Akagera National Park: One of the Best Places to Travel to in 2026

National Geographic has announced its choices for the best places to travel to in 2026, and a little-known national park in East Africa has been featured: Akagera National Park in Rwanda.

This recent high-profile announcement by National Geographic is more than just news; it’s a profound validation of the park’s essence and a reward for the conservation efforts that have made an Akagera National Park safari one of the best experiences of 2026.

Why is Akagera one of the Top Destinations to Visit in 2026?

Have you ever dreamed of an African safari, only to worry about sharing a lion sighting with a dozen other vehicles? In Akagera, this isn’t the case.

The Big Five can be seen in Akagera without the traffic often experienced in more popular national parks in East Africa. Travellers can still have a profoundly personal experience, as a Big five safari in Akagera isn’t about joining a crowd; it’s about claiming a moment of rare, unhurried connection with the wild.

Only around 50,000 travellers come to Akagera National Park annually. This is in stark contrast to the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania, which welcomes approximately 350,000 visitors a year and the Masai Mara National Reserve in Kenya, which sees about 300,000.

We craft our Akagera National Park safari tours to honour this quiet intimacy. You’ll navigate the low-lying grasslands, the emerald woodlands, and the snaking waterways of the Akagera River – one of only a few exploring. This approach delivers a personal connection to Africa that stays with you long after you’ve returned home.

Conservation Success You Can Experience

Every sunrise in Akagera speaks of profound restoration. This park is a powerful, living example of what a dedicated African team can achieve. Through the deep commitment of African Parks and the Rwanda Development Board, a landscape once struggling has been lovingly rebuilt and repopulated. The now thriving national park is a testament to local passion, and your safari can be a genuine part of its success story.

You’ll feel this purpose woven into the experience. Akagera is now a vital home for threatened species, partly thanks to rhino translocations from South Africa. Rhino monitoring and security teams, as well as community initiatives, are ensuring that this incredible member of the Big Five can live safely in Akagera.

The legendary Akagera National Park lions are thriving. Successfully reintroduced in 2015, the growing pride population ensures that the promise of the Big Five animals in Akagera National Park is strong and real.

Conservation stories and successes are woven into Akagera National Park tours – every lion seen and rhino tracked is thanks to dedicated efforts to restore this land.

Beyond the Big Five

Akagera is about so much more than seeing the Big Five. The national park’s varied terrain is endlessly fascinating. You’ll drive through northern savannah plains that feel vast and open, then find yourself among the characteristic hills and valleys of the Rwandese countryside to the west. To the east, the Akagera river spills into a series of lakes and papyrus swamps.

Along these landscapes, you can see more Akagera National Park animals – this abundance of wildlife is another reason why the park was added to the National Geographic list. Beyond the Big Five, elegant elands, towering giraffes, and herds of topi antelopes populate the plains. Hippos and crocodiles inhabit the waters, and over 500 species of birds provide a constant soundtrack to your adventure.

For birding enthusiasts: There are species in Akagera that aren’t found anywhere else in Rwanda, making this park a must-stop for birding adventures.

From Savannah Drives to Tracking Silverbacks

For the ultimate Rwanda adventure, you can pair the wide, open plains of Akagera with the misty, intimate mountain forests of Volcanoes National Park. This effortless duality is the signature of East Africa travel.

After a Big Five safari in Akagera across the savannah, you can journey to the heart of the Virunga Mountains in search of mountain gorillas. This is an emotionally profound experience that nestles itself in your soul – a quiet, focused hour spent in the presence of a habituated gorilla family, observing their gentle intelligence.

An Akagera National park safari is an uncluttered encounter with a revitalised African jewel and an invitation to see Africa’s wilderness through a different, more personal lens. A glimpse across its plains and witnessing the fruits of the rewilding efforts and you immediately understand why Akagera has been named a top place to travel to in 2026.

Akagera National Park from Kigali

International travellers begin their Rwanda journey landing at Kigali International Airport. From the capital city of Kigali, a private transfer will take you to Akagera National Park, which is around two and a half hours away. We ensure seamless logistics so all you need to do is take in the view and get excited for what lies ahead.

Explore Akagera National Park Safaris with Discover Africa

Our Akagera safari tours include stays at luxury lodges and activities that will bring you closer to the magnificent wilderness of the national park. Discover Africa Rwanda itineraries can also take you gorilla trekking, ensuring a well-rounded safari that includes classic game drives as well as primate forest excursions.

Let’s start planning your Rwanda chapter.