Ibanda-Kyerwa National Park is a 294 square kilometre TANAPA park in Kyerwa District, Kagera Region, where the Kagera River separates Tanzania from Rwanda and Uganda, and it is visited for quiet game drives and walking safaris among buffalo, roan antelope and topi. Entry costs USD 30 per foreign adult per day. Access changes the picture: the nearest road gateway is Murongo, 221 km from Bukoba, and the only overnight option inside the park is a public campsite.
Finding Ibanda-Kyerwa on the Map of Kagera
Ibanda-Kyerwa National Park sits in the far northwest corner of Tanzania, in Kyerwa District of Kagera Region. The Kagera River forms its western edge, which is the border with Rwanda, and its northern edge, which is the border with Uganda. Rwanda’s Akagera National Park lies directly across the river.
Murongo is the town that matters for planning. It stands at the park’s northern tip beside the Kikagati and Murongo border post, and TANAPA places the gate roughly 4 km from that crossing. Bukoba, the regional capital on Lake Victoria, is the nearest large town with an airport. Do not confuse the park with Ibanda town in western Uganda, which shares only the name.
Reaching Ibanda-Kyerwa: Routes and Transfer Times
Most visitors reach Ibanda-Kyerwa by road from Bukoba to Murongo, a 221 km drive via Omurushaka, after flying into Bukoba. TANAPA lists three road approaches and one air option, and each suits a different starting point.
Road Route from Bukoba via Omurushaka
The Bukoba to Murongo road runs 221 km through Omurushaka, according to the TANAPA park brochure. Treat it as a full travel day by 4×4. Drive times depend on road works and rain. Published operator estimates disagree by several hours. Fuel, cash and supplies are easiest to buy in Bukoba before you set off.
Road Route from Biharamulo and Benako
Travellers coming from the south, for example after Burigi Chato National Park, can drive from Biharamulo through Benako and Omurushaka to Murongo. TANAPA gives this route as 327 km, so it is a long day and best split with a night in Kayanga or Omurushaka if your schedule allows.
Crossing from Uganda at Kikagati and Murongo
The Kikagati and Murongo border post is the shortest way in for anyone already on a Uganda safari. TANAPA says the official crossing sits about 4 km from Kifurusa gate. A Tanzanian visa and vehicle paperwork are needed at the border, so check Tanzania’s entry requirements before you travel. On the TANAPA tariff, a private East African registered car pays TZS 20,000 to enter, while a commercial or foreign registered vehicle pays USD 40.
Flights to Bukoba and Chato
Air Tanzania lists Bukoba among its domestic destinations from Dar es Salaam, and Chato also has an airport. From either, TANAPA notes that light aircraft can continue to Ihanda in Karagwe District or to the airstrip inside the park, marked Ibanda A on the TANAPA map. Charters must be arranged privately, so most travellers fly to Bukoba and drive. Domestic flights and road options are compared in getting around Tanzania.
Why Travellers Choose Ibanda-Kyerwa
Travellers choose Ibanda-Kyerwa for solitude, a cheap entry fee and the chance to watch game on a river that is also an international border. The park rarely sees other vehicles, and TANAPA’s conservation fee here is USD 30 per foreign adult, less than half the USD 70 charged in the Serengeti in peak season.
It also fits neatly into overland routes. Someone finishing a Uganda safari can cross at Kikagati, spend a day or two in the park, then continue to Bukoba or south to Burigi Chato. It suits repeat visitors who have already done the northern circuit.
Ibanda-Kyerwa Safari Tours and Activities
Game drives and walking safaris are the two activities TANAPA promotes in Ibanda-Kyerwa, and its tariff also allows night game drives and sport fishing here. Ask the park in advance about anything beyond game drives, because facilities are still being built.
Game Drive Safaris on the Savannah
A game drive safari in Ibanda-Kyerwa follows tracks across open grassland, scattered acacia, low hills and the river basin. TANAPA names buffalo, topi, eland, impala, waterbuck, reedbuck and roan antelope as the animals visitors see from the vehicle. Bring your own 4×4, or hire one with a driver in Bukoba; the park speed limit is 50 km per hour.
