Rwanda's only
Big Five safari.
just a few hours from Kigali.
Overview
Akagera National Park is Rwanda’s premier savannah destination and the only park in the country home to all of the Big Five — lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhino. Covering approximately 1,120 square kilometers in the east of Rwanda, near the border with Tanzania, Akagera is also the largest protected wetland area in Central Africa and the country’s only refuge for savanna-adapted wildlife.
The park’s story is one of remarkable recovery. Lions were wiped out in the years following the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi, and rhinos disappeared from the park entirely. Since then, conservation efforts have brought both species back — seven lions were reintroduced in 2015, followed by eighteen eastern black rhinos two years later, restoring Akagera’s Big Five status.
Today the park is thriving again, home to healthy and growing populations of lion, elephant, rhino and more, alongside swamps, hills, acacia woodland, grassland and small lakes fed by the Kagera River.
What You'll Experience
Game drives — Track lions, elephants, buffalo and both black and white rhino across open savannah, with the best sightings typically near the park’s lakes and water sources.
Boat safari on Lake Ihema — Lake Ihema, the second-largest lake in Rwanda, offers close-up views of hippos, crocodiles and water birds from the water.
Birdwatching — Home to over 500 bird species, with around 100 found nowhere else in Rwanda, including the elusive shoebill stork, making Akagera one of the country’s top birding destinations.
Nature walks & community visits — Guided walks and visits to nearby communities round out a fuller picture of the park and the people who help protect it.