Akagera National Park Extension

Enjoy a roughly three-hour scenic transfer from Kigali to Akagera National Park wending through verdant terraced hills with a local driver who will deliver you to your camp guide at the gate of Akagera National Park, Rwanda’s only big game reserve where savanna-adapted species can be found. Transfer to your luxury safari camp, and this afternoon, begin your guided wildlife exploration of this remarkable, less-traveled destination.

Akagera stands as a remarkable conservation success, where species once driven to local extinction by poaching have been restored to thrive within the park's diverse ecosystems. Encompassing Central Africa’s largest protected wetland, Akagera has transformed from a depleted landscape into a vibrant refuge for wildlife, including the iconic Big Five. Since African Parks took over management in 2010, effective anti-poaching measures and strategic species reintroductions have led to a significant rebound in wildlife populations. The park now has nearly 12,000 animals, a dramatic increase from fewer than 5,000 in 2010, showcasing its potential for biodiversity recovery and sustainable tourism.

Explore the abundance of this vast park—about 250,000 acres—with expert naturalist guides who are adept at tracking and spotting animals on twice-daily wildlife drives in an open safari vehicle. In this uncrowded Big Five destination, search for apex predators, including lion and leopard, critically endangered black rhinos and near-threatened white rhinos, elephant and buffalo, alongside zebras, giraffes, antelopes and hundreds of bird species.

In between morning and afternoon game drives, try catch-and-release fishing for catfish and tilapia or a boat ride on adjacent Lake Rwanyakazinga. Learn about Akagera’s remarkable evolution from a ravaged and depleted park into today’s incarnation and the role of African Parks, the nonprofit that manages Akagera in partnership with the government.

In November 2021, 30 endangered white rhinos were reintroduced into the park from a private game reserve in South Africa in a program made possible through years of planning and collaboration between the Rwandan government, African Parks and the local community. As of 2024, the white rhino population has grown to 78 individuals and the park is recognized as a sanctuary for black and white rhinos. The park's comprehensive anti-poaching strategy combines advanced technology, trained rangers and community engagement, including a canine unit and highly trained conservation law enforcement staff supported by helicopter. Akagera also has a 120-kilometer electric fence to prevent wildlife from leaving the park and poachers from entering. Today, poaching in Akagera is nearly nonexistent.

Transfer from the park to the airport in Kigali for onward travels.