The tires crunched over the red earth as we approached Akagera National Park, and the instant smell of wet grass and dust brought a childhood memory. I was back in Primary Six, thinking of the class trip I never took, imagining the wide-open plains and the animals I had only known from books. ALSO READ: How Akagera Park’s Rwf1.2bn community fund will be spent Illness had kept me home then, under my mother’s watchful eye, but twelve years later I was here at last. Over four days with the Rwanda Environmental Journalists, fellow writers, and travel influencers, I wandered from dusty roads to quiet riverbanks, sunlit clearings, and the park’s hidden corners. Every sighting, every conversation with rangers and locals, revealed that conservation is not just about lions or rhinos. It is about the people who protect them and the communities that thrive alongside this living landscape. Akagera National Park stretches across 1,122 square kilometres in Eastern Province, bordered by Nyagatare, Gatsibo and Kayonza districts. It is the only place in Rwanda where all the Big Five can be seen, a fact that carries weight when you understand what it takes to keep this landscape alive. ALSO READ: Eight reasons why Akagera National Park should be on your bucket list Hours into the drive, we stepped out at the park gate for the routine check and a quick photograph. The view hit first. The fence line ran along miles of open green, a reminder that this barrier, installed in 2013, is central to how the park now works. Three years before the fence was erected, a management agreement outlined the goal: to establish a protected area that remained intact and healthy, benefited surrounding communities, and supported a conservation-based economy. By the fourth day of our visit, the scale of that mission had begun to make sense. ALSO READ: Akagera’s new rhino crash to boost biodiversity, tourism On our first night, we learned that many staff members live inside the park full-time. Those without a private car rarely leave during the work week, given the early curfew and the distances between stations and the nearest towns. I asked our liaison how different this life was from military service. He smiled and said he would not compare the two, but added that the environment had been overlooked for centuries and caring for it was part of our shared cycle. His answer made clear why some choose to stay committed even with the long stretches away from home. ALSO READ: Why Akagera National Park is running a fish farm in Kayonza For anyone thinking of taking on this work, there’s built-in relief. The rest days are thoughtfully spaced, giving you time to recharge and savor the pace rather than rush through it. Although the workshop was part of my reporting duties, I experienced the visit much like a guest seeking to understand if the journey is worth the time and resources. The truth is that the depth of access we had would cost any regular visitor a significant amount. Our first two nights were spent at Akagera Game Lodge in the southern section of the park. The lodge sits on a gentle ridge with quiet views of Lake Ihema and Lake Shakani, about five kilometres from the southern entrance. It marked the starting point for early morning drives, late afternoon talks with rangers and a growing sense that conservation here is not an abstract ideal. It is work that shapes the lives of nearby communities, and the park’s future depends on them as much as it depends on the wildlife within its fence line. Our shared room at the lodge was comfortable and practical. You get air conditioning, a work desk, a refrigerator stocked with bottled mineral water and milk, housekeeping, a laptop safe, a wardrobe, an electric kettle, cable TV and a walk-in shower with steady hot and cold water. One night, while on a video call with a friend, they joked that they had never seen such clear image quality. I credit the lighting more than the technology. The lodge offered the familiar comforts you’d expect from a four-star hotel, even in the heart of a wildlife area. Still, it did not set the tone the way our final stop did. While Kigali has hotels with similar amenities, Karenge Bush Camp provides an experience that simply cannot be replicated in the city. Its appeal lies in its simple design, its light ecological footprint and its ability to place guests within the rhythm of the landscape. The central area is a dining tent with a small lounge and an outdoor fire pit ringed with chairs. From there, the Kilala Plain opens wide. Rangers say it is one of the most active wildlife corridors in the park, especially in the early hours when the light is soft and the grass is still cool. Our stay at Karenge brought us as close to the wilderness as the park allows. The canvas tents can be arranged as twin or double rooms, and each includes an ensuite bathroom with a flushing toilet and a supply of hot and cold water. Some of the tents also have a private outdoor shower that looks out toward the Kilala plain and Muhororo hills. Waking up to that view made it clear why many guests return. Morning routines