Best places to see the big five in Rwanda

The big five are the most notable mammal species on the African continent and these have been tracked by over a million travellers visiting the different African countries where the big five can be found. Rwanda is one of the countries where the big five are found, and these are located in the only savannah national park in Rwanda known as the Akagera National Park. The Big Five animals were first named by the colonialists in the 19^th century because they were hard to hunt and dangerous on foot. It should be noted that the big five were hunted for their tasks, hooves and many more others. Up to date, the big five are few because of the poaching and hunting.

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Travellers interested in watching the Big Five Rwanda have to visit Akagera National Park, which offers game drives as the best way to spot the Big Five and other wildlife species. Although the animal species population in Akagera National Park is still low, the government of Rwanda has re-introduced and continued to protect the wildlife in the park while still recovering from the 1994 genocide.

Akagera National Park is one of the largest parks in Rwanda which attracts a large population of tourists per year. Found in the eastern part of Rwanda, Akagera National Park is home to a wide variety of wildlife species, including lions, leopards, hippos, elephants, zebras, giraffes and buffaloes, among others. The presence of Lake Ihema is a blessing because most of the wildlife, including the big five, can be seen along the banks of the lake, especially during the dry season. There are several activities that are carried out in Akagera National Park, and these include Game drives, community trips, primate walks and bird watching, among others.

Attractions in Akagera National Park

Visiting Akagera National Park comes with benefits because the park has interesting attractions that will keep tourists entertained throughout the safari and these include:

Wildlife: The national park has over 8000 animals that live in the park, and these include cape buffaloes, the African bush elephant, lions, leopards, Black eastern Rhinos, hippos, giraffes, antelopes, impalas, waterbucks and zebras, among others.

Lions are part of the big five that you should look out for when visiting Akagera National Park. The lions in Akagera were re-introduced in 2015 after a 15 year long absence in the whole country due to poaching and human conflicts. The lions were re-introduced after collaboration among conservation organizations, Rwanda Development Board and other African National Parks. After the re-introduction of lions in Akagera National Park, there has been a steady increase in tourists visiting the park to see the lions in their natural habitat.

The lions that were introduced in Akagera National Park are of the East African subspecies, which are the darkest and largest subspecies of lions on the African continent, although the lions in Akagera are smaller as compared to their counterparts in East Africa because there is less prey in Akagera. They have an impressive mane which varies from light to dark in color. The best way to see lions in Akagera is by going for a guided wildlife tour which is led by experienced guides. It is safe to note that lions are dangerous and need to be treated with a lot of respect.

Leopards: leopards, which are part of the big cats family, are part of the big five to look out for during a big five safari to Rwanda. Leopards are known to be sneaky and isolated animals that have a golden dotted body that is large. The leopards in Akagera National Park can best be seen around the Magashi Tented Camp found within the park, and there are believed to be about 15 to 20 leopards in Akagera.

Leopards are the most difficult to track in Akagera, and this is because of their solitary nature, which leads them to hide in trees and sometimes hunt at night. They are hard to spot, and their presence can only be verified by the evidence left behind along the tracks, including faeces and discarded food. Tracking is hard, including the trackers, because if the leopards notice that they are being tracked, they hide and let people pass without making a sound. The only way to enjoy leopard tracking in Akagera is by being patient and calm during your safari.

Buffaloes: Located in the eastern part of Rwanda, Akagera National Park is home to the African buffalo which is known for its massive size, strength, and distinct horns spread across the wide head. Due to poaching and loss of habitats for the buffaloes, there has been a drastic decline in the buffalo population, but the help of the Rwandan government has led to a steady increase in the buffalo population in the national park.

Also known as the Cape buffalo, these were re-introduced in Rwanda through the collaboration of the Rwanda government with other African parks and conservationists and this has greatly increased the number of tourists visiting the park to get a glimpse of the big five in Akagera. Visit Akagera National Park to see the buffaloes and other big five. You need to be careful as you watch the Buffalo because although it is a social animal, it is also dangerous.

Elephants: Elephants in Akagera National Park were introduced in 1975, and these included 14 males and 12 females, and they were all 7-year-old elephants. Three of these elephants were habituated, and these were Mwiza, Helico and the chief known as Mutware; however, with time, the two habituated elephants joined the wild ones apart from Mutware. Because Mutware was lonely, he became a menace and attacked the neighbouring villages. Mutware is now about 40 years old, but he lost his ivories during the 1994 genocide, and at the moment, he is the most visited elephant in Akagera National Park.

