Constructed in the 1970s and managed for several years by the Belgian airline Sabena (when it was known as the Akagera Hotel), this is the only game lodge in Akagera National Park, a relatively low-lying tract of acacia savannah and wetland habitats associated with the Kagera River on Rwanda's eastern border with Tanzania. Situated about two hours' drive east of the capital Kigali and about four hours by road from Volcanoes National Park (the Rwandan center for gorilla tracking), the lodge stands on a thickly wooded hilltop offering superb views to Lake Ihema and surrounding areas of swampland. It fell into disuse following the genocide of 1994, but was fully renovated prior to reopening under South African management in 2003. It was taken over by a local entrepreneur in 2005.
The somewhat monolithic and angular architecture, reminiscent of many former government lodges in Kenya and Tanzania, does betray this hotel's 1970s vintage, but it has been attractively renovated and redecorated and the overall impression is far smarter and less outmoded than one might expect of this remote corner of equatorial Africa.
The ground-floor reception area is rather cavernous and characterless, but the first-floor bar and dining area, reached
via a wooden spiral staircase, are pleasant enough and lead through sliding glass doors to a spacious balcony offering grandstand views over the wooded grounds to Lake Ihema and into the distant hills of Tanzania. A reasonably varied a la carte menu of grills, burgers and pasta dishes, though nothing to get excited about, is competently prepared and presented. The filling breakfast normally starts at 6 am but can be served at 5:30 am to allow for early morning game drives.
Akagera is Rwanda's only savannah reserve and while the wildlife doesn't compare to the more famous parks of Tanzania and Kenya, fair numbers of elephant, buffalo, hippo, giraffe, warthog, zebra and various antelope remain, along with a solitary rhino and a small number of lions and leopards. Birdwatching is superb, both in the hotel grounds and in the extensive system of lakes and other wetlands explored on most game drives. The hotel offers game drives, boat trips and guided walks. Other diversions include a swimming pool and tennis courts. A conference enter is on-site, too.
The double and twin rooms, which extend away from the hotel in a stone double-story wing, are comfortably but anonymously decorated. They provide wooden beds, netting, a writing table, and en-suite baths with hot showers. Rooms on the first floor are preferable to those on the ground floor, since they have a better view and a balcony.
Bearing in mind its remote location and Rwanda's recent history, this game lodge far exceeds the expectations of most visitors. It may lack a bit on the character front, but it has a great location and generally comes across as a professionally managed 'motel-in-the-bush' set-up with a commendably high standard of service and maintenance.