Big Five (5) animals safari Rwanda : What was once only a fantasy has become a reality. The country’s lone savannah destination, Akagera National Park, is currently a Big Five destination that is home to all five species. Rwanda, which has long been known as a Mountain Gorilla safari destination, is also a Big Five safari destination. In order to witness the African Big Five before reaching Rwanda for the well-known gorilla trek, tourists won’t need to travel further.
For many years, lions and rhinos have not been seen in Rwanda. It was time to bring back these creatures and complete the big five in Akagera National Park and Rwanda after years of revitalizing the park and installing rigorous safety measures, such as building an electric fence. Lions were reintroduced to the park in 2015, while the first group of rhinos (Black Rhinos) were introduced two years later. Both animals are flourishing and having offspring.
The condition of the Big Five in Akagera National Park and your chances of seeing them are
Rhinos.
Both the black rhino and the white rhino species can be found in Akagera National Park. Few parks and wildlife refuges are fortunate enough to have both species. In 2017, 15 black rhinos were the first to be reintroduced to the park. These are found in the park’s southern woodland region, which is home to many acacia woodlands and forests and is the perfect environment for browsing black rhinos that eat tree leaves from the top down. Due to their habitat and low population, black rhino sightings are extremely unlikely.
In the park, 30 white rhinos were relocated in 2021. These are thriving in Akagera National Park, and in May 2022, a calf was born from this herd. White rhinos are grazers that mostly consume grass, hence they can be found in the park’s northern grassland area, notably close to the Kilala plains.
There are better chances of seeing the white rhinos than the black rhinos. Visitors can participate in a rhino tracking safari exercise in Akagera Park, where park officers track rhinos every morning. You can schedule the rhino monitoring activity if you want a surefire way to see rhinos.
Lions.
When 7 lions were introduced into Akagera National Park in 2015, the “king of the jungle” made a comeback. As of 2022, the lion population has flourished and multiplied seven times, increasing the likelihood that visitors to Akagera on safari may see them. Both the south and the north of Akagera have seen sightings of lions, but the best chances are in the north near the plains where many antelopes and other grazers populate the grasslands and offer the ideal hunting grounds for the lions and other cats.
The lions will probably be lounging under a tree at the end of the lengthy game drive from the south to the north after their morning hunt in the plains. The park’s southern entrance serves as the starting point for safaris in Akagera National Park. The most prevalent of the big five in Akagera National Park, buffaloes can be seen in a range of habitats all around the park.
Elephants.
Elephants were being exterminated in Rwanda at the same time as lions and rhinos a few decades ago. Overt poaching occurred during the civil wars. However, plaudits must go to the Rwandan government and the African Parks organization, who have been in charge of maintaining the park for the last ten years, for their efforts to make it one of the most protected national parks in Africa, which has resulted in a steady recovery of the elephant population. According to animal census in 2021, Akagera National Park is home to roughly 133 elephants.
In Akagera, seeing an elephant herd or even a lone elephant during a safari ten years ago required pure luck. It’s now unfortunate that you won’t witness an elephant herd while on a Rwanda safari in Akagera National Park.
Leopard.
Of the African Big 5, this one is the hardest to spot and requires some luck. Leopards are solitary animals who move quite covertly. You will have a better chance of seeing a leopard during the nighttime safari drive because they are more active then. The occupants at Karenge Bush Camp have access to both the south and the north night drives.
