Giraffe on green plain under moody clouds and hills

Nobu / Rwanda

Akagera National Park.

Where Rwanda opens out, and the Big Five came home.

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YOUR AFRICA, BEAUTIFULLY TOLD.

Travel stylePrivate & tailor-made

Start withYour dates and interests

Suggested paceFewer stops, more time

Your next stepA conversation with Nobu

The Nobu perspective

Akagera National Park,
at your pace.

Akagera National Park gives Rwanda a savannah-and-water chapter on its eastern border with Tanzania. Grasslands, papyrus wetlands and lakes form a contrast to the country's forests, with restored wildlife populations and riverbank perspectives shaping a different kind of safari.

Game drives open the view into broad country, while a boat safari brings attention back to the lakes and their birdlife. The change of scale makes Akagera a useful contrast to the intimacy of a gorilla trek.

Conservation recovery is central to the park's story, including the return of lion and rhino. Give its landscapes time, with the selected stay and activities matched to the route, rather than treating wildlife as a guaranteed checklist.

Male lion roaring with head thrown back in tall grass

AKAGERA NATIONAL PARK

What to experience

Things to do here

A guest on a raised safari vehicle seat watching a giraffe in Akagera grassland

Wildlife

Game drives

Morning and late-afternoon drives across the savannah for the Big Five and plains game, in the open south and the wilder, hillier north.

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A small motorboat with passengers cruising a lake below wooded hills in Akagera

Indian Ocean

Boat safaris

Cruises on Lake Ihema for hippo, crocodile, water birds and elephants come to drink — an Akagera signature

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The Milky Way rising above dark rocky peaks in a starry night sky

Wildlife

Night drives

Guided after-dark drives for nocturnal hunters, where conditions allow. Availability remains subject to the current rules for the specific park, reserve, conservancy or community land.

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A shoebill standing half hidden among tall green reeds in Akagera

Experience

Birding

Wetland and savannah birding, with the shoebill the great prize.

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A researcher holding up a radio-tracking antenna in grassland at Akagera

Experience

Behind-the-scenes conservation

Time with the teams behind the rewilding, where available.

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When to go

Best time to visit

Start with the season that suits the journey you want, then confirm conditions for your exact route.

A closer look at Akagera National Park

Jul / Individual planning

Your dates, your route

Start with your preferred month. Your designer will help match the season, chosen stays and connections to your route, interests and preferred pace.

June–September and December–February

The drier seasons

June–September and December–February generally favour firmer tracks, thinner bush and wildlife gathering around lakes. These conditions can suit game drives and time on the water. Plan around the chosen stay and current arrangements, with no particular sighting guaranteed.

March–May and October–November

The wetter seasons

March–May and October–November bring greener landscapes, birding interest and occasional muddy tracks, with taller grass affecting wildlife viewing. The park rewards attention to its water and scenery as well as animals. Confirm the chosen activities and conditions for your dates.

4 places to stay

Where to stay

Compare the selection by style.

4 stays · All stays

Signature
Akagera National Park / Rwanda
Akagera Game Lodge
lodge · reserve
From USD 150per person per night · indicative
Discover the stay
Expedition
Akagera National Park / Rwanda
Karenge Bush Camp
tented camp · reserve
From USD 250per person per night · indicative
Discover the stay
Elevated
Akagera National Park / Rwanda
Ruzizi Tented Lodge
tented camp · lakeshore
From USD 250per person per night · indicative
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Private Collection
Akagera National Park / Rwanda
Magashi Camp
tented camp · reserve
From USD 1,200per person per night · indicative
Discover the stay

Good to know

Know before you go

Getting there

Road and air connections depend on the wider route and current operations. Nobu confirms the suitable connection for your dates before approval.

Fees and permissions

Park, conservancy, community, activity or permit rules may apply. Nobu confirms the operative permissions and current fees in the approved quote.

Time and pace

The right stay depends on season, interests and onward routing. Nobu will recommend a pace for the individual journey rather than promise a fixed transfer or duration.

Akagera National Park fees and entry rules

Good questions. Straight answers.

Can you see the Big Five in Akagera National Park?

Yes. Following the reintroduction of lion and rhino, Akagera now holds all of the Big Five — lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo and rhino — though rhino and leopard, as everywhere, take patience and luck.

When is the best time to visit Akagera?

The dry seasons, June to September and December to February, give the easiest game viewing; the wetter months bring lush scenery and superb birding, with game resident year-round.

How many days do you need in Akagera?

Two to three nights lets you explore both the lakes of the south and the wilder northern plains, and fit in a boat safari without rushing.

Can you do a boat safari in Akagera?

Yes. Boat cruises on Lake Ihema are a highlight, bringing you close to hippo, crocodile, elephants at the shore and a wealth of water birds.

How far is Akagera from Kigali?

Transfer time depends on the selected route, traffic, road conditions and current operations. Nobu will confirm the appropriate connection for the approved itinerary.

Suggested Akagera National Park journeys