Akagera Big Five Safari Tour Experiences

The Best of Akagera Safari!

Akagera is the only destination in Rwanda where you can have a Big Five safari tour. The Park is Rwanda’s only savanna wildlife protected area located in the Eastern part of the country. It covers a land area of 1,122 square kilometers and is Central Africa’s largest protected wetland.

Just like other protected areas in Rwanda, Akagera suffered a major setback after the 1994 genocide against the Tutsis. Part of the park land was de-gazetted to resettle some Rwandan people who returned after the civil war. This meant is reduction in the land area for the different wildlife the park had at the moment. Even before that, several animal species had gone extinct because of poaching and human land encroachment.

The park was however fully restored thanks to the conservation and sustainability commitment from the Rwandan government. It partnered with Africa Parks a non-profit conservation organization that takes over rehabilitation and long-term management of protected areas in partnership with government and communities. This partnership saw the reintroduction of several wildlife species including the southern White rhinos.

Akagera is now a leading destination for the Big Five Safari tour experiences.

The Big Five Species in Akagera

Savanna’s big five animal species include lions, leopards, Elephants, Rhinos, and buffaloes. These were named the Big Five because they would give trophy hunters a hard time to take on. Safari and trophy hunting has greatly reduced due to its threat to wildlife survival. The Big Five mammal species however still stand out and have quite a safari presence in the wild.

Lions are among the deadliest and most feared predators. They live in Pride of up to 20 individuals in different territories in the savannas. The Lion population in Rwanda has steadily increased over the years thus making Akagera Big Five safari tour experiences more enjoyable.

Elephants are the land’s largest mammals. They are primarily grazers and are among wildlife species with a long lifespan because they have few predators. Elephants are impressive to watch while on safari and Akagera Big Five Safari tours featuring elephants will never disappoint.

Rhinos are the land’s second-largest mammals. They are highly threatened by poaching as their horns are perceived as valuable. Rhinos have a poor sight but a strong sense of smell. They too apart from humans do not have any serious predators. Akagera National Park now has both white and black rhinos that can easily be seen on game drives. Leopards are solitary and this makes them desirable. Buffaloes are also impressive to watch while on safari and Akagera has a reasonable number of them.

Best Time for Akagera Big Five Safaris

Rwanda lies within the tropics and the Great Lakes region and has one of the best weather. The country has two climatic seasons, the dry and wet season. The dry season starts from June to mid-October and from mid-December to February. Rwanda safaris and Akagera Big Five safari tour experiences are best enjoyed in this dry season. This is so because there are minimal rainfall disturbances. Major game drive trails are dry and easy to navigate and the natural lighting provides a perfect environment for photography.

The wet season starts from mid-October to November and from March to May. Even though there are high chances of rainfall, it cannot deter you from your safari adventure. These months also act as the best times for photography. It is in these months that migratory birds from as far as Europe set in. Akagera has over 450 birds making it an ideal birding destination. Native birds are active and in full plumage in the low season months.

Akagera Safari Packages

Akagera can be explored from a 1-day safari tour to more depending on your time and preference. It can be accessed by both road and air and it takes a 3-hour drive from Kigali to get there. For those with limited time say 1 day but would love to visit the park have to leave Kigali by 6:00 am. There you get to the park in time for game drives, have a boat cruise, and later transfer back to Kigali.

The 2-day Akagera safari tour is a bit relaxed. It features a night in or near the park and has more chances of seeing the big five mammals. The 3, 4, and 5-day Akagera tour options are more recommended. These options are extensive and the most recommended Akagera Big Five safari tour adventures. You can customize your adventure to focus on safari specials that can some or all of the big five mammals and birds.

Where to Stay

Akagera National Park has several accommodation options. They range from budget and convenient tented camps, lodges, and high-end facilities. It is always best to have accommodation within the park so that you easily dive into the adventure. Akagera Game Lodge, Ruzizi Tented Lodge, and Magashi Camp are among the options within the park.

Dereva Hotel, Akagara Transit Lodge, and Akagera Safari Camp are a few options outside the park. All of these offer great hospitality services serving organic food locally produced in Rwanda.

Rwanda generally offers diverse safari experiences to also feature primates. Mountain gorillas are the most prominent of all primate species and they live in Volcanoes National Park. This is located in Northwestern Rwanda and is part of the Virunga massif and conservation area. You can combine an Akagera Big Five safari tour with a gorilla trekking adventure. In case you are interested in other destinations in the region, Kenya and Tanzania got you covered in terms of savanna wildlife.

Kenya has city tour destinations offering savanna wildlife experiences. These include Nairobi National Park, the Giraffe Manor, and the Sheldrick Elephant Center among others. Other destinations are evenly distributed throughout the country including Central Kenya. Uganda Tour experiences to Mount Elgon are also exclusive and remarkable.