Game drives in Rwanda are normally done in Akagera national where there is a variety of game including the big five, birds and other animal species found in savannah type of vegetation. Akagera national park is located in eastern Rwanda with great views of the plains and animal sightings. It hosts Lake Ihema within its borders with DRC.

The park is home to over 500 bird species and several mammals with the notable ones being Lions the park recently re-introduced. It also consists of Giraffes, Elephants, Bushbucks, Buffaloes plus reptiles. The game drives happen in the northern part of the park but note that the park entrance is in the south.

The park was named after the Akagera River that flows along, its eastern boundary and feeds into a labyrinth of lakes of which the largest is Lake Ihema. The combination of forest-fringed lakes, papyrus swamps, savannah plains and rolling highlands combine to make Akagera amongst the most scenic of reserves anywhere in Africa. It has exceptional levels of biodiversity and forms the largest protected wetland in central Africa.

These (swamps and savannah) are the main attraction to Akagera national park and can be part of organized safaris. You can get more adventurous and then drive yourself in your own vehicle.

Game drives are the highlights of the visit to the Savannah national parks while on your wildlife safari to Africa. This also can also be incorporated in your Rwanda safaris like the gorilla trekking safari, birding watching safari and cultural safari itineraries by adding extra days to Akagera national park.

Game drives provide the best way to explore the numerous national parks in the custom-made safari vehicles, Akagera National Park has opportunities to sighting the different animals while in the comfort of the safari cars.

Akagera offers great safari element since it’s home to many large plains game species as well as species restricted to the papyrus swamps such as the Sitatunga and the sought-after Shoebill Stork.

The notable plain game includes elephants, buffalos, topis, zebras, waterbucks, antelopes and elands. Other antelope are duiker, oribi, reedbuck, klipspringer, bushbuck and impala, and primates like olive baboons, vervets and the secretive blue monkey are seen during the day, with bush babies often seen on the night drive.