Akagera Safari Tour: Big Five, Boat Cruises & Community Experiences

Upon arrival at Kigali International Airport, you’ll be met by your ASJ representative and transferred to a cozy eco-lodge in Kigali. Relax and refresh after your flight, and enjoy your first taste of Rwanda with a sustainable dinner option.

Overnight: Grand Legacy
Meal Plan: Dinner

Sustainability Highlight: The lodge trains and employs local youth and uses organic, locally sourced ingredients.

After an early breakfast, drive through Rwanda’s rolling hills to Akagera National Park (approx. 2.5 hours). Upon arrival, enter the park and check in at Ruzizi Tented Lodge, an intimate 9-room lodge on the edge of Lake Ihema.

Later in the afternoon, embark on a sunset boat safari on Lake Ihema—home to hippos, crocodiles, African fish eagles, and possibly elephants along the shore.

Overnight: Ruzizi Tented Lodge (Inside Akagera National Park)
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Sustainability Highlight: Ruzizi is built with natural materials, run on solar, and employs staff from nearby communities.

Rise early for a sunrise game drive, your best opportunity to see Akagera’s incredible wildlife in action—lions, elephants, buffaloes, zebras, giraffes, rhinos, antelope, and more. The park’s scenery ranges from open plains to woodland and papyrus marshes.

Return to Ruzizi for a hearty lunch and rest. In the late afternoon, head out for your second Lake Ihema boat safari—perfect for golden-hour photography and a final chance to spot aquatic wildlife.

Overnight: Ruzizi Tented Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today offers a rare opportunity to experience Akagera beyond the game tracks. After a leisurely breakfast at Ruzizi Tented Lodge, you’ll be welcomed by park rangers and staff from African Parks for an exclusive Behind-the-Scenes Conservation Experience.

Walk alongside the unsung heroes who protect this ecosystem—rangers who monitor lions via GPS collars, manage black rhino reintroductions, and lead anti-poaching patrols. You’ll see the park’s operations center, where high-tech tools like drone feeds and surveillance systems are used daily. This immersive experience deepens your understanding of what it takes to revive a national park—and how tourism plays a direct role in its protection.

After lunch, you’ll leave the park boundaries for a guided community visit to a nearby village supported through Akagera’s tourism revenue sharing. This isn't a staged experience—this is meaningful, respectful cultural exchange.

Expect laughter, shared stories, and hands-on participation—whether it’s trying your hand at weaving, learning a local phrase, or enjoying a cup of home-brewed banana beer.

Overnight: Ruzizi Tented Lodge
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

After a hearty breakfast and one final glimpse across Lake Ihema, you'll depart Akagera and begin the scenic return journey to Kigali. The 2.5-hour drive is a moment to reflect—on the wildlife you've witnessed, the people you've met, and the legacy you're leaving behind.

Upon arriving in Kigali, enjoy a tailored city experience based on your flight schedule and interests:

• Visit the Kigali Genocide Memorial, a powerful and respectful tribute that speaks to Rwanda’s resilience and healing.
• Explore Inema Arts Center or Kandt House Museum, both showcasing Rwanda’s vibrant art, innovation, and colonial history.
• Shop at Kimironko Market or Kigali Crafts Village—places where fair trade meets authenticity.
• Stop by Nyamirambo Women’s Center or Moshions to support women-led businesses and contemporary Rwandan fashion.

Enjoy your final lunch at Question Coffee, a social impact café supporting female coffee farmers through training and ethical trade.

Your guide will then transfer you to Kigali International Airport, with assistance for your check-in and heartfelt farewell.

Departure: Kigali International Airport
Meal Plan: Breakfast, Lunch