Eastern route · 3 days
Akagera safari add-on
Big Five savannah ninety minutes from the capital, with a lake night at Muhazi on the way out. The easiest safari in East Africa to bolt onto a city trip.
Length
3 days
Destinations
3 stops
From
$257 per person
Best for
Anyone adding wildlife to a Kigali business trip.
01 — The route
Where this trip actually goes
- 1
Lake Muhazi (Rwamagana)
Grilled tilapia on the shore an hour from Kigali — a soft start to the drive east.
- 2
Akagera National Park
Lion, rhino, elephant, buffalo and leopard across 1,100 square kilometres of savannah.
- 3
Lake Ihema
Rwanda's second-largest lake and the best boat safari in the country.
The route on the map
Numbered pins follow the order of the route above.
Map of the Akagera safari add-on route
The interactive Google Map loads on the live site.
02 — Highlights
What you will remember
Sunrise on the southern plains, when the lions are still moving
The 16:00 boat on Ihema with hippo pods at close range
Black and white rhino, reintroduced in 2017 and 2021
A night drive with a park ranger and a spotlight
03 — Day by day
3 days, priced honestly
Every figure below is per person and covers the room, the food, local transport, the intercity leg and any fixed fee that day. Switch the travel style to reprice the whole route.
Trip total, per person
$644
about $215 a day · mid-range
Comfortable en-suite room, a mix of local and tourist restaurants, occasional private transfer.
Day 1
Kigali to Lake Muhazi
Rwamagana · Eastern province
Short hop east, grilled tilapia on the shore, early night.
Day cost
$110
- Room, food, local transport
- $109
- Intercity leg
- $1.4
- Kigali → Rwamagana · 1,200–2,000 RWF
- Permits and fees
- —
- Sleeping in
- Rwamagana
Prices for Rwamagana: RURA intercity tariff, in force 6 April 2026 · checked September 2026
Day 2
Akagera game drive
Kayonza · Eastern province
Southern gate at opening, full-day drive north, 16:00 boat on Lake Ihema.
Day cost
$322
- Room, food, local transport
- $210
- Intercity leg
- $1.8
- Rwamagana → Akagera · 1,700–2,600 RWF
- Permits and fees
- $110
- Park entry and boat
- Sleeping in
- Kayonza
Prices for Kayonza: RURA intercity tariff, in force 6 April 2026 · checked September 2026
Day 3
Morning drive and return
Kayonza · Eastern province
Sunrise loop for lion and rhino, midday exit, back in Kigali for dinner.
Day cost
$212
- Room, food, local transport
- $210
- Intercity leg
- $1.8
- Akagera → Kigali · 1,700–2,600 RWF
- Permits and fees
- —
- Sleeping in
- Kayonza
Prices for Kayonza: RURA intercity tariff, in force 6 April 2026 · checked September 2026
Per person, priced in USD. Using a recent fallback exchange rate. Coach fares follow the current RURA intercity tariff.
04 — The big line items
What the day totals leave out
Park permits and vehicle hire are the two costs that decide a Rwandan budget. They are listed separately so you can add only the ones you will actually buy.
05 — Practical desk
When to go, and how to move
Best time to travel
June to September: the grass is short, the animals gather at water and the tracks are firm. The wet months are best for birding, including the shoebill.
Getting around
A 4x4 is effectively required inside the park. Book a vehicle in Kigali or a package with a lodge; there is no public transport past the gate.
Know before you book
- ·Gates open at 06:00 and close at 18:00; you must be inside or out.
- ·Park fees are per person per day, plus a vehicle fee.
- ·Drone flying is not permitted without written park authorisation.
06 — Quick answers
Before you commit
Will I see the Big Five?
All five are present. Lion and rhino sightings are good and improving; leopard remains rare and largely nocturnal.
Can I self-drive?
Yes, with a 4x4 and the park app or map. Hiring a park guide for the day raises your sighting rate substantially.
Other Rwanda trips
Northern route · 4 days
Volcanoes and Twin Lakes
First-time visitors who want mountains without a long drive.
Western route · 6 days
The Kivu Belt
Travellers with a week and a taste for long, spectacular drives.
Southern route · 3 days
Southern heritage run
Students, researchers and anyone here for the history.
Get Akagera safari add-on quoted properly
Send your dates and travel style and we’ll pass this route to licensed Rwandan operators for a real quote on permits, transfers and rooms.