Rhinos: Due to their extinction in most parts of the world, rhinos are the most sought after big five animals in Akagera National Park. Akagera National Park was affected during the 1994 genocide that saw a larger part of the park destroyed, and this came with many animals losing their lives while others migrated, including the over 50 rhinos that were previously in the national park. The war saw the extinction of rhinos in Rwanda, and in 2017, the first black rhinos were re-introduced in the park, and these were 18 transferred from South Africa. The Rwanda Development Board, Howard.G. Buffet Foundation came up with the strategy that saw the introduction of rhinos in Akagera National Park. More than five rhinos were transferred to Akagera National Park from Europe, and these consisted of two males and three females.

Akagera Park rules when seeing the big five on a safari

There are rules that need to be followed when taking a big five safari in Akagera National Park and these include:

• No one is allowed to leave the vehicle during a game drive unless in a designated area and under the guidance of an experienced guide.
• The speed limit that is used when driving in the park is 40 km per hour and you should stick to it.
• No off-road driving is allowed in the national park
• Some of the roads in Akagera are not accessible, especially during the rainy season, and you have to be cautious when driving through the park.
• Bush camping is not allowed in Akagera National Park
• Littering in the national park is prohibited
• Fire camps can only be done in designated areas.
• Loud music and noise should be kept at a minimum to avoid disrupting the animals
• Do not destroy the national park and leave it the way it is. That is, do not pluck the flowers or uproot anything.
• You need to keep the receipt that you used to pay the park entrance fees.

What to pack for a big five safari to Rwanda

If you are planning on visiting Rwanda for a Big Five safari, you will need essential items for your safari to Akagera National Park, the only place where the Big Five are found in the country. You do not need to pack everything and below is a list of essential items that you can bring for your safari.

• A camera: A good camera comes with equipment and this includes extra batteries, lenses and memory cards for storage. A good camera is essential to keep all your safari memories alive and you also need to carry a waterproof camera bag.
• Binoculars: These are a key part of the big five safari in Akagera helping you see animals that are far off. It helps bring the wildlife closer to you and we recommend you carry night vision binoculars.
• Light waterproof backpack: this is a requirement that will help you carry all the essential items that you need during the day, and these include sunscreen, insect repellent, guidebooks, foldable water bottle, snacks, first aid kit, toiletries, warm sweater and other personal items.
• A waterproof rain jacket or poncho: The weather in Akagera National Park is unpredictable, and you need to be ready for the rains during the dry and rainy season.
• First aid kit: in case of accidents, you need to have a personal first aid kit even though most lodges offer a first aid kit for you. The kit should have prescribed medicines, plasters, cotton, painkillers, scissors, iodine, spirit and razor blades among others.
• Neutral coloured clothes
• Long-sleeved shirts and trousers
• Insect repellent: Akagera National Park is a tropical rainforest destination, and there are different bugs found in the forest. You need to keep safe and carry insect repellent that you are comfortable with to keep the bugs away and avoid sickness.
• Headlamps/torches: There are a lot of lodges that have electricity, and others use solar, and sometimes there are power shortages. You will need to have a headlight or torches with extra batteries for your big five safari experience.
• Toiletries: Even though there are toiletries provided at the lodges and hotels, you need to be comfortable with what you normally use, and this is why tourists are advised to carry personal toiletries, including toothbrushes and paste, wipes, combs, deodorant, sanitiser, toilet bag and lotion among others.
• Sunscreen: The African sun is different, especially during the dry season, and if you have sensitive skin, you need to apply sunscreen and move within cases when you need to reapply.
• Guide books
• Local currency: Although USD is allowed, it will be hard for you to transact if you do not have local currency, and you are advised to exchange your money into local currency at your point of entrance into the country.
• Personal medication.

Best time to see the big five in Rwanda

Rwanda is an all-year-round safari destination, and the big five can be seen in both the rainy season (March to May and late October to November) and the dry season (June to October and December to February). The best time, however, is during the dry season, also known as the peak season, and this is because, during this period, the grass in Akagera National Park has thinned out, which makes it easy to spot the big five and the animals gather around the watering holes and lake banks to cool off from the heat.

June to September is the busiest season, and safaris during this period are more expensive as compared to the rainy season, as many service providers increase their prices because of the large population of tourists. The low season is from March, April, October and November and April has the heaviest rains in the national park. The best time will be determined by the activities you wish to carry out while on your big five safari to Rwanda and your budget.

Tourists planning on seeing the big five in Rwanda have to book and plan for everything in advance especially during the dry season. Get in touch with us via email to help you plan for your big five safari to Akagera National Park in Rwanda.