Game drives and tours at Akagera

Sarah, me and Jes with Noah in the background

There are many ways to enjoy Akagera National Park in Rwanda. First there is a "behind the scenes tour" where visitors are introduced to the conservation principles behind restoring and rehabilitating the park. Akagera's Park Manager is Jes Gruner and his wife Sarah Hall is the Tourism and Marketing Manager. They live at Akagera with their two adorable sons, Noah and Luca.

I had the great fortune to meet Jes in New York last year when African Parks held a benefit at The Explorers Club in New York. Jes accepted one of the conservation awards on behalf of all of African Parks' park managers and anti-poaching rangers in the field.

Little Luca playing with his Christmas trucks and workbench!

Because of my affiliation with African Parks, Jes and Sarah graciously invited Vince and I for tea before Jes took us on the tour behind the scenes. Not everyone gets to visit chez Gruner!

Jes and Noah playing with their big truck

confiscated sandalwood, snares and bicycles

Law enforcement is still a large part of the conservation effort at Akagera. Sandalwood and bush meat are the main targets for poaching.

We took a boat safari out to the large island in the middle of Lake Ihema. We saw elephants by the banks of the mainland.

ellie

We saw lots of crocodiles ...

... and hippos.

And so so many birds. We even saw this fish eagle in the reeds eating a fish he caught for breakfast.

We took a night game drive in a pop up vehicle. I enjoy night drives because you are pretty much relieved of any photography responsibilities. The pictures, if you can get them, usually aren't very good so it is best to just sit back and watch the elusive nocturnal creatures such as leopards and civets.

Cape buffaloes will usually sit still for a night photo

even with their babies in tow

it is impossible to get a good picture of a bushbaby without a flash

baboons sleep in trees to avoid the leopards hunting below

the scrub hare poses in fright

lots of nightjars in the roads hunting for insects

And then finally we took a traditional game drive through the vast open plains in the northern part of the park. Abundant numbers and varieties of antelopes ...

... and zebra.

This is a different breed of zebra than the ones we have seen in South Africa. These are Plains Zebra that range from southern Sudan and southern Ethiopia, east of the Nile River, to southern Angola and northern Namibia and supposedly northern South Africa.

These giraffes were imported from Kenya