Two Days of Game Drives and Sunset on Lake Ihema
Akagera National Park is Rwanda’s only savanna park, a sweep of open plains, hills and lakes in the east of the country, about two and a half hours’ drive from Kigali. This 2-day private safari gives you time to see it properly. You’ll leave Kigali at 6:00 AM for a morning game drive, then cruise Lake Ihema in the late afternoon among hippos, crocodiles and water birds.
After a night near the park, you’ll head out at sunrise and spend most of the day on the plains, where you may find lions and rhinos. Compared with our 1-day Akagera day trip, you get the sunset cruise, the dawn drive and far more time in the park. No permits are needed, and children of all ages are welcome.
Why You’ll Love This Safari
Click the tabs to learn more
Trip Details
Trip Details
Price
Price on request. Tell us your dates and group size, and we’ll send you a quote.
Meeting point
Your hotel in Kigali
Availability
Year-round, 7 days a week
Duration
2 days
Group size
Min. 1 person
Included
- Park fees (for non-residents)
- Game drives in Akagera National Park on both days
- Sunset boat cruise on Lake Ihema
- All activities (unless labeled as optional)
- All accommodations (unless listed as upgrade)
- A professional driver/guide
- Private safari vehicle: a 4×4 Land Cruiser, Toyota Prado or safari van, depending on group size
- All transportation (unless labeled as optional)
- All taxes/VAT
- Pick-up and drop-off at your Kigali hotel, residence or the airport
- Meals (as specified in the day-by-day section)
- Drinking water (on all days)
Not included
- International flights (from/to home)
- Additional accommodations before and at the end of the tour
- Tips
- Personal items (souvenirs, travel insurance, visa fees, etc.)
- Government imposed increase of taxes and/or park fees
- Some meals (as specified in the day-by-day section)
What to bring
- Warm jacket (the 6:00 AM start can be cool)
- Light waterproof jacket
- Neutral-colored clothing (avoid bright colors)
- Long-sleeved shirt
- Comfortable closed shoes
- Hat
- Sunglasses
- Sunscreen
- Insect repellent
- Binoculars
- Camera with a zoom lens
- Small overnight bag
- Snacks
Participation requirements
No minimum age: families with children are welcome. There is no hiking, as game drives are in the vehicle.
About your guide
Your safari will be led by an experienced local guide who will share facts about the wildlife, landscapes, and culture. Your guide is dedicated to ensuring your safari is safe, informative, and tailored to your interests.
What You’ll See & Do
Day 1: Kigali to Akagera, Game Drive and Sunset Boat Cruise
Your driver/guide will pick you up from your Kigali hotel at 6:00 AM for the drive east to Akagera National Park, about two and a half hours through the countryside. Your first game drive begins soon after you enter the park, crossing open savanna and rolling hills where elephants, giraffes, zebras and buffalo graze.
Later in the afternoon, you’ll board a boat on Lake Ihema for a cruise as the light fades toward sunset. Hippos surface near the boat, crocodiles lie along the banks and a wide range of water birds feed in the shallows. Afterward, you’ll drive to your lodge near the park for dinner and the night.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Overnight: Akagera area
Day 2: Sunrise Game Drive and Return to Kigali
Day 2 begins with a game drive at sunrise, the time of day when the animals are most active. Your guide will cover Akagera’s northern and southern plains, watching for lions, rhinos and buffalo as well as the zebras, giraffes and antelope that graze the open grassland. Around midday, you’ll stop for lunch at Mihindi Restaurant, which looks out over the park.
After lunch, the game drive carries on as you work your way to the southern gate, where you’ll leave the park and begin the drive back to Kigali. You’ll reach the city in the early evening for drop-off at your hotel or residence.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
Frequently Asked Questions
Our 1-day safari is a day trip from Kigali with game drives and a picnic lunch. This 2-day version adds a night near the park, a sunset boat cruise on Lake Ihema and a sunrise game drive on the second morning, when the animals are most active. With much more time in the park, you have a better chance of finding lions and rhinos, and the drive is spread over two days.
Yes. There is no minimum age, and families are welcome. The game drives are in the vehicle, so there is no hiking, and the boat cruise is an easy outing for all ages. The days do start early, with a 6:00 AM pick-up on Day 1 and a sunrise drive on Day 2. Tell us your children’s ages when you ask for a quote, so we can plan the right vehicle and rooms.
Akagera is home to elephants, giraffes, zebras, buffalo, hippos and crocodiles, which you have a good chance of seeing over two days, plus a wide range of water birds around Lake Ihema. Lions and rhinos live in the park too, but sightings are never guaranteed, so treat them as a bonus. The sunrise drive on Day 2 gives you the best chance, as the animals are most active early.
We quote the price for your dates and group size. It includes park fees for non-residents, game drives on both days, the sunset boat cruise on Lake Ihema, one night’s accommodation near the park, meals as listed, drinking water, your driver/guide and a private safari vehicle, with pick-up and drop-off at your Kigali hotel, residence or the airport. Tips, travel insurance and dinner on Day 2 are not included.
Yes. Akagera lies east of Kigali and Volcanoes National Park lies to the north, each about two and a half hours’ drive away, so the two fit well into one trip. As this is a private tour, we can add a gorilla trek after your return to Kigali. Our 5-day Rwanda gorilla tour already pairs Akagera with gorillas and golden monkeys. Gorilla trekkers must be 15 or older.
Our gorilla trekking permit guide explains how permits work and how far ahead to book them.
