Safari at Akagera National Park

We went on safari for two days in Akagera National Park on the eastern side of Rwanda. We saw so many animals and birds and camped overnight in the park. We drove our own car but hired a guide to help us find and identify animals.

Baboons

As we were driving into the park on the first day, we saw a baboon sitting on a small dead tree about two feet from our car. We were so excited! We did not know how common baboons are in Akagera National Park. During our safari, every thirty minutes to an hour, we would pass through a family of baboons. At a first glance at a baboon, you can see the monkey but when you look back you may see them grooming their babies and then you can see the human-like part of baboons. Baboons are common but in my opinion they are also very interesting. When you see an animal that is not human but acts so human, it catches your eye.

The Car Burns Oil

Around noon on the first day of safari, we came into a small grassy plain. My dad, who was driving, noticed the low oil light flashing when the car was in some positions. Dad and our guide got out and checked the oil level, coming back saying that it was indeed low. We turned around and went back to the visitor center where they said that they had a machine shop and we could buy a liter of oil. By then Dad was really mad at the car rental company because they gave us a car that burned oil. We used the oil from the machine shop to leave the park and go into town for more oil. The first gas station said they didn't have the right weight of oil. After that, we went to a car repair shop. Now, it wasn't an ordinary car repair shop. Instead of cranking up the car on a lift, they put the front wheels on a slight uphill. Then all the rest was fast: they drained the oil and then replaced it and after they were done with that, they replaced the oil filter. To take it out, they used a small piece of rope. After that, we paid them and went back to the park.

The Elephants

The first day we were driving along the road and we saw a bull elephant on the road. He was coming towards us. Our guide told Dad to back up till we were about 10 meters away. Each time we backed up, the elephant walked forward toward our car. After about two minutes of this we saw another car coming the other way, toward the elephant. He continued to walk forward and we continued to back up. After about five minutes of this, there was an opening and we pulled off the road. The elephant walked into the forest.

Gray Crowned Crane

Right after the gate to the park on the second day, Sam spotted seven birds in a tree. They had long legs like a stork but their feathers were black, white and brown. On top of their head was a yellowish gray crown of spikes. Later we learned these cranes are endangered.

Giraffes

On the first day we drove out across a big plain. There was a big herd of water buffalo and two giraffe necks fighting about 50 meters away. It was awesome to see a giraffe but from so far away they looked really small. On the second day, we drove through a lightly forested area and there we saw a small baboon family but also five giraffes about 10 meters from our car. There was a giraffe that had darker spots and our guide said that was because that one was older. They did not care about us at all. They just kept eating; they barely turned to look at us.

The Go Away Bird

We didn't really see this bird on the safari but before we started the first day our guide was explaining the history of the park and how in the past there were poachers in the park . While he was talking, I saw a bird that's gray and white with a big gray feather crown. Later the guide said that the natives called that bird the Go Away Bird because its call sounds like “go away” in Kinyarwanda.

Impala

We saw impala a lot of times; they look like a gazelle but instead of black and white on their bellies, their fur is a lighter brown. The male impala have longer, more twisty horns than gazelle. If you look at an impala head, on top of their eyes their fur color looks like Egyptian eye makeup.

Lions

As we drove out on the second day, we crossed the biggest plain yet. Our guide said that this plain was where lions liked to hang out. We drove all the way to the end of the road on the plain and turned around thinking we would not see lions or leopards. Halfway through the plain, the guide spotted two lions just lying in the grass. Eventually the lion closest to us turned and we could see his face; he didn't stand up but just looked at us. We went around the bend to see the lion that was further away and there was a third lion about seven feet away. Apparently he noticed us because he stood up and walked three steps away from us then plopped down again.

Rhinos

Right where we saw the first giraffes and buffalo far far away, there were also three grayish black specs across a stream. Our guide said that they were black rhinos. When we visited the national park they were reintroducing rhinos into the park. Later on the second day, we were about to exit the park and in the white rhinos’ new habitat there was a white rhino and its baby.

Zebras

Throughout the safari we saw a lot of zebras. Imagine a horse buuut spray paint it white with black stripes (that's what it looks like to me!). Even though the impala are in a big herd, the zebras are in a family of four or five.