1 Day Akagera National Park Safari

During this 1 day Akagera National Park safari, our Guide/Driver will pick you up from your hotel or residence in Kigali for the 2-hour drive to the park. After registration at the park, you will go straight for the morning game drive in the company of a park Guide. The game drive takes about hours. During this time expect to encounter Lions, Zebras, Elephants, Buffaloes, Giraffes, Leopards (if you are lucky) and Rhinos. You will then have a picnic lunch at the park and then head for the afternoon boat cruise at Lake Ihema. If you are interested in a longer safari, you can check out our 3 Days safari in Akagera.

Day 1: Pickup from Kigali and transfer to Akagera National Park – Game Drive – Afternoon boat ride – Transfer back to Kigali.

The journey to Akagera from Kigali starts at 5 am and takes two and a half hours. Our Driver will meet you at your hotel or a specific location after taking your breakfast. There will be a briefing before you start the journey through amazing Rwanda countryside. Arrival time is 9am. On reaching the park, you will register and be joined by a park Guide who is familiar with the terrain and best areas for wildlife viewing. This game drive will take you through vast Savannah plains, woodlands and lake shores to look for Zebras, Elephants, Buffaloes, Giraffes, Lions, black-tailed Mongoose, olive baboons, vervet monkeys, colobus monkeys and bush babies (evening). Expect to spend about 4 hours on the game. You will have picnic lunch or head to Akagera game lodge where most tourist have their lunch.

The afternoon boat cruise at Lake Ihema takes you to see hippos, crocodiles and countless water birds. Lake Ihema is the largest lake in the park and is found in the southern sector. The lake feeds several other water bodies within and outside the park. Lake Ihema covers an area equivalent to 90 square kilometers. The Eastern shores help define the border between Rwanda and Tanzania. As already noted, Lake Ihema is home to crocodiles, hippopotamus and several bird species – including lbis, herons, plovers, sandpipers, Hawks and others already mentioned. The boat ride takes about two hours. After the boat cruise, it is time to start the journey back to Kigali. You will reach the capital late in the evening.

The safari includes

1. A game drive
2. Boat cruise at Lake Ihema
3. Park entrance
4. Transportation in an air-conditioned 4X4 vehicle with a pop-up roof
5. An English or French Speaking Guide if required
6. Lunch and bottled drinking water throughout the safari
7. Park entrance fees
8. All activities mentioned in the itinerary
9. Pickup and drop-off in Kigali
10. Government taxes

The Safari Excludes

1. Air tickets and Visa
2. Tips for the Guides
3. Alcoholic drinks and cigarettes
4. Medical Insurance
5. Accommodation the night before the safari and after the tour.

For the best experiences while on safari in Akagera bring along the following:

1. A hat to protect yourself from the sun’s rays.
2. Sunscreen to protect yourself from the Afternoon heat during the dry season.
3. A binocular to help you spot birds and animals that are far away from the established park roads.
4. Short sleeved shirt ad blouse especially during the dry season.
5. A warm sweater during the rainy season.
6. A rain jacket especially during the rainy season.
7. A camera to capture all the beautiful moments and amazing scenery.
8. Hiking boots in case you are to get out of the car for a walk inside the park.
9. Money for tipping, unplanned expenses or buying souvenirs.

1. Most of the game drives are restricted to areas close to the main park road beginning from the offices near Lake Ihema.  The road was built strategically to run along the major water bodies and areas where animals are concentrated. There are smaller junctions leading to key landmarks and watering holes. You might find the article about the cost of visiting Akagera National Park interesting.
2. Staff at the park offices can help with information about the park and overall biodiversity. The park has all five of Africa’s major mammals – Lions, Leopards, Buffaloes, Elephants and Rhinos. The park also has zebras, giraffes and twelve species of antelope (impala, oribi, bushbucks, tsessebe and eland).
3. Birders will be impressed with over 500 recorded species including fish eagles, papyrus gonolek and the shoebill stork. These birds and others thrive on the lake shores, swamps and other wetlands.

The quality of a hotel determines how memorable or enjoyable a safari is. While in Akagera, you will need a hotel that is good but affordable. Akagera National Park has fewer accommodation facilities than the volcanoes or Nyungwe National Park. Despite a shortage in accommodation facilities, there are good ones offering quality services. Back packers and those who are more adventurous can choose to sleep in one of the camping sites and enjoy the African wilderness at a cheap cost. Basic camping is less comfortable but can be fun especially if you are a group of friends. Just imagine partying, drinking and eating roasted meat in the African wilderness.

There are 3 main campsites within the park and cost between $20 to $50. They are all equipped with firewood. If you want to go for a long call, you will have to use the pit latrine. Beware of baboons. They are a real menace and will try to bully you or want to steal some of your supplies. We can help you book these lodges if you instruct us to do so. They include:

Ruzizi tented lodge: This lodge was built by the park management in 2013 along the shores of Lake Ihema. The lodge was built to address the initial shortage of good accommodation facilities in the park. It has 20 self-contained tents that are linked using boardwalks. The lodge is built with local material and designs to give travelers the feeling of being out in the African wild. It is a perfect lodge for those who want a peaceful and quiet atmosphere that allows one to feel close to nature. Each of the tents has a private bathroom and shower. There is constant power supply and security is excellent. Because it is owned by the park management, residents get a chance to visit parts of the park which others may not be able to access.

Akagera Game lodge: This is the oldest lodge in the park. There was a time when it was the only one tourists could go to while visiting the park. They became lazy and the quality of services reduced as there was no competition. Things have changed now with the coming in of competitors. The lodge owners woke up and improved facilities. Everything was revamped and Akagera Game lodge is one of the best in the park. The lodge offers great views of Lake Ihema. The rooms are simple but well furnished. There is a large swimming pool, restaurant, tennis court, curio bar and other amenities. Power supply is constant, Wi-Fi is free and Television is set in each room.  Akagera Game lodge is perfect for those who want a quality lodge but that is affordable. It is the perfect lodge for the mid-range traveler.

Dereva Hotel: This hotel is located outside the park along the route to Kigali. It offers budget facilities but which are of good quality. The rooms are categorized into two – Queen Size and Twin depending on what the traveler wants. All rooms are self-contained with a bathroom, warm water, DSTV, a phone and free internet. One can visit the dining halls for excellent meals, then go to the bar or just relax at the cozy lounge area. The hotel also has meeting rooms that can accommodate between 20 to 200 participants.