Where to see big cats on a Rwanda Safari

Akagera National Park, located 2 and a half hours away from Kigali, is the only savannah national park in the country where tourists can watch the Big cats, which include lions, cheetahs and leopards. Akagera National Park is found in the eastern part of Rwanda and is home to a wide range of wildlife, including the big cats. The park was gazetted in 1934 making it one of the oldest National Parks on the African continent in recent years, especially during the 1994 Rwanda genocide, the park was greatly affected by the war which led to many of the animals escaping to safety whereas others were poached and their natural habitat encroached on by the locals.

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The lions in Akagera: Akagera National Park is home to a variety of wildlife, including the majestic lions, which at one point were extinct. All the lions in Akagera National Park were recently re-introduced to the park in 2015, and before the re-introduction, there were no lions for over 15 years because of the 1994 genocide and poaching. At the moment, lions in Akagera are part of vulnerable animals and re-introducing lions was an initiative of conservation organizations, other African parks and the Rwanda Development Board. The number since 2015 has been greatly to about 58 lions.

The population of the lions in Akagera National Park has steadily increased over the years and tourists get a chance to spot the lions in their natural habitat. The lions in the park are part of the East African subspecies, making them the darkest subspecies in Africa; they are smaller than the normal lions, vary from light to dark and have impressive manes. One of the best ways to spot the lions in Akagera National Park is by taking a game drive around the park led by an experienced guide.

The lions in Rwanda are believed to be smaller than the ones in other African countries and this is because there are few animals in Akagera for the lions to prey on.  Each lion in Rwanda has a unique roar that is deep and can be heard from a distance because they have fully adapted to the dense vegetation found in Akagera which means their roar has to be louder and deeper for better communication to travel through the dense foliage.

Although lions are known to be active during the day, the Akagera lions are nocturnal and frequently hunt at night. It is believed that they are mainly nocturnal because of the hot temperatures experienced in the country during the days so the lions prefer to preserve their energy and travel through the dense vegetation at night.

Lions in Akagera and Rwanda as a country are an endangered species and the government of Rwanda together with other conservation organizations to increase the number of lions in Akagera National Park and these initiatives include habitat restoration by reducing the encroachment of park land, anti-poaching measures and introduction of wildlife education programs to sensitize the public and locals living around the national park.

Leopards in Akagera: Leopards are part of the big cats that are found in Akagera National Park. The best place to spot the leopards in Akagera National Park is around the Magashi tented Camp in the park. Akagera has a total number of 15 to 20 leopards that have been observed over the years but there could be more with more cubs being born.  If you are looking at having the best photography safaris of the leopards, it is best if you stay at the luxurious Magashi Tented Camp.  Leopards in Akagera National Park are among the most difficult wildlife to track because they are shy and extremely unpredictable. Although the national park has roads and pathways, the leopards prefer to walk through the thickest and tall grass where they cannot easily be spotted.

Most of the leopard population in Akagera National Park was affected during the 1994 Rwanda Genocide, which saw many leopards cross to the neighbouring countries for safety. The leopards, even after the war, were affected because of the constant poaching for meat and encroaching on the park land. But with the help of the Rwanda Development Board and conservation organizations, the leopards have been protected from the outside world making Akagera National Park a home to the remaining lions in Rwanda.

Tracking leopards in Akagera needs one to have a lot of patience and experience who can track these cats. The tracker needs to follow a lot of evidence, including faeces and tree branches left behind, although sometimes the leopards can sense that they are being tracked, and they hide until the trackers pass by. The only thing that you need when tracking leopards is being calm and patience.

Note that the leopards in Akagera are solitary creatures, with females and males meeting when they are mating and when the females give birth to the cubs. If you ever meet two leopards moving together, then one is male and the other is female. The urine from the female will communicate to the male that they are ready for mating, they can even mate 70 to 100 times a day and also hunt together. After mating, a three month gestation period follows leading to the birth of the cubs. After the birth of the cubs, the male leopard returns to its solitary life.

Leopards are known predators and once they spot their prey, they will start stalking their prey for a few meters until they are ready to ambush and kill it. A single use of its paw will immediately kill the smaller prey and it is known to run at 35 miles per hour when hunting.

Cheetahs in Akagera: Despite the rumours that there are cheetahs in Akagera National Park, there has not been a sight of the cheetahs in the park however there is other wildlife besides the wild cats especially the cheetahs which you will not be able to spot and these include elephants, giraffes, wildebeests, white rhinos, black rhinos, hyenas and zebras among others.

