Akagera National Park

About this place

Akagera National Park is a reserve of 1,122 square kilometres in eastern Rwanda, on the Tanzanian border, combining savanna, hills and swamp. It is the only park in the country offering a safari in the usual sense. Its lakes and papyrus swamps make up over a third of the area, the largest protected wetland in East-Central Africa. The Belgians founded it in 1934 at 2,500 square kilometres, naming it for the Kagera River, which runs along its eastern edge and feeds Lake Ihema. In 2009 the Rwanda Development Board and African Parks agreed to manage it jointly for 20 renewable years. That led to a western fence 120 km long and the return of species that had disappeared from the park. Your vehicle moves between acacia trees, past herds of elephants on the plain, giraffes among the bushes and impala on the dirt road. On Lake Ihema a boat trip brings you close to hippos, crocodiles and birds. At night the sky is clear above the camps, and stars crowd in far from any city lights. It is about 72 km from Kigali in a straight line, so a long day trip is possible, though one night is better. Enter by the south gate in the morning and leave by the north if you can, as the park runs lengthwise. A high vehicle is best, along with a park guide who knows where the animals are. Carry food and water, as services inside are few.