2 Days Akagera National Park Safari from Kigali is our most popular overnight safari for travelers who want more than a rushed day trip. At just 110km, 2.5 hours from Kigali to Kayonza Gate, you get two unhurried game drives, time to properly track black rhino, and space for photography without chasing the clock.
Your first afternoon includes a 1-hour boat safari on Lake Ihema – $45 adult / $20 child – gliding past pods of 30+ hippos, giant Nile crocodiles and, if lucky, the shoebill stork. In the evening, you can add an optional night drive – $40 per person – the best chance to see leopard in Akagera National Park, with sightings around 70% compared to 30% during the day. Morning of Day 2 starts at 5:30 AM, right when lions are most active, and with a park guide $25, your chance for black rhino rises to 70%.
2026 price for private 4x4 Land Cruiser: From $380 per person for 2 guests in a budget lodge outside the park, or $450 per person at Akagera Game Lodge inside the park. Solo from $520 budget / $650 mid-range, 3 guests $320 pp, 4+ guests $290 pp. Price includes private vehicle and driver-guide, park entry $100 per 24hrs, vehicle fee $10 Rwanda registered, one night accommodation, boat safari $45 and bottled water. We pick you up in Kigali at 8AM on Day 1 and return by 3PM on Day 2.
Travelers choose 2 days because it is calmer, with better wildlife viewing and no 5AM rush on the first day. Everything is pre-booked – park entry, boat seats and lodge – with same-day confirmation and no hidden fees. Chat with us on WhatsApp +256771026496 to check availability.
2 Days in Akagera – The Unhurried Big Five Safari
Private 4x4 from Kigali – boat safari – optional night drive – sunrise predator drive
Kigali to Akagera – Easy Drive, Boat Safari & Night Drive
8:00 AM – Pickup in Kigali, drive to Akagera
We pick you up from your hotel or the airport. The drive to Kayonza Gate is about 2.5 hours through Rwanda's Eastern Province – small towns, banana hills and open savannah opening up. Your driver-guide will brief you on the park and the plan for two days. Arrive around 10:30 AM, quick check at the gate of Akagera National Park.
11:00 AM – 1:00 PM – First game drive into your lodge
We do not rush straight to the lodge. We game drive through the southern plains – Kilala Plain and Mutumba Hills – where elephants, buffalo, giraffe, zebra and topi feed. It is a good introduction to Akagera National Park and usually the first Big Five sightings happen here. Check-in, freshen up.
• Akagera Game Lodge – inside the park, mid-range, lake views $150-220
• Akagera Transit Lodge or Dereva Hotel Kayonza – clean budget options outside $40-70
• Ruzizi Tented Lodge or Magashi – luxury inside the park $350+
2:30 PM – 4:00 PM – Boat safari on Lake Ihema
This is the highlight most guests remember. One hour on Lake Ihema – $45 for adults, $20 for children 6-12. The boat moves slowly past hippo pods of 30+, crocodiles sunbathing on the banks and plenty of water birds. Guides know where the shoebill stork feeds. Light is soft in the afternoon, perfect for photos. Private boat available at $180 for 1-11 guests.
6:00 PM – 8:00 PM – Optional night drive – best for leopard
If you want the best chance to see leopard, add the night drive. For $40 per person, a park ranger with a spotlight takes you out for two hours after dark. Leopard sighting jumps to about 70% at night versus 30% during day. You may also see hyena, civets and bush babies. Back for dinner and overnight.
Sunrise Predator Drive & Return to Kigali
5:30 AM – 11:30 AM – Sunrise game drive – tracking rhino
We start early, with coffee, when predators are still active. The northern Kilala Plain is where lions hunt before 8AM – we have about 90% sighting here on mornings. If you take the optional park guide for $25, we go into the rhino tracking area. On a two-day trip, your chance for black rhino goes up to about 70% because we have more time and fresh ranger updates. The drive is calm, with giraffe towers, buffalo herds and wide savannah views of Akagera National Park.
11:30 AM – 12:30 PM – Slow exit & lunch
We exit via Kayonza Gate with a final game drive on the way out. Light lunch stop en route – your lodge lunch box or at a local restaurant.
12:30 PM – 3:00 PM – Drive back to Kigali
2.5 hours back. Drop at your hotel or Kigali airport by 3PM. If your flight is in the evening, we can add a short Kigali city tour at no extra driving cost.
2026 Pricing – Private Safari, No Sharing
Includes private Land Cruiser with pop-up roof, driver-guide, 2x park entry, vehicle entry, 1 night stay, boat $45, bottled water. Excludes night drive $40 and park guide $25-40. See full details on Akagera National Park page.
Check Availability on WhatsApp – +256771026496What to pack
Passport for park check, sun hat, light jacket for 5:30AM start, binoculars – we provide one pair – camera with 200mm lens if you have it, sunscreen.