The best time to spot the big cats in Akagera

The ideal time to spot the big cats in Akagera National Park is from June to September during the dry season. The dry season is when the vegetation and shrubs thin out allowing spotting of the big cats and other wildlife animals easy. However, if you do not mind the rainy season from March to May, then it is the calving season which brings out the ferocious big cats who come to hunt the calves.

Can I film the big cats in Akagera National Park?

Yes, it is possible to film the big cats in Akagera National Park but at a fee. Tourists who want to film big cats in Akagera National Park have to contact the park to be able to purchase a filming permit and also learn about the requirements needed for filming in Akagera National Park.

What requirements are needed for filming big cats in Akagera National Park?

The permits for filming big cats in Akagera National Park are issued and provided by the Rwanda Development Board an organization that is in charge of the national parks, protected areas and tourist activities in Rwanda. Note that the Rwanda Media High Council only issues filming licenses to the press in the country. To be able to apply for the big cats filming licenses, you need to do and have the following:

• Complete a Rwanda Press Accreditation Form
• Submit a formal letter to the Executive Secretary requesting accreditation
• Email a recently scanned coloured passport-sized photo
• Scanned a copy of your passport
• Email a scanned copy of your country’s media card
• Scan and email a copy of your visa if you come from a country that requires you to have a visa to visit Rwanda.
• Email the list of the filming kits and equipment you are to use during your production.
• A list of the crew members.

After you have submitted all the right documents, the processing of the filming permits takes 2 to 7 working days to be issued.

Cost of the filming permit for big cats in Akagera National Park

The cost of the filming permits for big cats in Akagera National Park varies depending on the number of days your filming project will take, and below is an estimation of the cost.

• $30 valid for 1 to 15 days
• $50 valid for 15 to 30 days
• $100 valid for 1 to 3 months
• $200 valid for up to 6 months
• $300 valid for 6 months to one year.

Other activities carried out in Akagera National Park

Apart from watching the big cats in Akagera National Park, there are other activities that you can carry out while on a safari to the national park and these include:

Game drives: Game drives are the best way for tourists to explore the vast nature of the national park and these are carried out using 4x4 safari vehicles that are best for the roads within the national park. The national park is home to wildlife, including lions, leopards, elephants, rhinos, buffaloes, zebras, antelopes, impalas, hyenas and jackals, among others, and these are best seen on a game drive. Akagera National Park offers two game drives per day and these are the morning and afternoon drives. Tourists who wish to have night game drives have to inform the guides in advance so that it is properly planned for. Night drives are the best time to watch the nocturnal animals. The night drives take 1 to 2 hours and each cost 40 USD per person.

Birding: Akagera National Park is home to over 500 bird species, including migratory and endemic, and all bird lovers should not miss out on this opportunity. The diverse habitats in the park make it a birding heaven, and some of the bird species you should look out for include Swamp flycatchers, Red-faced Barbets and shoebills, among others.

Boat rides: Akagera is home to Lake Ihema where the boat rides are offered.  Lake Ihema is the second largest lake in Rwanda, and visitors can take trips along it to spot the aquatic animals like hippos and crocodiles. You will also be able to spot the different animal species, including zebras, elephants and the big five, as they come to cool down from the heat. It is also a good place to spot the various bird species in the national park.

Hiking and nature walk: Tourists visiting the Akagera National Park can embark on guided nature walks and hiking, allowing them to view and explore the national park from a different point of view. Tourists also get a chance to get close to the tree species, butterflies and other animal species that you might have missed during a game drive.

Fishing expeditions: Fishing in Akagera National Park is usually carried out along Lake Shakani which is famous for having fish species like catfish and Tilapia. When you are planning to go fishing on Akagera, you have to carry personal fishing equipment, and it is always catch and release while on the Lake. Fishing tournaments are held on specific dates in the park and tourists interested in these activities should contact the management of the Akagera Game Lodge for more details.

Accommodation in Akagera National Park

Accommodation in Akagera National Park varies from budget to mid-range to luxury accommodation facilities, and tourists get to spend at least two nights in one of the facilities with your budget and preference put into consideration. Some of the accommodation facilities we recommend include the Akagera Game Lodge, Magashi Tented Camp, Kerenge Bush Camp and Rusizi Tented Camp, among others.

Getting to Akagera National Park to watch the big cats

Akagera National Park is not far away from Kigali National Park, and you can get to the park by driving, which takes two hours and a half from Kigali, and tourists flying to the park take between 25 to 0 minutes.

Contact us for more information.