Akagera National Park, located in eastern Rwanda along the border with Tanzania, is the country’s only savannah park and a remarkable conservation success story. Covering an area of about 1,122 km², it is a landscape of contrasts, blending open grasslands, wooded savannah, rolling hills, wetlands, and a chain of lakes fed by the Kagera River, which gives the park its name.

Once heavily degraded by poaching and human settlement after the 1994 genocide, Akagera has been revitalized through community involvement and African Parks management, transforming it into one of Africa’s leading examples of wildlife recovery. Today, it is home to the Big Five: lions, leopards, elephants, buffalo, and rhinos alongside giraffes, zebras, hippos, crocodiles, antelopes, and over 500 bird species.

Beyond traditional game drives, Akagera offers diverse experiences such as boat safaris on Lake Ihema, birdwatching in the wetlands, night drives for nocturnal wildlife, and cultural interactions with nearby communities. Its accessibility from Kigali makes it an ideal destination for both short safaris and multi-day adventures.

Akagera National Park stands today not only as a wildlife haven, but also as a symbol of conservation resilience, showcasing how ecosystems and communities can thrive together when nature is protected.

Key Features

Location: Situated in eastern Rwanda, bordering Tanzania. 

Habitats: A unique mix of savanna, woodland, rolling highlands, swamps, and lakes, including the large Lake Ihema. 

Wildlife: Home to elephants, lions, leopards, buffalo, rhinos (reintroduced), zebras, giraffes, hippos, crocodiles, and diverse antelope species. It also hosts primate species like baboons and vervets. 

Biodiversity: Features a high level of biodiversity, including numerous bird species and specialized wetland creatures like the Sitatunga antelope and the Shoebill stork. 

What to Do & See

Game Drives: Explore the park’s varied landscapes in a vehicle for incredible wildlife viewing opportunities. 

Boat Safaris: Take a boat cruise on Lake Ihema to see hippos, crocodiles, and a host of waterbirds. 

Birdwatching: A paradise for birders, with over 500 species of birds to spot, including large concentrations of waterfowl and savanna species. 

Conservation Efforts: Learn about the park’s remarkable recovery from poaching and habitat loss since the 1994 Genocide, with reintroductions of key species and community involvement.