan

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