Choosing where to stay in Akagera National Park influences the quality and convenience of a safari experience. Accommodation options range from premium lodges with exclusive wildlife access to simpler alternatives that provide essential comfort at a lower cost. Each option serves a specific type of visitor, whether prioritising privacy, environmental sustainability, modern amenities, or affordability.
Availability is a key consideration, as many lodges have limited capacity and require booking, particularly during high season. Location also plays a significant role in shaping daily itineraries, with some lodges positioned for quick access to game drive routes while others emphasise remote, undisturbed settings. Factors such as guided activities, dining experiences, and sustainability practices may further influence selection.
Good accommodation is part of what makes a Rwanda safari enjoyable and memorable, so for a visit to Akagera national park you need to stay at a place that is both comfortable and well within your budget. Here are some of the places you can stay at in the Akagera area.
Magashi Camp
Beside Lake Rwanyakazinga, the upmarket Magashi Camp is located within an exclusive wilderness in the remote northeastern corner of Akagera National Park. The camp is ideal for discerning vacationers looking for the best of amenities and facilities. It boasts of frequent sightings of wildlife around the locale. Choose from one of the 8 lakeside tents that have rollable canvas sides so that you can immerse yourself in the beauty of the large bed comes with mosquito netting, while the deck outside has a small seating area to revel in the fabulous vistas.
Ruzizi Tented Lodge
If you are looking for an authentic tented safari experience in Akagera National Park, opt for Ruzizi Tented Lodge as your deluxe-priced accommodation. Following eco-friendly principles in both building construction and operation, the lodge offers just 9 tents for discerning travelers, including a treetop suite. Ruzizi is crafted from natural materials gathered locally and uses solar energy for power. It’s located beside the papyrus-filled marshes of picturesque Lake Ihema, where you can watch hippos wallowing in the shallow water and crocodiles sunning themselves, their jaws agape. Enjoy walking the boardwalks to access the lounge, dining area, and viewing deck, while the sounds of the bush fill your wilderness holiday with tranquility.
Akagera Game Lodge by Mantis collection
A value vacation accommodation, Akagera Game Lodge is perched atop a ridge that offers panoramic views of Akagera Park. Comprising a series of two-story motel-like structures with stone detailing, the lodge includes a lounge with an upper-level bar and two swimming pools, one of which is suited for guests with children. In addition to its 62 rooms and suites, the lodge also offers two distinct rondavel cottages, one with three bedrooms and the other with two. These cottages include a kitchenette and dining area. This is a child-friendly value lodge that can provide high chairs and cribs upon request.
Karenge Bush Camp
Karenge means ‘small footprint’ in Kinyarwanda, and it’s the name of the area where the camp was first established. The word also represents Karenge Bush Camp’s commitment to leaving nothing more than a light ecological footprint. The camp is open 11 months of the year, only closing for the month of April.
Karenge contains six charming canvas tents and accommodates a maximum of 12 guests, making it an intimate wilderness experience. Every tent contains two cozy camp beds with mattresses and bedding, camp chairs, reed mat floors, and solar lights for reading before bed, the sounds of nature all around you. The camp’s six tents enjoy own private, outdoor bathrooms with bucket showers, toilets, and canvas basins. Warm water is provided daily.
Akagera Transit Lodge
Akagera Transit Lodge is a community lodge made of a blend of luxury and traditional settings located in the community surroundings. Conveniently located just five minutes from the southern entrance of Akagera National Park, Rwanda’s sole savannah environment and home to the Big Five, Akagera Transit Lodge places you at the doorstep of one of East Africa’s finest attractions.
Akagera Rhino Lodge
Akagera Rhino Lodge is situated just at the edge of Akagera National Park, where travelers can sit back and relax. In their memories, they spotted animals in the park as well as watched the beautiful sunset. Akagera Rhino Lodge has one of the most hospitable teams in a cool and unique eco-friendly environment.
The facilities wood and stone have been crafted skillfully by the local artisans in the custom rooms, along with the furnishings that give this lodge an unbeatable Rwandan design. Akagera Rhino Lodge is naturally rustic with the distinctive hallmarks of Rwandan hospitality.
CAMP SITES
For the more adventurous or for those traveling on a budget, three self-catering camp sites are also available in Akagera.
- SHAKANI CAMPSITE
Shakani Campsite is located on the banks of Lake Shakani, the only lake where fishing is allowed as a tourist activity. This is a great spot if you don’t mind sharing the space with hippos and noisy plovers. Birdlife abounds at this campsite, and with the lake lapping the shores and a backdrop of tree covered hills, the scenery is magnificent. - MUTAMBA CAMPSITE
Mutamba Campsite is the highest point in Akagera and is renowned for the high density of game that congregates in this region, including herds of eland and the elusive roan antelope. - MUYUMBA CAMPSITE
Muyumba Campsite is situated on a ridge with a stunning view overlooking the picturesque Lake Shakani and Lake Ihema and across to Tanzania. Only a few kilometers away from the reception at Kiyonza, Muyumba is the closest camp site to the entrance gate.
All three campsites have pit toilets and a wash room. However, there is no running water available so please come prepared with enough water for the duration of your stay. Firewood is provided and tents can be hired from reception.
In conclusion
For the facilities located outside the national park, the park entry fee expires each time you leave the park and you will need to make a new payment each time you enter the national park.