5 Days Classic Rwanda Wildlife Safari
5-Day Akagera Big Five, Boat Safari & Coffee Experience
Rwanda's only savannah park, a boat trip among hippos on Lake Ihema, and a coffee farm visit on the way back to Kigali. Big Five wildlife, easy distances.
Tour Overview
Akagera is Rwanda's only savannah park, and it's only a morning's drive from Kigali. Lions and rhinos have been reintroduced, so the park now has the Big Five. You spend three days on game drives and a boat trip on Lake Ihema, then stop at a coffee farm on the way back to the capital.
Trip Highlights
Big Five in One Park
Lion, elephant, buffalo, rhino and leopard live here, alongside giraffe and zebra on open plains.
Lake Ihema Boat Safari
Float close to hippos and crocodiles while elephants drink at the shore.
Coffee Farm Visit
Walk the rows with a farmer, see the washing station and taste Rwandan coffee.
Easy Logistics
Park entry, boat trip and transfers are all in the price. About 2.5 hours from Kigali.
Plan Your Akagera Safari
Tell us your dates and group size and we'll confirm availability and send you a quote.
Day-by-Day Itinerary
Kigali → Akagera National Park
Your guide meets you at Kigali airport and gives a short briefing before the drive east. It takes about 2.5 hours through green hills and farmland, and the landscape flattens into savannah as you near the park.
You enter Akagera in time for a game drive on the way to your lodge. Expect giraffe, zebra, topi, impala and buffalo, with waterbirds along the shore of Lake Ihema. Dinner and overnight at the lodge.
- Airport pickup and drive to Akagera
- Game drive into the park
- Dinner at the lodge
Full-Day Game Drive
After an early breakfast you spend the day in the park, crossing open plains, acacia woodland and papyrus swamp. Your guide knows where the animals have been moving and plans the route around that.
Look for lions in the shade, elephant families heading for water, giraffe, and with luck black rhino in the thickets and leopard on rocky outcrops. Lunch is a picnic inside the park, so you stay in good wildlife areas all afternoon, then return to the lodge in the evening light.
- Full-day game drive
- Picnic lunch in the park
- Dinner at the lodge
Morning Game Drive & Lake Ihema Boat Safari
Leave before sunrise for a dawn game drive. Predators are most active early, and the light is good for photos. Return for breakfast and a rest by the pool.
In the afternoon you take a boat out on Lake Ihema. Hippos and crocodiles are close to the boat, and elephant and buffalo often come down to the shore. Birdlife is rich: pelicans, storks, herons, kingfishers, fish eagles, and the shoebill if you're lucky in the papyrus.
- Dawn game drive
- Afternoon boat safari on Lake Ihema
- Dinner at the lodge
Akagera → Coffee Farm → Kigali
After breakfast you leave the park and head back toward Kigali. On the way you stop at a working coffee farm and washing station.
A local farmer walks you through the process, from picking the cherries to washing, fermenting and drying them. It ends with a coffee tasting, so you can try the difference between roasts for yourself. You reach Kigali in the late afternoon and check in.
- Coffee farm and washing station visit
- Guided coffee tasting
- Check in at your Kigali hotel
Kigali Highlights & Departure
Depending on your flight time, your guide can take you to Kimironko Market for local crafts such as imigongo art and woven agaseke baskets, or to a hilltop viewpoint over the city.
Your guide then drives you to Kigali airport in good time for your flight.
- Kimironko Market or city viewpoint
- Transfer to Kigali airport
What's Included
Included
- Kigali airport transfers
- Private 4×4 safari vehicle with fuel
- English-speaking safari guide
- 4 nights accommodation
- Meals as listed in the itinerary
- Akagera National Park entry fees
- All game drives
- Lake Ihema boat safari
- Coffee farm visit and tasting
- Bottled drinking water during transfers
- Government taxes
Excluded
- International flights
- Rwanda visa fees
- Travel and medical insurance
- Personal expenses (laundry, drinks, souvenirs)
- Tips for guides and staff
- Optional activities not listed
- Alcohol and premium drinks
- Meals not listed in the itinerary
Price Per Person
| Group Size | Price per Person | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 traveller | $2,450 | Single supplement applies |
| 2 travellers | $1,950 | Per person |
| 3 travellers | $1,750 | Per person |
| 4 travellers | $1,600 | Per person |
| 5 travellers | $1,500 | Per person |
| 6 travellers | $1,420 | Best group value |
Before You Book
Good to Know
- Where you'll stay: In Akagera, Magashi Camp (luxury), Akagera Game Lodge (mid-range) or Karenge Bush Camp (comfort). In Kigali, Hotel des Mille Collines or Kigali Serena Hotel. Luxury upgrades on request.
- Wildlife: Sightings can't be guaranteed. Early drives give the best chances.
- What to pack: Neutral-coloured clothing, hat, sunscreen and sunglasses.
- In the park: Follow your guide and rangers at all times. Children must stay supervised.
- Drones: You need a permit from the Rwanda Development Board.