Big game in Akagera National Park
Tuesday, September 29, 2009 at 12:13pm

Our second day at Rwanda’s Akagera National Park included a game drive that began in the northern end of the refuge. Our experienced guide, James Muhizi, said the dry weather has kept the animals in that section of the 1,000 square kilometer park and this area would provide the best opportunity to view game.

James was correct, during our six hour drive over rough and dusty trails, we viewed zebras, giraffe, impala, hippos, eland, water buck, oribi, wart hogs, and baboons.

We had all but given up trying to locate elephants when a large bull showed up 15 feet from our Landcruiser. It was more a case of him finding us than us finding him. Our driver, Jamada Muberuka, has been in Akagera N.P. many times but this was only his second elephant sighting so our good fortune in Rwanda continues.

Be sure to follow accounts of the Rwanda trip through reporter Perry Beeman’s articles and blogs with The Des Moines Register.

This large bull elephant appeared 15 feet from our jeep in Rwanda's Akagera National Park.

We were able to leave our vehicle and photograph about a dozen giraffe in a clearing.

Sixteen species of antelope live in Akagera, the largest is the eland. This is the dominant male in a herd of several dozen.

Despite the similarity, zebra markings are as distinct as our fingerprints.

A bush buck grazing in Akagera National Park shortly after sunrise.