Lake Kivu
Swimming, boats out to the islands, and the fishermen rowing home at dusk.
Savannah, lakes and the Big Five, on Rwanda's eastern border.
The relatively warm and low-lying plains of Akagera are made up of savannah, woodland, wetland and a dozen lakes. Managed in partnership with African Parks, it has been turned back into a world-class place to take a safari.
The country is largely open, which makes the game easy to see. Lions brought from South Africa are breeding well, and eighteen eastern black rhinos have been reintroduced — with buffalo, elephant, antelope, zebra, giraffe, baboons, monkeys and an extraordinary 490 bird species besides.
A boat trip on Lake Ihema is the other half of a visit: large pods of hippo, Nile crocodiles, and waterbirds in numbers on the island in the middle of the lake.
The only way to explore the park is by vehicle, whether with a tour operator or driving yourself. Guides can be booked at the gate, and night drives are available. There are lodges inside the park, a seasonal bush camp, and campsites.
Words and photographs on this page: Visit Rwanda · credits
Swimming, boats out to the islands, and the fishermen rowing home at dusk.
Gorilla and golden-monkey trekking in the Virungas. Permits go months ahead.
227 km of lakeshore track. Walk a morning of it or ride the lot in five days.
Rainforest, chimpanzees and a canopy walkway sixty metres above the valley.
Stay on the lake and drive out from here — most of this is a day trip from your room.