Rwanda's Big Five savannah park and one of Africa's great conservation comebacks, with lions and rhinos back after decades, lake boat trips and night drives.
Akagera National Park covers about 1,122 km² of savannah, acacia woodland, papyrus swamp and lakes along Rwanda's eastern border with Tanzania. In the years after 1994 it lost much of its land and almost all its large predators. Since 2010, Rwanda and African Parks have run it together and rebuilt it. Lions were reintroduced in 2015, eastern black rhinos in 2017, and southern white rhinos in 2021. Akagera is now a genuine Big Five park, 2½ hours from Kigali, and is largely self-funded through tourism.
| Location | Eastern Rwanda, along the Tanzanian border |
| Size | About 1,122 km² |
| Established | 1934, reduced in size in 1997 |
| Managed by | Akagera Management Company (RDB and African Parks), since 2010 |
| Wildlife | The Big Five, plus about 500 bird species |
| Distance from Kigali | About 110 km (2½ hours) to the southern gate |
| Activity | Why it's worth it |
|---|---|
| Game drives | The northern plains around Mutumba and Kilala hold most of the big game, lions and rhinos. |
| Lake Ihema boat trip | An hour or so among hippos, crocodiles and fish eagles, with good sunset light. |
| Night drives | Leopard, hyena, genet, bushbaby and civet. |
| Behind-the-scenes tour | Meet the park team and learn how the reintroductions and anti-poaching work. |
| Walk the line | A guided walk along the park's fence line with a ranger. |
| Sport fishing on Lake Shakani | Catch-and-release with a permit. |
A day trip from Kigali is possible: leave at 5:00 am and return after dark. One or two nights let you enter at dawn, drive to the north and do the boat trip and a night drive. Akagera pairs naturally with gorillas: see our 4-day Rwanda game drive and gorilla trekking and Bwindi and Akagera combinations.
After 1994, returning refugees and their livestock settled much of Akagera's land, and in 1997 the park was reduced to about half its original size. Lions were poisoned to protect cattle, rhinos disappeared, and poaching was widespread. From 2010, a partnership between RDB and African Parks rebuilt the park: a fence along the western boundary, anti-poaching units, community programmes, and tourism infrastructure. In 2015, seven lions were brought from South Africa, the first in Rwanda for 15 years. In 2017, eastern black rhinos returned, and in 2021 a large translocation brought 30 southern white rhinos from South Africa. Today the lion population has grown, and Akagera is largely funded by tourism, a model for conservation in Africa.
Akagera's northern plains hold Masai giraffes, zebras, topi, impala, Defassa waterbuck, oribi and herds of buffalo, while elephants roam throughout. Lions are now widespread, leopards are seen at night, and spotted hyenas and side-striped jackals are common. Rhinos are shy and patchily distributed. The lakes hold one of Africa's densest hippo populations and large Nile crocodiles. Birdlife is rich, including the shoebill (in the papyrus swamps), red-faced barbet, papyrus gonolek, African fish eagle and many waterbirds.
See our 3-day Akagera tour and 3-day Rwanda Big Five safari.
Akagera charges park entry per person per day, a vehicle fee, and separate fees for the boat trip, night drive, behind-the-scenes tour and guided walks. Fees go directly to park management, funding rangers, rhino monitoring and community projects. On our tours, fees for listed activities are included.
Compared with Queen Elizabeth or Murchison Falls, Akagera is smaller but has rhinos and a conservation story that makes it special. It is ideal if your trip is centred on Rwanda, while Uganda's parks give greater variety on longer trips. See wildlife safaris.
With about 500 species recorded, Akagera is one of Rwanda's best birding areas. The papyrus swamps and lakes attract the shoebill, papyrus gonolek, white-winged warbler and many waterbirds, while the savannah holds the red-faced barbet, crested barbet, Ross's turaco, lilac-breasted roller, bateleur and grey crowned crane. Dawn and dusk are the best times for birding.
Akagera's revival depends on the communities around it. Revenue sharing, community freedom days (free park entry for Rwandans), education programmes and a conservation-focused schools project build local support. Former poachers now work as rangers and guides. The behind-the-scenes tour lets you meet the teams who monitor rhinos and lions and learn how the park is run.
Related reading: Akagera complete guide, Bwindi and Akagera safari and Rwanda national parks.
The dry seasons (June–September and December–February) are best for game viewing, when grass is short and animals concentrate near the lakes. The wet seasons (March–May and October–November) turn the park green, bring newborn animals and excellent birding, and mean fewer visitors, but some tracks can be muddy. Akagera is lower and warmer than the rest of Rwanda, so days are often hot.
Night drives are led by park guides in open vehicles with spotlights, usually from late afternoon into the evening. They look for leopards, hyenas, genets, civets, bushbabies, white-tailed mongooses and nightjars. Places are limited, so book ahead.
Akagera has a chain of lakes and swamps along its western and eastern edges, fed by the Akagera River, which forms the border with Tanzania. Lake Ihema is the largest and hosts the boat trips. Lakes Shakani, Birengero, Hago and Rwanyakazinga support hippos, crocodiles and huge numbers of waterbirds. The papyrus swamps are the shoebill's habitat. The lakes give Akagera a landscape unlike any other savannah park in East Africa.
Akagera's mix of savannah, woodland, wetland and lakes supports a wide range of large mammals. Herbivores include zebras, topi, impala, Defassa waterbuck, oribi, eland, roan antelope, bushbuck, Masai giraffes and large herds of buffalo, while elephants roam throughout. Predators include lions, leopards, spotted hyenas, side-striped jackals and servals. The lakes hold large numbers of hippos and Nile crocodiles. Black and white rhinos are present but shy, so sightings take patience and luck.
Yes. Lions, leopards, elephants, buffalo and both black and white rhinos live there, although rhinos and leopards take luck and patience.
It is smaller and quieter, with far fewer vehicles. The conservation story and the lake boat trip make it rewarding, and it combines easily with gorillas.
About 2½ hours to the southern gate.
In 2015, when seven lions were brought from South Africa. Further lions followed, and the population has grown since.
Yes. Eastern black rhinos were reintroduced in 2017 and southern white rhinos in 2021.
Yes. Self-drive is allowed, and a freelance guide can join you. A guided safari with a driver-guide is easier and usually more rewarding.
One night is the minimum for a proper visit. Two nights allow night drives, a boat trip and more time in the northern plains.
Yes. The boat trip, game drives and campsites suit families, and the short drive from Kigali makes it easy with children.
About 4–5 hours by road via Kigali, so most itineraries include a night in Kigali or drive directly on a long day.
A dawn game drive in the northern plains for lions, giraffes and rhinos, plus the late-afternoon Lake Ihema boat trip.
Cheetahs are not part of Akagera's current wildlife. For big cats, look for lions and leopards.
Yes. Masai giraffes are common on the northern plains.
Yes. Akagera's lakes have large hippo populations, best seen on the Lake Ihema boat trip.
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