The Perfect 2 Night Akagera National Park Safari with Huza Gateway
If you’re planning an Akagera National Park Safari, I’ve got all the tips from my own trip that will help you. I booked a 2 night stay using the Huza Gateway tour company. I really liked the service and organization; it helped me enjoy my time without having to get involved in the logistics. One of the best things about Akagera is its compact size. In just one day, you can drive through wetlands, grasslands, and savannah. With two nights in the park, we managed to spot all of the Big Five and even go on the famous boat safari on Lake Ihema!
This post contains affiliate links.
Why book with Huza Gateway
I chose to book with Huza Gateway because their communication was clear, and I got fast responses via WhatsApp (+250787550632). Customizing the trip based on my preferences was important to me, and I could decide which costs I would cover and which the guide would handle. I paid via an online link.
It was super convenient to have the park entrance fees and hotel costs prepaid. Our guide took care of all the paperwork at the park registration center, the hotel, and even for the boat ride.
Here’s what we included in our package:
- One boat safari
- One full-day game drive
- Accommodation at Akagera Game Lodge. Our stay included breakfast and dinner
- Transfer to and from Kigali
We paid separately for:
- Lunch/snacks on the way to Akagera
- Lunch inside Akagera while on full day safari
While most of the planning was handled through Enock, the tour coordinator, our guide Bosco made the trip special. He was knowledgeable about the animals, landscape, and plant life throughout Akagera National Park.
Akagera National Park Safari Itinerary
With 2 nights in the park, we were able to take advantage of a long weekend that we had by leaving on Saturday and returning on Monday.
This is what our 2-Day Akagera National Park Itinerary looked like:
- Day 1: Transfer from Kigali + Boat Safari
- Day 2: Full-Day Game Drive
- Day 3: Leisure Morning + Return to Kigali
Day 1: Transfer from Kigali + Boat Safari
With a 2-night stay, you can have a chill morning and get picked up from your Kigali accommodation by 10am. The drive to Akagera National Park is approximately 3 hours.
Along the way, our guide stopped at the Imigongo Art Center. Here, we had lunch and checked out the shopping! Don’t feel stressed about buying souvenirs because you’ll have a chance to stop again on your way back. However, you may want to buy some nuts or snacks for your full-day game drive tomorrow (I needed some peanuts to hold me through!).
Just an hour later, we were inside the park! We did a mandatory tour while our guide registered and paid for us.
We arrived at Akagera Game Lodge at 2pm to settle in for a bit.
But by 3:30pm we were back on the road for the boat safari. We had a mini game drive en route and saw a lion!
The boat safari on Lake Ihema was fantastic. It operates 4:30 – 6:00 pm and there is an official guide from Akagera National Park who manages the boat.
There were so many hippos!
And we got pretty close to a few crocodiles.
After the boat safari, we returned to the lodge for dinner and crashed into bed by 8pm!
Day 2: Full-Day Game Drive
To make the most of your Akagera National Park safari, have an early breakfast by 6:30 am.
Start your full-day safari by 7:30am. You guide will take you on a proper adventure to try to spot all the animals.
We took a short break at a campsite to try to spot elephants along the water banks. The campsites in Akagera National Park are the only locations where you’re allowed to leave your vehicle. We weren’t lucky but I took this as a photoshoot opportunity.
Then, we continued our safari until around 12pm. While driving to our lunch stop, we heard a baboon screech. Our guide suspected a predator was around and with his tracking skills, we were able to spot a leopard!!
Leopard spotting
We saw the leopard twice, just briefly, and after we hung around hoping it would return, we then decided to continue on to lunch.
The lunch spot has a great view and a variety of food options, all for RWF 15,000. We got burgers and juice. No cash is accepted in the park, we paid using our phones via the MTN momo app. If you don’t have momo, then make sure this is included in your safari package.
The lunch area is about midway in the park, and the green bush gives way to a savannah where it’s easier to spot giraffes and zebras!
Our safari continued until around 4:30 when we returned to the game lodge. Along the way, we spotted a herd of elephants.
