If you only do one thing in Akagera besides a game drive, make it the boat safari on Lake Ihema. Sitting just inside the southern gate, Ihema is the biggest of the park’s chain of lakes and part of the largest protected wetland in central Africa — a broad, shallow sheet of water rimmed with papyrus and drowned fig trees.
Boats leave from the jetty near park headquarters several times a day and the difference in perspective is startling. From a vehicle you look down at the savannah; from the water you sit at eye level with hippos, close enough to hear the low groaning calls that carry across the bay, and to watch crocodiles slide off the mud banks as you pass.
The lake also concentrates Akagera’s birdlife. African fish eagles call from dead trees on almost every headland, malachite and pied kingfishers work the shallows, and goliath herons, open-billed storks and African darters pick along the reed edges. Cormorant and heron breeding colonies crowd a couple of small islands, and in the right season the noise and smell are unforgettable.
Top things to do at Lake Ihema
Take the scheduled boat safari
Roughly hour-long trips normally run in the morning, at midday and in the late afternoon. The last departure is the best of the three: softer light, more animal activity on the shore, and a good chance of a spectacular sunset over the water.
Watch a hippo pod up close
Ihema holds one of the highest hippo densities in the region. Guides ease the boat to a respectful distance so you can watch them yawn, jostle and submerge — bring a zoom lens and be patient for the classic wide-mouth shot.
Look for the shoebill
The papyrus beds around Ihema and the neighbouring wetlands are one of the few places in Rwanda where the prehistoric-looking shoebill turns up. Sightings are never guaranteed, but a dedicated early-morning birding boat gives you the best odds.
Book a private boat
Private charters cost more but let you choose the departure time, linger where the light is good and go quietly — much better for photographers and for anyone who wants the lake without a full boat of passengers.
Try catch-and-release fishing
Sport fishing for tilapia and catfish is permitted on Ihema and Shakani with a permit arranged through park reception — a very relaxed way to spend a morning on the water.
How to get to Lake Ihema
- The jetty is a few minutes’ drive from the southern (Kayonza/Rwinkwavu) gate and park headquarters — the first thing most day-trippers reach after entering the park.
- From Kigali it is roughly 110 km and 2.5 hours by road to the southern gate, so a 6am start easily makes the mid-morning boat.
- Most Kigali day-trip packages include either a morning or an afternoon boat slot — check which one before you book, and ask whether the boat fee is included or paid on the day.
- Book the boat at park reception as soon as you arrive — scheduled departures fill up, especially in July, August and December.
- Sit on the shaded side and take a hat: there is very little shelter and the reflected glare off the lake is strong.
- Binoculars matter more here than on a game drive; a lot of the best sightings are small birds at 30–60 metres.
- Keep hands and camera straps inside the boat, and never stand up to get a better angle on a hippo.
Best safaris for Lake Ihema
These top-rated experiences are the easiest way to see Lake Ihema and the surrounding park:
Day safari + boat from $259 Akagera 1-Day Safari with Boat Cruise & Park Fees Included
Akagera’s park fees are significant and many day tours quote them separately, so a package that bundles entry, a game drive and the Lake Ihema boat safari into one price is genuinely useful. This one does exactly that. You get the classic southern-sector drive plus an hour on the water among the hippo pods, with nothing left to pay at the gate.
- Park entry fees included — no surprise costs at the gate
- Game drive plus a Lake Ihema boat safari in one day
- Hippos, Nile crocodiles and superb waterbird viewing
Best for: Anyone who wants one all-in price with the boat included
from US$259 per person
Day safari from $180 From Kigali: Full-Day Akagera Safari + Optional Boat Ride
The best-value way to do Akagera in a single day, and the reason it tops our list. You are collected from your Kigali hotel early, driven the 2.5 hours east in a comfortable 4x4, and spend the day tracking lion, elephant, buffalo, giraffe and zebra with a guide who knows where the animals have been. A hot lunch is included, and you can decide on the spot whether to add the hour-long boat safari on Lake Ihema — worth it for the hippos alone.
- Hotel pickup in Kigali in a 4x4 safari cruiser with Wi-Fi and charging
- Full-day Big Five game drive across savannah, woodland and lake shore
- Hot lunch served at a picnic site inside the park
Best for: First-time safari-goers, short Rwanda itineraries, value seekers
from US$180 per person
Photography safari from $420 Akagera Wildlife Photography Safari: Big Five & Boat Cruise
A standard safari gets you to the animals; a photography safari gets you to the animals with the sun in the right place and enough time to work the scene. This trip combines a Big Five game drive with a Lake Ihema boat cruise — the best low-angle wildlife photography in the park — and is structured around the golden hours. Bring your longest lens and a beanbag or clamp for the vehicle.
- Itinerary built around light, not just sightings
- Big Five game drive plus a Lake Ihema boat cruise
- Time to wait at sightings rather than move on
Best for: Photographers, birders, anyone tired of five-minute sightings
from US$420 per person