Walking Safaris with a Park Ranger
Walking safaris go out on foot with an armed ranger. TANAPA prices them by length. A short walk of 1 to 4 hours costs USD 20 per foreign adult, and a long walk above 4 hours costs USD 25. Children aged 12 and over may join at reduced rates of USD 10 and USD 15.
Night Game Drives in Ibanda-Kyerwa
The TANAPA tariff lists Ibanda-Kyerwa among the parks that allow night game drives, at USD 50 per adult and USD 25 per child aged 5 to 15. Specific guidelines apply, so confirm with the park office that a night drive can run on your dates before you plan around one.
Sport Fishing Trips on the Kagera
The TANAPA tariff allows sport fishing between 7am and 5pm, at USD 25 per adult per day. The park sits on the Kagera, so fishing would take place on the river. Hippos live in the same water, which makes ranger guidance on where to stand a sensible condition of any fishing trip.
Primates, Plains Game and Birds of Ibanda-Kyerwa National Park
Ibanda-Kyerwa National Park holds plains game, river hippos, leopard and a bird list above 200 species, based on TANAPA’s park brochure. It is not a Big Five park. Sightings are never guaranteed.
Buffalo, Roan and Other Plains Game
Buffalo herds, roan antelope, topi, waterbuck and impala make up the core of the plains game TANAPA lists, with eland and reedbuck also seen on drives. Roan are the species to look for, since few visitors see them on a standard northern circuit trip. Several operator guides also mention elephant, zebra and sitatunga, yet none of those three appears on the TANAPA species list, so treat them as unconfirmed.
Hippos and Leopard Along the Kagera River
Hippos live in the Kagera River, and TANAPA says leopard use the riverine strip. Leopard sightings depend on luck and a patient guide in any park, and this one has seen little wildlife viewing traffic, so animals may move off quickly when a vehicle stops.
Blue Monkeys and Birdlife
Blue monkeys and other primates live in the wooded areas. For birders, TANAPA records more than 200 species, among them the African fish eagle, augur buzzard, bar tailed trogon, cinnamon chested bee eater, African olive pigeon, black saw wing, Egyptian goose and great crested grebe. Pack binoculars. Keen birders often add Minziro Forest Reserve, in the same corner of Kagera.
Main Sights of Ibanda-Kyerwa National Park
The main sights of Ibanda-Kyerwa National Park are the Kagera River border, the view across to Akagera, and the savannah hills of the old game reserve. None of them needs a separate permit beyond the daily conservation fee.
The Kagera River Border
The Kagera River is the park’s defining feature. TANAPA calls it one of the largest rivers in Tanzania, and it marks the border with Rwanda on the west and Uganda on the north. Hippos live here.
Akagera National Park Across the Water
Rwanda’s Akagera National Park lies on the opposite bank, so a stretch of the river separates two national parks in two countries. You cannot cross the river into Akagera from here; entering Rwanda means an official border post.
The Savannah Hills and Central Basin
Grassland, acacia woodland, hills and valleys cover the rest of the park, with higher ground giving views over the central basin.
The Story of Ibanda-Kyerwa: From Game Reserve to National Park
Ibanda-Kyerwa became a national park on 5 July, in the same round of upgrades that created Burigi Chato and Rumanyika Karagwe, after nearly five decades as a game reserve that TANAPA dates to 1971.
Many websites still give 200 square kilometres and 1974, figures that trace back to older reserve records. TANAPA’s own brochure gives 294 square kilometres and 1971, and this guide follows TANAPA. One operator guide even states 2,200 square kilometres, which no official source supports. The park is managed from Kyerwa, and the government released TZS 3.9 billion for a new entrance complex at Kifurusa with ranger offices, staff housing, roads, wells and solar power, according to the Daily News and The Guardian in Tanzania.
How Ibanda-Kyerwa Differs from Other Kagera Parks
Ibanda-Kyerwa sits where one river marks the border with both Rwanda and Uganda, facing a Rwandan national park across the water, and it pairs that position with one of TANAPA’s lowest fees. Its Kagera neighbours share the fee band but offer different activities.
| On the TANAPA tariff | Ibanda-Kyerwa | Burigi Chato | Rumanyika Karagwe |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adult entry | USD 30 | USD 30 | USD 30 |
| Night drives | Listed | Listed | Not listed |
| Canoeing | Not listed | Listed | Listed |
| Sport fishing | Listed | Listed | Listed |
Choose Ibanda-Kyerwa if you are crossing from Uganda or want a river border setting. Burigi Chato suits travellers who want a water based activity, and Rumanyika Karagwe is the natural second park for a Kagera circuit. The cost that cuts against Ibanda-Kyerwa’s low fee is access: a cheap daily ticket still needs a full day of driving each way from Bukoba.
