If it is big game you are looking for, Akagera will not disappoint.

Named after the river which bounds it, Akagera lies at a lower altitude than Rwanda's other parks, located just 75km east of Kigali City.

This natural savannah environment is reminiscent of Africa's better-known safari reserves in Tanzania and Kenya – and the game can be good, but doesn't quite match the best of them.

Akagera National Park is dominated by a labyrinth of hippo filled swamps and crocodile - patrolled lakes, which follow the meandering  course of the Akagera River, the (probably) most remote source of the Nile.

Across the savannah plains and tangle acacia forest range great plains game, buffalo, zebra, giraffe, and impalas, while predators include the lions, leopard, jackals and hyenas.

As for the birds, this stunning realm offers 525 species including 40 raptors. The lakes and swamps add variety, and the birding can be excellent.