 |
| One of the lionesses that is GPS tagged |
5:30am wake-up.
6:00am breakfast.
6:30am game drive.
Safari does not care that you are on holiday.
Also, it is physically impossible to keep up with the eating schedule at a luxury safari camp. Breakfast, morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea, sundowners with snacks, dinner... and that’s before you even attempt to justify the included alcohol. I tried. I failed.
Magashi equips you like you’re heading into mild battle: insect repellent, fleece blanket, fleece-lined poncho, unlimited water, and snack packs should you somehow still feel peckish between structured feeding times.
The morning drive delivered. By the end of it, we had officially ticked off the rest of the Big Five: lion, leopard, elephant, buffalo, and black rhino. For a park that nearly lost everything a few decades ago, that feels no small thing.
 |
| Good morning! |
 |
| A very solid breakfast... |
 |
| I'm glad my staple was available |
 |
| Love those fleece blankets |
 |
| Mama and son. Rhino - tick! |
 |
| I forget what type of monkey this is... |
 |
| Impalas were everywhere |
 |
| Oh hello! The male lion in the grass right where our picnic spot was for morning tea. Along with 3 lionesses... |
 |
| So we had morning tea in our jeep |
 |
| Ah...tea |
 |
| Zebras on their honeymoon. I didn't realise how long the schlong was |
 |
| Warthogs. Apparently known for being very stupid |
 |
| Buffalo. Tick! |
 |
| A tower of giraffes. Assiat says them lying down means they are very relaxed |
 |
| This vehicle is what the plebs use |
 |
| Waterbuck. SOOO smelly |
When we returned to camp, we discovered we were now the only guests. Eight front-of-house staff. Two of us. I’m not saying it felt royal… but cold drinks appeared before we realised we wanted them.
Lunch was delicious. A dip in the pool followed because the FOMO dictated that we had to at least once. Lake Rwanyakizinga stretched out quietly in front of us, all shimmer and stillness - bar the judgemental eyes of hippos poking above the surface.
 |
| When the bar is open for you and you only.. |
 |
| They serve you all the appetizers together. Bread, salad and... |
 |
| soup |
 |
| My choice today was a Rwandan platter. Spinach, beans, beans, and beef |
 |
| Passionfruit sorbet |
Then Assiat casually radioed in that she had spotted elephants near the lake and asked if we’d like an impromptu boat ride.
Obviously. She came by and picked us up. By the time we reached the shore, the herd had moved back onto land. No problem. A vehicle was summoned and we repositioned. What followed was one of those unexpectedly tender wildlife moments: a large herd, young bulls (about three to five years old) mock-wrestling and showing off, while the adults rotated through what can only be described as a communal mud-bath spa. The little ones were supervised. The big ones soaked. Occasionally one would wander closer, curious but calm. There’s something special about watching the family dynamics of an elephant herd.
After a short pause back at camp, we headed out again, this time properly, to explore more of Lake Rwanyakizinga (still unpronounceable). Nile crocodiles lined the banks like prehistoric props. Waterbirds skimmed the surface. Hippos bobbed and grunted at alarmingly close range. We finished with a bush bar set-up just as the sky cracked open and the rain came down in sheets. Timing: impeccable.
With the camp so quiet, conversations flowed more easily. Stories were exchanged. It’s impossible not to feel aware of the privilege of being here.
Assiat told us about her childhood — waking before dawn to fetch water, carrying 20-litre jerry cans once she reached her mid-teens, walking two kilometres each way. Chasing baboons from family fields, sometimes having to throw rocks because they were aggressive and relentless. Children as young as five walking themselves to school because their parents were already working the land. Perspective comes quickly out here. A quiet reminder of how privileged my life is.
Akagera itself has been a delight. The landscape may not be as dramatically cinematic as other parts of Africa, but what it offers instead is space and stillness. It’s quieter, lesser known. No convoys of jeeps jostling for position. No radios crackling with competition. Just long stretches of savannah, lake, and the occasional giraffe ambling through like it owns the place.
Akagera National Park is well worth visiting in its own right. Most travellers to Rwanda focus on Volcanoes National Park for the gorillas, maybe adding Nyungwe National Park for chimpanzees.
But Akagera? Come before the secret gets out.
 |
| Searching for elephants |
 |
| A family taking turns covering themselves with mud |
 |
| Pool time |
 |
| Mustn't forget afternoon tea |
 |
| African protein ball of sorts |
 |
| This was unexpectedly yummy. Banana filled with roasted vegetables. Who would have thought! |
 |
| Boat tour take 2 |
 |
| Young male elephant and nile crocodile |
 |
| Bush bar! |
 |
| Everything home made |
 |
| So many things to transport and set up...thank you! |
 |
| Thank you Magashi Camp and Akagera National Park! |
 |
| The heavens opened up shortly after |
 |
| Greeted with whisky spiced tea |
 |
| Small gift |
 |
| Enjoying the rain from within the comfort of our tent |
 |
| Excellent cauliflower soup |
 |
| Still haven't figured why blogger wouldn't let me insert my big camera pics in the right spots... |
 |
| Curious elephant came right up to the jeep |
