Lake Birengero is located in the northern side of Akagera national park Rwanda about 8 kilometers from Lake Ihema. It lies within the extensive grassland area of Akagera national park about 2 – 3 hours’ drive from Kigali city in a comfortable 4 wheel drive safari vehicle. Lake Birengero stands at an altitude of about 1442 meters and its one of the shallow and muddy water lakes in Rwanda. It comprises many papyrus beds where a variety of water bird species can be spotted.

Lake Birengero is one of the most important places for bird watching in Rwanda. the birds found in this area include white helmet shrikes, pelicans, fish eagle, cinnamon breasted bunting, pygmy kingfishers, shoebill storks, little sparrow hawk, hammer kop, black crowned night heron, papyrus gonoleks, spur wing goose, little bee eaters, headed saw wing, purple banded sunbird and white browed coucal. If you happen to continue to the extreme north you might see birds such as tobora cisticola, little egrets, sooty chat, goliath heron, spur winged plovers, red faced barbets, goliath heron, black breasted snake eagles and crown hornbills among others.

Driving outside Akagera national park comes with astonishing sights among which include birds such as red headed weaver, yellow breasted apalis, black cuckoo, white winged tit, grey headed bush shrike, scarlet chested sunbird, green capped eremomela, klaas’ cuckoos, Hildebrandt’s and wildlife species among which include baboons, impalas, defassa waterbucks, vervet monkeys, dwarf mongoose ad bushbucks among others. With your binoculars and cameras, a visit to Lake Birengero is rewarding with lots of beautiful different bird sights and also other different wildlife species that will come your way.

Akagera national park is blessed with other beautiful lakes each with different bird species and other aquatic animals. These lakes include Lake Mihindi, Lake Rwanyakazinga, Lake Ihema, Lake Murambi, Lake Shakani, Lake Kivumbi, Lake Hago, Lake Birengero and Lake Gishanju.

Getting to Lake Birengero

Lake Birengero is located in the eastern side of Rwanda in Akagera national park. Getting to Lake Birengero takes you about 2 – 3 hours using road transport from Kigali city using a good and comfortable 4 while drive safari vehicle. It is found in the northern part of Akagera national park about 8 kms from Lake Ihema. In conclusion, Lake Birengero is by far is best birding site for people interested in water birds. You will be selfish if you visit Rwanda without visiting the rare mountain gorillas and golden monkeys in volcanoes national park, primates in Gishwati Mukura national park and lastly chimpanzees, canopy walk and golden monkeys in Nyungwe national park.