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Artistic impressions of the the soon to be launched six-tented camp called Magashi, will be situated in the north-eastern part of Akagera overlooking Lake Rwanyakazinga. / Courtesy
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Artistic impressions of the the soon to be launched six-tented camp called Magashi, will be situated in the north-eastern part of Akagera overlooking Lake Rwanyakazinga. / Courtesy
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Artistic impressions of the the soon to be launched six-tented camp called Magashi, will be situated in the north-eastern part of Akagera overlooking Lake Rwanyakazinga. / Courtesy
Wilderness Safaris will, in December, open their second high-end tourism facility in Rwanda at the Akagera National Park.
This is the second investment by the Botswana-based tour operator that has over 30 years of experience.
In 2016, the firm launche, Bisate Lodge near the Volcanoes National Park in Musanze District, which also served as a conservation and community project with its first phase focusing on indigenous reforestation of a core 64-acre site.
In partnership with the Rwanda Development Board and conservation group African Parks, the six-tented camp called Magashi will be situated in the north-eastern part of Akagera, overlooking Lake Rwanyakazinga.
Grant Woodrow, the Wilderness Safaris Chief Operations Officer, said the investment is a contribution to the ongoing national sustainable and authentic ecotourism.
“As we celebrate our 35th year, we are proud to announce this exciting partnership with the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) and African Parks, further demonstrating our commitment to pioneering sustainable and authentic ecotourism in Rwanda,” Woodrow said.
“This new classic camp will not only offer our guests an extraordinary savannah experience, but one that is strongly rooted in a core purpose – to help conserve Rwanda’s last protected savannah ecosystem and species like shoebill and black rhino”, he added.
The 100,000-hectare Akagera National Park is situated in eastern Rwanda, bordering Tanzania, and has been managed by African Parks, in partnership with the RDB since 2010.
It comprises some of the most scenic savannah in East Africa – open plains, woodlands, lakes, swamp, and grassy low mountains. The intimate Magashi Camp will be set on the shores of Lake Rwanyakazinga – home to one of Africa’s highest hippo densities, some very large crocodiles, and (hidden within its wetlands) the secretive sitatunga and shoebill stork.
Akagera has undergone transformation in the last eight years where poaching has essentially been eliminated and wildlife is now thriving. African Parks reintroduced lions in 2015 after a 20-year absence and reintroduced the black rhinoceros in 2017.
From the new facility, guests will be able to view a range of wildlife on expertly-guided game drives, walks and boating trips, including buffalo, lion, leopard, elephant, giraffe, spotted hyena, zebra, topi, roan, eland and more.
The park also boasts almost 500 species of birds including the spectacular shoebill with its implausibly massive bill and the near-endemic red-faced barbet.
“There is no doubt that to date the overwhelming focus on gorillas has caused many travellers to miss beautifully scenic and productive savannahs of Rwanda. Now, with the launch of Magashi, our guests will have the ideal opportunity to combine an extraordinary gorilla experience at Volcanoes National Park whilst staying at Bisate Lodge, with a spectacular savannah safari at Akagera”
Add to this, the prospect of viewing chimps and other primates of the forests in the western side of the country and Rwanda offers a complete standalone high-end safari experience”, Woodrow added.
Jes Gruner, Park Manager for Akagera National Park, said that over the last 8 years, the park has achieved about 75 per cent self-financing due to increased tourism activities.
“In just eight years, Akagera has become almost 75 per cent self-financing due to tourism, which also supports surrounding communities. More than 36 000 visitors came through the parks’ entrance last year – half of whom were Rwandan nationals. This is an extraordinary recognition of the importance of Akagera and Rwanda’s natural heritage, and the role tourism plays in the long-term sustainability of this extraordinary landscape,” Gruner said.
Stakeholders say that the long-term funding support of The Howard G. Buffett Foundation to African Parks for the protection and development of Akagera has made this further investment by Wilderness Safaris possible.
This is the second investment by the Botswana-based tour operator that has over 30 years of experience.
In 2016, the firm launche, Bisate Lodge near the Volcanoes National Park in Musanze District, which also served as a conservation and community project with its first phase focusing on indigenous reforestation of a core 64-acre site.
In partnership with the Rwanda Development Board and conservation group African Parks, the six-tented camp called Magashi will be situated in the north-eastern part of Akagera, overlooking Lake Rwanyakazinga.
Grant Woodrow, the Wilderness Safaris Chief Operations Officer, said the investment is a contribution to the ongoing national sustainable and authentic ecotourism.
“As we celebrate our 35th year, we are proud to announce this exciting partnership with the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) and African Parks, further demonstrating our commitment to pioneering sustainable and authentic ecotourism in Rwanda,” Woodrow said.
“This new classic camp will not only offer our guests an extraordinary savannah experience, but one that is strongly rooted in a core purpose – to help conserve Rwanda’s last protected savannah ecosystem and species like shoebill and black rhino”, he added.
The 100,000-hectare Akagera National Park is situated in eastern Rwanda, bordering Tanzania, and has been managed by African Parks, in partnership with the RDB since 2010.
It comprises some of the most scenic savannah in East Africa – open plains, woodlands, lakes, swamp, and grassy low mountains. The intimate Magashi Camp will be set on the shores of Lake Rwanyakazinga – home to one of Africa’s highest hippo densities, some very large crocodiles, and (hidden within its wetlands) the secretive sitatunga and shoebill stork.
Akagera has undergone transformation in the last eight years where poaching has essentially been eliminated and wildlife is now thriving. African Parks reintroduced lions in 2015 after a 20-year absence and reintroduced the black rhinoceros in 2017.
From the new facility, guests will be able to view a range of wildlife on expertly-guided game drives, walks and boating trips, including buffalo, lion, leopard, elephant, giraffe, spotted hyena, zebra, topi, roan, eland and more.
The park also boasts almost 500 species of birds including the spectacular shoebill with its implausibly massive bill and the near-endemic red-faced barbet.
“There is no doubt that to date the overwhelming focus on gorillas has caused many travellers to miss beautifully scenic and productive savannahs of Rwanda. Now, with the launch of Magashi, our guests will have the ideal opportunity to combine an extraordinary gorilla experience at Volcanoes National Park whilst staying at Bisate Lodge, with a spectacular savannah safari at Akagera”
Add to this, the prospect of viewing chimps and other primates of the forests in the western side of the country and Rwanda offers a complete standalone high-end safari experience”, Woodrow added.
Jes Gruner, Park Manager for Akagera National Park, said that over the last 8 years, the park has achieved about 75 per cent self-financing due to increased tourism activities.
“In just eight years, Akagera has become almost 75 per cent self-financing due to tourism, which also supports surrounding communities. More than 36 000 visitors came through the parks’ entrance last year – half of whom were Rwandan nationals. This is an extraordinary recognition of the importance of Akagera and Rwanda’s natural heritage, and the role tourism plays in the long-term sustainability of this extraordinary landscape,” Gruner said.
Stakeholders say that the long-term funding support of The Howard G. Buffett Foundation to African Parks for the protection and development of Akagera has made this further investment by Wilderness Safaris possible.
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