Safari Overview
Akagera National Park is Rwanda’s wild east, a sweeping landscape of savannah, woodland, and glittering lakes that feels worlds away from the city. Over two days, you’ll track the Big Five, drift across Lake Ihema at sunset, and wake up to the sounds of Africa at its most alive. This safari departs and returns from Kigali, making it an easy and rewarding escape.
Safari at a Glance
Duration: 2 Days / 1 Night
Destination: Akagera National Park, Rwanda
Safari Type: Wildlife & Big Five
Activities: Game drives, boat safari
Best Time to Visit: Year-round
Starts & Ends: Kigali
Day-by-Day Tour Itinerary
Day 1: Drive to Akagera | Boat Ride on Lake Ihema | Evening Game Drive
After breakfast at your Kigali hotel, your guide will pick you up for the drive east to Akagera, roughly two and a half hours through Rwanda’s rolling countryside, with terraced hills and red-soil roads that are scenic in their own right.
You’ll arrive in time for lunch, then head straight out onto Lake Ihema for an afternoon boat safari. This is one of Akagera’s highlights hippos laze in the shallows, crocodiles eye you from the banks, and dozens of water bird species take flight around you. The light on the lake in the afternoon is something else entirely.
If energy allows, round off the day with an evening game drive through the park’s open plains, where elephants, buffaloes, giraffes, zebras, impalas, topis, and, if you’re lucky, lions and rhinos make their appearances. Then it’s back to your lodge for dinner and a well-earned rest.
Meals: Lunch, Dinner
Accommodation Options:
🟢 Budget , Akagera Rhino Lodge / Rutete Eco Lodge (or similar)
🔵 Midrange , Akagera Safari Camp / Karenge Bush Camp (or similar)
🟡 Luxury , Mantis Akagera Game Lodge / Ruzizi Tented Lodge (or similar)
🔴 Upmarket , Wilderness Magashi Camp (or similar)
Day 2: Morning Game Drive | Return to Kigali
There’s a reason seasoned safari-goers swear by early mornings , predators are on the move, the air is cool, and the park feels like it belongs entirely to you. Rise early for a final game drive before heading back to the lodge for a leisurely lunch.
After lunch, your guide will drive you back to Kigali, arriving in the evening. A two-day adventure, but memories that’ll last far longer.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
What’s Included
- Park entrance fees
- 1 night accommodation in or near Akagera National Park
- Meals as per itinerary (lunch & dinner on Day 1; breakfast & lunch on Day 2)
- Professional English-speaking driver/guide
- 4×4 safari vehicle throughout
- Morning and evening game drives
- Boat safari on Lake Ihema
- Bottled drinking water
What’s Not Included
- International flights
- Rwanda visa fees
- Travel insurance
- Tips and gratuities
- Personal expenses (drinks, souvenirs, laundry, etc.)
- Optional activities not listed above