held their ground, so I frequently skipped the lodge’s first meal. But at Karenge, meals were a social affair, broad and plain in the best way, like the breakfasts we once shared before school. The food came in abundance and the setting was warm, but that was not the point. The point was to witness how these places marry visitor comfort with environmental care, and how that balance delivers real value to nearby communities. The sights Wandering through the park, I caught glimpses of woodland kingfishers, little bitterns and natal spurfowl, some of my favourite birds. On a lake cruise across Lake Ihema, the water brought its own surprises. Nile crocodiles slid along the banks, hippos surfaced with a lazy grace, and we spotted buffaloes. A fun fact I picked up along the way: older buffaloes often separate from the herd and form small protective groups called “dagga boys.” The most unforgettable sightings came on our last day. The night before, we joked that failing to see lions would be a waste of the trip. One person half-seriously claimed it might be a scam because he only trusts what is verifiable. In practice, game drives reflect this truth. Lions, black and white rhinos, and buffaloes are often hidden and harder to find, while animals like zebras and antelopes are a constant presence across the park. Our early morning drive was a cold one - 17 degrees Celsius, a shock for a city boy. Then it happened: two lions, casually strolling, and mating, just meters from our vehicle. I kept pinching myself, half in disbelief, half in awe. It was a once-in-a-lifetime moment, and a reminder of why patience and presence matter in the wild. Though the leopard and elephant remained elusive, the park revealed other treasures: waterbucks, bush pigs, Masai giraffes, lesser galagos, and an African wildcat all appeared during our drives. Together, these moments painted a picture of Akagera’s complex and lively ecosystem. The engine running it The animals are impressive, and the sights unforgettable, but the people behind it all are the real heroes. Beyond the full-time park staff, we visited neighbouring areas to see the changes local communities are driving. Solutions range from community centres supporting handicrafts and agricultural value chains to foundations giving young people space to explore creativity. Sustainable tourism initiatives funnel revenue back to the locals, showing how conservation and community development can work hand in hand. As park management explained, as Akagera’s revenues grow, so does the money invested in surrounding communities. The result is a population that believes in conservation and actively helps protect the ecosystem. This was not always the case. A partnership between the non-profit African Parks and Rwanda Development Board (RDB) gave Akagera a new chance. Over the 15 years since the agreement, the park’s ecosystems and wildlife populations have not just recovered; they are thriving. Today, Akagera is Central Africa’s largest protected wetland. Species once wiped out have been reintroduced, and lions, elephants, giraffes, and white rhinos now roam the revitalized plains. During our visit, the park had just integrated a new group of 70 white rhinos relocated from South Africa, following the earlier translocation of 30 in 2021, bolstering its growing wildlife population. As Akagera grows into a continental conservation hub, its infrastructure is evolving alongside it. The renovation of Karenge Bush Camp and the opening of Wilderness Magashi Peninsula are part of efforts to offer high-end safari experiences while maintaining the park’s authenticity. Visitors from all walks of life can explore the landscapes without the crowds and congestion found at other safari destinations. Rwanda’s largest national park managed to preserve its pristine wilderness while targeting 65,000 annual paying visitors by 2027, proving that conservation, tourism, and community development can coexist. When I asked members of the park team about the best time to visit, they were clear. Akagera experiences heavy rains that make game viewing difficult, particularly from March to May and again in November and December. Roads become challenging, and wildlife often hides in the tall grass. The dry seasons - from June to September and January to February - offer the clearest skies, shorter grass, and the best chance to see animals in action. I could write, at length, about why a visit is worth every moment, but if my word is not enough, National Geographic listed Akagera among its 25 must‑visit destinations for 2026. The good news is that 45 percent of visitors are Rwandans, just like me, and maybe like you. Every time someone takes the time and spends the money to “just see the animals,” you can be sure that your contribution goes a long way. As I reflected on each animal I saw, aware that some of their species had once faced extinction, I found myself admiring the dedication of the people who make conservation possible. In a world where wildlife faces constant threats, isn’t the real question how much we are willing to do to protect it?
