Big Five Rwanda Safari Exclusively Akagera National Park
A Big Five Rwanda safari takes place exclusively in Akagera National Park, the country’s only savannah park. Located a 2.5-hour drive from Kigali, successful conservation efforts have reintroduced lions and rhinos, making it one of the few reserves where you can spot the lion, leopard, rhino, elephant, and buffalo in one day.
Akagera National Park is Rwanda’s sole Big Five safari destination, featuring lions, leopards, elephants, black rhinos, and buffalo. Located in the east, this park offers savanna, wetland, and lake landscapes for viewing all five species following successful reintroduction efforts. It is easily combined with mountain gorilla tracking for a comprehensive Rwanda wildlife experience.
Although the small landlocked nation of Rwanda is most famous for its mountain gorillas, visitors may also enjoy world-class safaris featuring the Big Five in Rwanda. Rwanda is now a legitimate East African destination for a Big Five safari, thanks to conservation initiatives at Akagera National Park, which have reintroduced lions and rhinoceroses.
Rwanda Big Five Safari And Gorillas
Rwanda offers a premier wildlife experience, combining savannah game drives in Akagera National Park (to see the Big Five: lions, leopards, elephants, buffalo, and rhinos) with gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park.
Big Five Rwanda Safari
The Big Five are only visible to visitors at Akagera National Park, Rwanda.
While most visitors come to Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda to see the gorillas, the country offers a lot more to those who like to combine a safari with their vacation.
The past few decades have seen an incredible revival at Akagera. The remnants of its troubled past, when nature and humans frequently clashed, have been mostly eradicated. There are now an abundance of wildlife thanks to reintroduction efforts that have brought back lions, black rhinos, and other species. Undoubtedly, seeing the Big Five is the best.
The Big Five in Akagera
- Lion & Leopard: Lions were reintroduced in 2015 and are most active in the open northern plains. Leopards are famously elusive but often sighted in the dense western acacia woodlands.
- Black & White Rhino: Following reintroduction programs, black rhinos roam the woodland thickets, while white rhinos graze the open grasslands.
- Elephant & Buffalo: Both can be found in abundance across the park’s diverse terrain of marshes, woodland, and savannah.
Activities in Akagera National Park
1. Game drives
Day and night game drives are available at the park, providing visitors with great opportunities to observe a diverse range of species. Hyenas, jackals, Maasai giraffe, Burchell’s zebra, eland, oribi, sable, roan, bushbuck, reedbuck, waterbuck, and many more animals are all visible to visitors.
2. Boat trips
Rwanda is home to Lake Ihema, the country’s second-largest lake. One of the best ways to see the park’s aquatic animals, such as crocodiles and hippos, is on a private boat ride around the lake. As you float peacefully along the waterway surrounded by trees, you’ll have the wonderful chance to observe some of the 480 bird species found in the park. Keep an eye out for rare birds like crowned cranes and shoebill storks.
3. A behind-the-scenes tour
The extraordinary “behind-the-scenes” tour is a great way to understand the enormous amount of labour that has gone into making the park what it is today and the ongoing effort required to keep it in perfect condition. You’ll have the opportunity to meet park workers, including wardens and anti-poaching rangers, during your tour to the park’s headquarters. Their job is to ensure the safety of Akagera’s species. Gaining insight into the park’s conservation efforts from those who work there on a daily basis is a fantastic opportunity.
For a meticulously planned trip to Rwanda, contact Kabira Safaris Africa if you wish to visit Akagera National Park on its own or in conjunction with gorilla trekking.