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| We took off on Saturday morning around 6am for Akagera National Park. We arrived 2 1/2 hour later to this welcome sign! Lionel and Innocent in the back and Amy, Nelda and Kristi in the front! This was a first time visit for everyone in the picture so it was an exciting and joyful day for all!  This Lilac-breasted Roller greeted us right inside the gate. At least i think that is what he is called. He was a beauty.... that's all we knew.  Several giant ant hills were also along the way and some in the middle of the road.  These beautiful birds are either Grey Crowned Cranes. Simply can't tell from the bird book for sure. They were sitting atop a beautiful Acacia tree and Kristi had a great picture of it but i can't find it. These are a favorite bird of East Africa and maybe even particularly to Rwanda. |
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| Here we are at the park headquarters.. on our way to the restroom were these delightful pieces meeting us--- A Hippo and Buffalos! |
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| How would you like to play a game with this guy???? Wonder what happens if he loses.. ha! Innocent and him had a great round. Don't know the name of the game but it was very fast. Innocent won and he still here to tell about it! The security guard was so happy to have someone know the game. Once we paid our entrance fees and after we found out that all the guides were taken for the day---we started out all by ourselves on a 6 hour trek through the plains, lakes and hills. Below are some "folks" that we ran into! |
What gorgeous animals!
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| One of the several lakes! |
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| Mr Hippo looked like he had just won the Kentucky Derby and they had blanketed him in flowers! Indeed, he had just brought them all from the Hyacinth swamp area. Cool, huh? And little Mr. Egret was just along for the ride.  |
Amy captured this Egret right next to the car!
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| Later in the day he had found another swamp hole to cool in. Just before he lifted his head he had been "all in" except the top of his back and head. Actually, when we lifted his head he scared us. We were all in the car.. but only about 10 feet away from him. Innocent took this picture.. just in time! |
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| This was almost at the end of the day.. But these two literally were posing for us. We have so many pictures of these two in this position. At one point the back one looked away, shook her mane as if to make herself look better for the picture and then repositioned herself. It was great! Innocent took tons of pictures of the zebras with my camera! |
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| We only saw a few baboons this trip! But they were far away from the road. |
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| Great line up, huh? I'm using some of each of our pictures and I'm not sure whose are whose.. but one thing is for sure you are not seeing ALL the pictures we took. There are just simply way too many to post. |
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This is either a purple heron or a goliath heron. Again.. from the picture and the bird book it is too hard to tell. He was just walking through the swampy area.  Innocent caught this guy..a Hamerkop... or Hammerhead! |
And then the giraffes appeared on the scene!
Love those lashes! She should do an ad for Maybelline!
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| Impala are everywhere ---graceful and sleek. |
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| They really ARE real even though they look statuesque! |
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Several Topi showed themselves throughout the day. |
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| As we ate lunch along the lake...this guy kept coming up for air and snorting. There were quite a few hippos in the water out across the lake. |
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| This is a typical road in the park... It looks pretty good and after riding on the Congo-Nile Trail this one really was pretty good but... |
....both Lionel and Innocent kept trying to hold the
dashboard in place! It kept rattling like it will fall apart!
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| A Beautiful Waterbuck |
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| Akuna Matata!!!! They have no worries, except us. They are so shy! |
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| The Buffalo on dry ground. |
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| If I remember right Kristi took this through the car window. Stunning closeness... yes, with a zoom but these guys weren't far away. |
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| A little one! |
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| Double take! Deja vu? |
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| The topography! |
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| A couple off by themselves! |
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| Literally, right beside the car... This stately impala (antelope) was checking us out for just a moment. Note the camouflage among the limbs! |
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| Then he went right back to his business! Great antlers! |
Our last look out across Akagera National Park.
Our two and a half hour drive home was filled with stories of what each of us liked
most about this trip. I think the excitement for Lionel and Innocent
seeing "Their Country"... as they had never seen it before was the highlight for
me. They've grown up here and yet had never had the chance to see this fabulous park.
Now they have seen the North 1/2 of the park. I hope someday they will get to see the South route, too! The awe and excitement of the day will live with each of us
forever....A great experience that I'm so glad we all were able to share together.
The guys couldn't wait to get back to tell their family and friends of all they had seen!
It was a great day with all the creatures that our Lord
has created for us to enjoy.
And enjoy we did!
love,
margie
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