3 Days birding Akagera National Park

3 Days birding Akagera National Park is one of the best short birding trips in Rwanda to see over 525 bird species in a shortest period possible. Bird watching safaris are mainly done in the morning and evening hours along the game tracks within Akagera National Park to offer an endless opportunity to birders to see both birds and wildlife. This park is renowned for hosting hundreds of water birds as well as the unique papyrus endemics. During your safari, expect to see birds like the beautiful lilac-breasted roller, Crested Barbet, Black Headed Gonalek, Ross’s Turaco, Heuglin’s Robin-Chat, grey hornbill among others.

Trip highlights

• Day 1: Transfer to Akagera National Park & birding on Lake Ihema
• Day 2:  Full day birding Akagera National Park
• Day 3:  Morning birding trip & transfer to Kigali

Day 1: Transfer to Akagera National Park & birding on Lake Ihema

Meet and greet our company representative and your birding guide for pick up and transfer to Akagera national park for an exciting birding safari. The journey from Kigali business center to the park is about 2 hours’ drive, covering an actual distance of 135km. You will arrive in the park on time about 2 hours’ drive from Kigali. Check in at the lodge, have lunch and head Lake Ihema for a boat cruise. Lake Ihema forms part of an extensive wetland system in Central Africa together with Rwanyakizinga, Gishanju, Shakani, and Mihindi. During your boat trip, look out for bird species like Papyrus gonolek, African fish eagle, shoebill, grey crowned crane among others. You will also have an opportunity of seeing aquatic wildlife like the Hippos and Nile crocodiles.

Day 2:  Full day birding Akagera National Park

Wake up early and drive to Akagera national park for full day birding tour. The park boasts over 525 bird species of which 44 are raptor species like Balaeniceps rex and a range of several Palearctic migrants such as the the Gallinago media, Glareola nordmanni, and the Falco naumanni. More still, you will see the following species in Akagera National Park; Ring-necked Francolin, Pallid Harrier, Green-throated Sunbird, Madagascar Pond-heron, Red-faced Barbet, Black-shouldered Nightjar, Buff-spotted woodpecker, White-spotted Flufftail, Mountain Illadopsis, Carruthers’s Cisticola, Sharpe’s pied-babbler, Black-billed weaver, Western Citril among others. Besides birding, you will encounter several wildlife species; Maasai Giraffe, Lions, Topis, Elephants, Cape Buffaloes, Black Rhinos, Impala, Elands among others. Dinner and overnight at Akagera Game Lodge

Day 3:  Morning birding trip & transfer to Kigali

After an early breakfast, go the park to look out for some species that you might have missed in the past days. Return to the lodge for check out and drive to Kigali international airport to end your 3 Days Birding Akagera National Park Rwanda with lots of memories.