Akagera National Park lies in the north eastern part of Rwanda along Rwanda’s border with Tanzania. It is the only park to visit in Rwanda if you love the Big game.

It was founded in 1934 but much of its land was re-allocated as farmlands in 1997. This largely reduced its total area to 1122 square meters which is still maintained up to date.

Credit goes to the African Parks, an organization that partnered with Rwanda Development Board to run this protected area since 2010.

The park’s name was derived from the Akagera River that streams along its eastern boundary empting into Lake Ihema.

Akagera is one of the most scenic reserves in Africa and forms the largest protected Wetland in East Africa.

It tempts tourists with exquisite biodiversity that consists of papyrus swamps, savannah plains, rolling highlands and forest fringed lakes along with diverse Wildlife species.

Not like other two Rwanda’s Parks, Akagera is home to abundant game species including those that are endemic to the papyrus swamp like shoebill Stork, Sitatunga and more.

Other notable draws include Buffaloes, Elephants, Zebras, Water bucks, elands, roan antelopes and topi.

Among the larger predators, Akagera National Park houses only the side-striped jackal, lion, hyenas, and the leopards.

It records over 500 species of birds that are enough to impress anyone who is interested in Rwanda’s bird life.

During the excursions, birders see both endemic and rare gems such as the red-faced barbet, swamp flycatchers, threatened papyrus gonolek and more.