2-Day Akagera Self-Drive Safari | Big 5 & Lake Ihema

A 2-Day Akagera Self-Drive Safari | Big 5 Game Drives & Lake Ihema Boat Cruise. The Two-day self-drive safari in Akagera National Park allows for a flexible, personal exploration of Rwanda’s only savanna park, covering southern game tracks and the northern Kilala Plains for Big Five viewing. Key activities include driving the scenic route between the south and north gates, a boat trip on Lake Ihema, and wildlife viewing, including lions, rhinos, and elephants.

The Two-day Akagera National Park self-drive safari is a brief wildlife excursion in Rwanda to observe the Big Five, avian species, antelopes, and water fauna. The vacation includes guided wildlife drives and boat rides on Lake Ihema in Akagera National Park, Eastern Rwanda.

Akagera National Park is one of four parks in Rwanda and the sole site to observe all five major game species inside a single habitat during a safari in Rwanda.

The Akagera National Park encompasses 1122 km² and safeguards wildlife including elephants, Maasai giraffes, lions, hippos, crocodiles, leopards, buffaloes, rhinos, and 500 avian species. This brief wildlife trip in Akagera commences and concludes in the capital, Kigali.

2-Day Akagera Self-Drive Safari Highlights

  • Day 1: Kigali to Akagera & Lake Ihema Boat Trip
    Morning: Depart Kigali (approx. 2-2.5 hour drive) and enter through the Southern Gate.
    Mid-day: Check into your accommodation (e.g., Akagera Game Lodge or inside-park camping).
    Afternoon: Take a boat cruise on Lake Ihema to see hippos and crocodiles.
    Evening: Enjoy a short game drive in the southern sector before sunset.
  • Day 2: Full Park Traverse & Exit
    Morning: Start a 6:00 AM game drive. Focus on the Kilala Plains in the north for high-concentration wildlife, including lions, buffaloes, and giraffes.
    Afternoon: Enjoy a picnic lunch in the park before exiting through the Northern Gate and returning to Kigali.

A Detailed 2-Day Akagera Self-Drive Safari

Day 1: Travel to Akagera National Park, Launch cruise on Lake Ihema

Depart early following breakfast for a 2.5-hour drive to Akagera National Park in a 4×4 safari vehicle. Akagera National Park is a picturesque safari reserve situated in Eastern Rwanda. Arrive in Akagera early, where a guide from Mist Rwanda Safaris will escort you to the resort for check-in, lunch, and relaxation. In the afternoon, proceed to Lake Ihema for a 2-3 hour boat tour. Your anticipated observations include hippos, crocodiles, and various other creatures inhabiting the lake’s shoreline.

Day 2: A game drive, return to Kigali

The game drive safari to observe the Big Five commences post-breakfast and lasts 3 to 4 hours. Experience the remarkable wildlife, including leopards, buffaloes, lions, giraffes, impalas, and roan antelopes, in a traditional 4×4 Rwanda safari vehicle. Numerous avian species can be observed on a wildlife tour at Akagera National Park. After an enjoyable experience observing the Big Five, return to the resort to check out and travel back to Kigali.

End of the 2-Day Akagera Self-Drive Safari | Big Five & Lake Ihema