While producing Beyond A Thousand Hills, the team visited Akagera National Park multiple times. The chance to spend some time in Rwanda’s great wilderness was always a highlight.
Located on Rwanda’s north-easter border with Tanzania and run by African Parks, the 112,000-hectare Akagera National Park now boasts all of Africa’s big five, after the re-introduction of 18 black Rhinos in early 2018.
The park was devastated during the Rwandan Civil war in the 1990s, with much of the land reallocated as farmland for returning refugees. Over the last decade, African Parks have worked closely with the local population, building a long term and sustainable model for park management.
While the Pioneering Eco-Tourism chapter in Beyond A Thousand Hills beautifully showcases a selection of the parks wonderful wild inhabitants, it’s enriched by an inspiring and informative essay from Sarah Hall, tourism and marketing manager at Akagera National Park.
Well worth a read, Sarah highlights and brings to life a selection of the brilliant conservation initiatives that are currently in place. Ranging from high-tech wildlife tracking, to community engagement initiatives centred around the re-introduction of the Park’s famous Lions.
Order a copy of Beyond A Thousand Hills to find out more (or pick one up at the Park souvenir shop) and if you haven’t yet stepped foot in Akagera National Park, the opening of the new luxury Magashi Bush Camp (run by Wilderness Safaris), opening this Spring is a great excuse for a visit!
Beyond A Thousand Hills 