Rwanda is the newest addition to the list of African countries with the Big Five game animals, following the reintroduction of eastern black rhinos to Akagera National Park in May 2017 after a 10-year absence.
The Big Five game animals include the Cape Buffalo, Rhinoceros, Lions, Leopards, and Elephants, all of which can be viewed in Rwanda’s only wildlife destination, Akagera National Park.
This short 3-day Akagera wildlife safari allows you to observe the Big Five animals, along with many others, on the savannah plains of Akagera NP at unbeatable prices.
Briefly, the term “Big Five” was originally coined by hunters to refer to the animals that are the most difficult to hunt on foot.
This 3-day Akagera wildlife safari begins and ends in Kigali City, featuring three game viewing activities, a boat cruise on the magical Lake Ihema for sightings of crocodiles and hippopotamuses, as well as a Kigali City Tour that highlights visits to various cultural sites.
3-Day Akagera Safari Highlights
- Day 1: Arrival and Transfer to Akagera National Park
- Day 2: Full Day Game Drive at Akagera National Park
- Day 3: Early Morning Game Drive and Transfer to Kigali
Detailed 3-Day Akagera Safari Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival and Transfer to Akagera National Park
Upon your arrival, our company safari guide will pick you up and drive you to Akagera National Park.
There, you will have a short briefing session to equip you with knowledge, precautions, tips, and more before heading into the Savannah plains of the park in search of wildlife.
We will then have a 2-hour game viewing drive before returning to the park for a break and lunch.
In the afternoon, embark on a boat ride on Akagera’s largest lake, Lake Ihema, where you will catch sights of crocodiles, hippopotamuses, and other water animals in abundance.
Afterward, we will return to our accommodation for an overnight stay as we prepare for more game viewing the following day.
Day 2: Full Day Game Drive at Akagera National Park
On this day, we need to be up by at least 6:30 a.m. (or earlier if possible) for an early morning breakfast as we prepare for our 7:00 a.m. departure to the northern part of Akagera National Park.
The journey is a bit long, so we recommend packing plenty of drinks and a packed lunch, as lunch will be eaten in the wild while observing wildlife.
This will be an exciting day of wildlife viewing! Expect guaranteed sightings of mammals such as elephants, buffaloes, and topis as we trail through the steep Mutumba Hill, which overlooks the northern part of Akagera National Park and is surrounded by roaming herds of wildlife.
Notably, the northern side of Akagera National Park is primarily covered with a mixture of acacia tree plantations along with wooded and open savannah grasslands.
It is one of the best sections for wildlife viewing in the park, so we will make the most of our drive here. It should take us about 3 hours to reach this section, where we can relax and enjoy sightings of various antelope species, including the Cape elands, roans, reedbucks, oribis, dikers, sitatungas, and impalas, among many others.
Day 3: Early Morning Game Drive and Transfer to Kigali
On the last day of our 3-day Akagera wildlife safari, we will wake up for a 6:30 a.m. breakfast and set off for our final game viewing drive by 7:00 a.m.
This is our opportunity to search for any animals we may have missed over the previous two days. If we have not yet seen all of the Big Five, we will focus on finding the missing members.
After the game drive, we will transfer back to Kigali City for a city tour, if time permits, or proceed directly to the airport for your flight home.
If you choose to stay overnight, please inform us in advance so we can arrange reservations with one of our partner safari lodges or accommodation facilities.
End of 3-Day Akagera Wildlife Safari.
