Akagera National Park
🇷🇼 Rwanda
🐟 African Fish Eagle Soaring AkageraAkagera National Park sits in eastern Rwanda, where the tropical savanna meets a chain of lakes and gentle hills. Open grasslands, scattered acacia, and the shimmering shoreline of Lake Ihema give the park a blend of dry plains and wetland edge that sets it apart from Rwanda’s mountain reserves.
-1.670° S 30.736° E
Wildlife
⭐ Iconic Species
★ 
Lion
Panthera leo
★ 
African Bush Elephant
Loxodonta africana
★ 
East African Giraffe
Giraffa tippelskirchi
★ 
African Fish-Eagle
Haliaeetus vocifer
📊 Most Spotted
Plains Zebra
Equus quagga
Impala
Aepyceros melampus
Olive Baboon
Papio anubis
Common Hippopotamus
Hippopotamus amphibius
Topi
Damaliscus korrigum
Waterbuck
Kobus ellipsiprymnus
Rüppell's Glossy-starling
Lamprotornis purpuroptera
African Buffalo
Syncerus caffer
Common Warthog
Phacochoerus africanus
Vervet Monkey
Chlorocebus pygerythrus
Nile Crocodile
Crocodylus niloticus
Cape Turtle Dove
Streptopelia capicola
⭐ Iconic Species
★ Lion
Panthera leo
★ African Bush Elephant
Loxodonta africana
★ East African Giraffe
Giraffa tippelskirchi
📊 Most Spotted
Plains Zebra
Equus quagga
Impala
Aepyceros melampus
Olive Baboon
Papio anubis
Common Hippopotamus
Hippopotamus amphibius
Topi
Damaliscus korrigum
Waterbuck
Kobus ellipsiprymnus
African Buffalo
Syncerus caffer
Common Warthog
Phacochoerus africanus
Vervet Monkey
Chlorocebus pygerythrus
White Rhinoceros
Ceratotherium simum
Northern Bushbuck
Tragelaphus scriptus
Leopard
Panthera pardus
⭐ Iconic Species
📊 Most Spotted
Rüppell's Glossy-starling
Lamprotornis purpuroptera
Cape Turtle Dove
Streptopelia capicola
Common Bulbul
Pycnonotus barbatus
Speckled Mousebird
Colius striatus
Red-necked Francolin
Pternistis afer
Bare-Faced Go-Away-Bird
Corythaixoides personatus
Fork-tailed Drongo
Dicrurus adsimilis
Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu
Uraeginthus bengalus
African Wattled Lapwing
Vanellus senegallus
Lilac-breasted Roller
Coracias caudatus
Greater Blue-eared Starling
Lamprotornis chalybaeus
Grey-backed Fiscal
Lanius excubitoroides
📊 Most Spotted
Nile Crocodile
Crocodylus niloticus
Nile Monitor
Varanus niloticus
Speke's Hinge-back Tortoise
Kinixys spekii
African Striped Skink
Trachylepis striata
Tree skink
Trachylepis planifrons
Black-necked Spitting Cobra
Naja nigricollis
Variable Skink
Trachylepis varia
Spotted Bush Snake
Philothamnus semivariegatus
Puff Adder
Bitis arietans
Black Mamba
Dendroaspis polylepis
Tropical House Gecko
Hemidactylus mabouia
Helmeted Turtle
Pelomedusa subrufa
Recent sightings in Akagera National Park
LIVEiNaturalistAnimal Events
1Lion Tracking & Predator Spotting
Akagera is one of the few parks in Rwanda where lions can be reliably observed, offering thrilling predator-prey dynamics. Guided game drives maximize sightings during cooler hours.
2Big Five Safari
July is the optimal month for Big Five sightings, with high visibility due to sparse vegetation and animals congregating around waterholes. Elephants, lions, and rhinos are most active.
3Birdwatching Bonanza
Akagera’s wetlands and savannas host over 500 bird species, including rare raptors and waterbirds. Dawn chorus and boat safaris enhance sightings.
Sighting Calendar
Average chance of spotting the park's most-spotted species, month by month
- 1Lion Tracking & Predator Spotting
- 2Big Five Safari
- 3Birdwatching Bonanza
Sighting Zones
Warmer areas are where all species together are recorded most often.
Essentials
Climate
What visitors saw
As we flipped around, we spotted two more African classics: A few Zebras through the shrubbery (none of my photos came out well) and a Giraffe, a decent way off the road.
And yes, we saw a lot: buffaloes, giraffes, baboons, zebras, hippos, elephants, loads of birds.
During my two safaris, I have seen elephants, rhinos, and buffalo.
There were still several new species, like the Pearl-spotted Owlet in the header image, and the opportunity for some great shots of birds I had already seen, with a total of 64 species on the morning list.
Quick answers
What animals can you see in Akagera National Park?
The most likely sightings are Plains Zebra (seen by about 80% of wildlife watchers), Impala (seen by about 80% of wildlife watchers), Olive Baboon (seen by about 80% of wildlife watchers), East African Giraffe (seen by about 80% of wildlife watchers), African Bush Elephant (seen by about 80% of wildlife watchers) — among 1048 recorded vertebrate species, based on citizen-science data from GBIF.
When is the best time to visit Akagera National Park for wildlife?
July has the highest combined sighting rate for the park's top species in our month-by-month GBIF data. The full sighting calendar on this page shows each species' best months.
Can you see Lion in Akagera National Park?
Yes — about 60% of wildlife watchers report a Lion sighting in Akagera National Park, based on 30 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
Can you see African Bush Elephant in Akagera National Park?
Yes — about 80% of wildlife watchers report a African Bush Elephant sighting in Akagera National Park, based on 72 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
Can you see East African Giraffe in Akagera National Park?
Yes — about 80% of wildlife watchers report a East African Giraffe sighting in Akagera National Park, based on 76 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
Can you see African Fish-Eagle in Akagera National Park?
Yes — about 70% of wildlife watchers report a African Fish-Eagle sighting in Akagera National Park, based on 621 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
Where Wildlife Score
How good is this park for seeing wildlife?Biodiversity
GoodHow rich is the wildlife?
Sighting
ExcellentHow likely to see animals?
Experience
ExcellentHow easy and pleasant is the visit?
