Most people know Rwanda for its misty volcanoes and mountain gorillas. Head east, and the landscape opens into rolling savannah, papyrus-fringed lakes and acacia woodland. This is Akagera National Park, Rwanda's Big Five destination and one of the great conservation comebacks in Africa.
Where Rwanda roars back
Akagera is Rwanda's only savannah park and the largest protected wetland in Central Africa. It covers about 112,000 hectares in the northeast of the country. Lions hunt on its plains, rhinos graze near its lakes, and hippos crowd the shores of Lake Ihema. The park is now a Big Five destination, with lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhino all present. It is also just a 2½-hour drive from Kigali, so it fits easily into a Rwanda trip.
Travelers researching Rwanda often want one thing: a Big Five safari that doesn't need a week or a huge budget. Akagera delivers it.
Combine it with gorilla trekking. After the volcanoes, Akagera is the ideal contrast: warm, open and full of big game. It's uncrowded. Expect quiet tracks and sightings you share with very few vehicles. It's well managed. Roads, rangers and guiding standards are high.
The Big Five in Akagera
Beyond the Big Five, Akagera is home to giraffe, zebra, hippo, crocodile, topi, eland, waterbuck and the secretive roan antelope. Birders can look forward to more than 480 species, including the prized shoebill stork, the papyrus gonolek and the African fish eagle.
Things to do in Akagera
Game drives
Morning and afternoon drives cover the savannah circuits. Northern tracks are best for predators, southern tracks for giraffe and plains game.
Boat safari on Lake Ihema
Glide past hippos, crocodiles and fishing birds. A favorite for photographers, especially in late-afternoon light.
Night game drives
The best chance of leopard, hyena, genets and civets.
Guided bush walks
Ruzizi Tented Lodge and Magashi's two camps offer guided walks, and Karenge Camp guests can now join rangers on a morning rhino trek.
Birdwatching and fishing
Lakes and wetlands make Akagera a quiet paradise for nature lovers.
Community visits
Meet neighbouring communities and see how conservation supports local livelihoods.
Where to stay in Akagera
Akagera now has options for every style and budget. The park splits neatly into a lake-side south and a wilder, plains-heavy north.
South
Lake Ihema, boat trips, easy access
Ruzizi Tented Lodge
Nine solar-powered tents linked by wooden walkways through fig and palm trees, with a large deck over the lake. Intimate, eco-friendly and ideal for a first visit.
SALT of Akagera
Sixty rooms and suites on the ridge above Lake Ihema. The park's largest property and the one that takes younger children. Formerly Akagera Game Lodge.
North
Open plains, lions, true bush
Karenge Bush Camp
Renovated and reopened in May 2025, with seven canvas tents in the Kilala Plains. A genuine bush experience close to the action.
Wilderness Magashi
An ultra-luxury tented camp on Lake Rwanyakazinga in a private concession, with spacious suites and top-notch cuisine. Made for honeymooners and travelers wanting exclusivity.
Adventurous and budget-conscious travelers can also use the basic campsites inside the park.
Our advice: if lions and open plains are your priority, sleep in the north. If you want lake activities and an easy stay, choose the south. For the best of both, split your stay.
The conservation success story
Akagera's story is one of loss, and then recovery.
- The 1990s
The park loses about half of its original area to settlement. The lions are gone, and poaching and conflict have decimated wildlife.
- 2010
The Rwanda Development Board partners with African Parks, a conservation non-profit, to manage the park. Anti-poaching teams are strengthened, fences reduce human-wildlife conflict, and tourism revenue is reinvested in the park and neighbouring communities.
- 2015
Lions return to Rwanda after more than 15 years, and the population has grown steadily since.
- 2017
Eastern black rhinos come home, completing the Big Five.
- 2019 and 2025
Further rhino translocations strengthen the population, and rangers now lead rhino treks for Karenge guests.
- Today
Akagera is a true Big Five park, and much of its funding comes from tourism.
Every traveler who visits Akagera helps protect it. Park fees, lodge stays and community projects keep the rangers working and the wildlife safe. It proves that wildlife can be brought back when conservation, communities and responsible tourism work together.
Best time to visit
June to September. The best game viewing, as animals gather near water.
December to February. Also excellent, with pleasant weather.
March to May and October to November. Lush green scenery, fewer visitors and lower rates, though some northern tracks can be soft.
Sample safaris with Vazquez Tours & Travel
Akagera day trip from Kigali
Early start, game drive and boat trip, back in Kigali by evening.
2 days, 1 night
Game drives, a boat trip and a night in the park.
3-day Big Five safari
North and south sectors for the best chance of lion and rhino.
Gorillas and Akagera
Trek the volcanoes, then finish with the Big Five.
East Africa combination
Add Uganda, Kenya or Tanzania for a full regional adventure.
Plan your Akagera safari with us
Vazquez Tours & Travel Ltd is a Rwanda-based operator with local guides who know Akagera's tracks, lodges and wildlife. We arrange transfers, park permits, lodges and guides, and combine Akagera with gorilla trekking, chimpanzee tracking, golden monkey trekking, canopy walks and safaris across Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania.
Lodge details, rates and availability change. Please confirm them with each property before booking.