Akagera is, above all, a big game country! Herds of elephant and buffalo emerge from the woodland to drink at the lakes, while lucky visitors might stumble across a leopard, a spotted hyena or even a stray lion. Giraffe and zebra haunt the savannah, and more than a dozen types of antelope inhabit the park, most commonly the handsome chestnut-coated impala, but also the diminutive Oribi and secretive bushbuck, as well as the ungainly Tsessebe and the world's largest antelope, the statuesque Cape eland.

Camping alongside the picturesque lakes of Akagera is a truly mystical introduction to the wonders of the African bush. Pods of 50 hippos grunt and splutter throughout the day, while outsized crocodiles soak up the sun with their vast jaws menacingly agape. Magically, the air is torn apart by the unforgettable high duetting of a pair of fish eagles, asserting their status as the avian monarchs of Africa's waterways. Lining the lakes are some of the continent's densest concentrations of water birds, while the connecting marshes are the haunt of the endangered and exquisite papyrus Gonolek, and the bizarre shoebill.

Safaris to Akagera National Park
The Park is 3 hours drive from Kigali and can be visited on a long day trip if you're short of time. However, although game densities aren't massively high, it's an exceptionally pretty park with pleasantly few other visitors, so it's worth staying a couple of days to explore it. The only entry to Akagera National Park is via Kiyonza Gate in the south, close to the Park Headquarters and Akagera best lodge and the Nyungwe Gate in the north is currently only available to exit the Park.