In the evening we rested and then had dinner, crashing again at 8pm.
Enock was coordinating at the hotel so I got to say hi after our safari
Day 3: Leisure Morning + Return to Kigali
In the morning, plan to enjoy a relaxed start to the day at the pool. Check out at Akagera Game Lodge is 11am. Then you’ll be driven back to your accommodation in Kigali.
Although we weren’t hungry, we stopped at Imigongo Art Center and bought a basket and a samosa!
Ways to Customize Your Itinerary
There are several ways to customize your Akagera National Park safari experience. Make the trip longer, shorter, stay somewhere else…
Here are some options!
- If you don’t manage to see all the Big 5 (which we did!) you may want to add on a morning Safari on day 3.
- Instead of spending a second night at the hotel, you could drive back to Kigali at 4:00 p.m.
- Do an Akagera National Park Day Trip. Here, you will leave at 4am from Kigali, start your full-day Safari at 7am, and then at 4:30pm drive back to Kigali.
Lilac-breasted Roller spotted along our safari
Where to Stay in the Park
Huza Gateway recommended Akagera Game Lodge. This was the most recommended option but there are other lodges like Ruzizi Tented Lodge, Akagera Rhino Lodge, or The Rutete Eco Lodge that you may consider.
Akagera Game Lodge
We went with the half-board option at Akagera Game Lodge. Breakfast and dinner are included in your rate. There are a combo of buffet and menu options. The full menu for the restaurant is here but this is just available for lunch from what I understood.
Local vs International Rates
If you’re a resident of Rwanda (basically, an expat with a valid visa), there are different entrance and hotel rates. Ask your tour agent if this is applicable and send them a picture of your visa to get the relevant discount. Nations get even better rates!
About the Park
Akagera National Park is one of Rwanda’s largest national parks and the only one in the country where you can see all of the Big Five. Located in eastern Rwanda along the border with Tanzania, the park is home to several lakes, making it an ideal spot for unforgettable boat safaris.
Established in 1934, Akagera originally covered about 10% of Rwanda’s land area. However, after the 1994 genocide, returning populations needed space to resettle, and much of the park’s land was repurposed. Today, the park covers around 4% of Rwanda.
The Big 5 and Other Animals
Akagera National Park is home to all of the Big Five: lions, elephants, buffalos, leopards, and rhinoceroses. Spotting a leopard is considered rare, but we were lucky enough to see one!
Before it was designated a national park, many lions were killed off by farmers trying to protect their livestock. The villages come right up against the park, which is now fenced in. Today, much of the wildlife—especially lions and rhinos—has been reintroduced from South Africa to help restore the park’s ecosystem.
Rhino in Akagera National Park
The park also hosts 11 different antelope species—we managed to see five of them.
We had never seen a Topi Antelope before this trip
There are four types of primates in Akagera, and we saw the baboon and the vervet monkey.
Baboons in Akagera National Park
We saw vervet monkeys while on our boat safari.
To complete our Big 5 checklist, we also saw African buffalo.
We saw the Big Five over the course of two days, not all at once. On our first day, we spotted a lion during the drive to our boat safari, and the rest of the Big Five showed up during our second, full-day game drive.
Other things we saw in Akagera National Park
On Safari
We saw a group of impalas play-fighting.
As we entered the park our guide pointed out the grey-crowned crane. It was good luck for us because we never saw the bird again.
On the boat
Overall, the boat safari was very exciting. The animals were especially animated and moved around.
I got some great pictures of fish eagles.
And basket weavers…
I was impressed by the Goliath Heron and Marabou stork too.
Our boat safari took us around an island in the middle on Lake Ihema around sunset where many birds rest overnight. It was fantastic.
Final Thoughts on my 2-night Akagera National Park Safari
Overall, our safari experience was amazing. It’s definitely a must while traveling in Rwanda or if you’re here on an extended stay. I hope I’ve convinced you to go on 2-Day Akagera National Park Safari! Be sure to contact Enock with Huza Gateway to get started.
