Akagera National Park

Akagera National Park lies on the eastern border of Rwanda with Tanzania. This scenic low-lying park is Central Africa’s largest protected wetland. It's also the last refuge for savanna-adapted species in Rwanda. So Akagera is home to healthy populations of buffalo and elephant, zebra and giraffe. Predators, such as lion and leopard, also prowl through the cover of its acacia groves. But you’ll share the roads with virtually no other vehicles. So an Akagera safari offers an interesting contrast to the mountainous forest reserves of the Volcanoes and Nyungwe.

It stretches across a vast expanse of low-lying mountains and savanna plains. The park takes in the rolling highlands woodlands, a labyrinth of swamps and lakes, and the wetlands of the Kagera River. (Indeed, the Akagera ultimately joins the Nile to become part of the longest river in the world.) The bush ranges from cactus-like Euphorbia candelabra shrub to dense forest.

As well as game drives, you can also enjoy a boat cruise on the beautiful Lake Ihema. This is a great way to see some of the many hippo pods, as well as elephants and other wildlife quenching their thirst, Look out for the huge Nile crocodiles that wallow in the park’s watery regions.

Of course birders will enjoy park’s abundant water-birds including breeding colonies of noisy, and somewhat smelly, cormorants and open-billed storks.

Bursting with a rich biodiversity, Akagera National Park features a variety of rare species, such as Topis, klipspringer and even Cape Eland. Plus plenty of general game and hundreds of bird species. An Akagera safari is also the only place you are likely to see elephant in Rwanda.