Akagera National Park is Rwanda’s only savannah reserve and is again a Big Five destination after the recent reintroductions of lion and black rhino. Other animals include elephant, buffalo, giraffe and hippo. In terms of pure wildlife viewing, Akagera can’t quite compete with the more famous parks in Kenya and Tanzania. However, the park is very scenic and the birdlife is particularly rewarding.
Akagera National Park is particularly scenic and offers a wide diversity of habitats in a small area. Visitors can drive along a string of forest-fringed lakes and wetlands fed by the Akagera River. Tall mountains form a lovely backdrop to the ever-changing vegetation, which includes papyrus swamps and acacia woodland. Wildlife numbers are on the increase in Akagera National Park and animals are slowly becoming less skittish (problems have included human encroachment and poaching). Buffalos are easily seen, and elephants are quite common. Leopards are around, but very secretive. Lions were reintroduced from South Africa in 2015 and there were 19 in the park as of early 2018, along with the same number of black rhino, which were reintroduced in 2017.
Akagera has recently become a Big Five destination but some of the main species can be difficult to find. Buffalo is common and you might see elephant as well. The newly introduced lions are remarkably relaxed, but sightings are hit-and-miss. Black rhino is the most recent addition, but they are very shy. Leopards can be spotted on night drives. There are a lot of plains animals, including Burchell’s zebra and Masai giraffe. Akagera is also home to 11 antelope species. The most common throughout the park is the gracious impala, but of particular interest are the big herds of topi. Defassa waterbuck are regularly seen around the lakes and bushbuck is a widespread resident in the woodland areas. The rare sitatunga antelope is known to reside in the swamps.
With around 480 species recorded, Akagera offers excellent birding. Of the 480 species, 100 birds are not found in any other protected area in Rwanda. Akagera is Rwanda’s second most important birding site after Nyungwe, and the two parks complement each other perfectly – very few birds recorded in Rwanda can’t be found in either park. Akagera is a good place to see a variety of raptors, including bateleur, white-backed and Ruppell’s griffon vultures, and brown snake-eagle.