Best Months for an Ibanda-Kyerwa Safari
The best months for an Ibanda-Kyerwa safari are July to September and December to February, the two dry windows TANAPA recommends. Short rains fall in October and November and long rains from March to May, when park tracks are hardest to drive. The national pattern behind these windows is set out in the best time to visit Tanzania.
| Months | Season | Driving | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul to Sep | Dry | Easiest | Best |
| Oct to Nov | Short rains | Muddy at times | Fair |
| Dec to Feb | Dry spell | Good | Very good |
| Mar to May | Long rains | Hardest | Avoid |
In July to September, short grass makes plains game easier to find and the Bukoba road is at its most reliable. December to February is a sound second choice. Birders who accept mud can come in the short rains, but a March to May trip risks losing a day to an impassable track.
Places to Stay for an Ibanda-Kyerwa Safari
The only place to stay inside Ibanda-Kyerwa is a public campsite where you bring your own camp, and TANAPA points visitors to affordable lodging in Murongo just outside the park. We found no lodge or tented camp confirmed as operating.
Kihinda Public Campsite Inside the Park
The TANAPA map places the public campsite at Kihinda, near the eastern gate of the same name. Camping costs USD 30 per foreign adult per night and USD 5 per child aged 5 to 15 on the TANAPA tariff, on top of the daily conservation fee. Bring everything. The map also marks two permanent tented camp sites, at Kamwezi and Kichini, but no operator for either could be confirmed.
Guesthouses in Murongo Town
Murongo, the border town at the park’s northern tip, has the affordable accommodation TANAPA refers to in its brochure. Expect simple guesthouses rather than safari lodges, and ask your driver or the park office which ones are open, since none publishes online rates.
Hotels in Kayanga and Bukoba
Kayanga, the Karagwe District town on the Bukoba road, and Bukoba itself have a wider choice of hotels. Both work as a night stop before or after the park rather than as a base for daily game drives, given the distance.
Ibanda-Kyerwa National Park Fees for Foreign and Resident Visitors
Ibanda-Kyerwa National Park charges a conservation fee of USD 30 per non East African adult per day, USD 15 for expatriates and Tanzanian residents, and TZS 5,000 for East African citizens. These are the rates on TANAPA’s most recent published tariff, which lists fees before 18% VAT; a foreign adult therefore pays about USD 35.40 a day.
One fee covers 24 hours from entry on a sleepover permit, or 12 daylight hours on a day permit, with multiple entries allowed in that time. Payment runs through TANAPA’s online system and the government payment gateway, so check card and mobile money options with the park office before arriving, and confirm whether a newer tariff has replaced these figures. How park fees fit a full trip budget is covered in what a Tanzania safari costs.
Ibanda-Kyerwa Park Fee Calculator
Add up the TANAPA fees for your group in Ibanda-Kyerwa National Park by visitor category, days, camping nights and activities.
USD 212.40
USD 180.00 before VAT, for 2 adults over 2 days
| Fee | Before VAT |
|---|---|
| Conservation fee | USD 120.00 |
| Public campsite | USD 60.00 |
Show the TANAPA rates used
| Charge, per person unless stated | Non East African | Resident | EA citizen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conservation fee, adult, per day | USD 30 | USD 15 | TZS 5,000 |
| Conservation fee, child 5 to 15, per day | USD 10 | USD 5 | TZS 2,000 |
| Public campsite, adult, per night | USD 30 | USD 30 | TZS 5,000 |
| Public campsite, child, per night | USD 5 | USD 5 | TZS 2,500 |
| Short walk, adult | USD 20 | USD 20 | TZS 5,000 |
| Long walk, adult | USD 25 | USD 25 | TZS 10,000 |
| Night game drive, adult | USD 50 | USD 50 | TZS 10,000 |
| Night game drive, child | USD 25 | USD 25 | TZS 5,000 |
| Park guide, per group per day | USD 20 | USD 20 | TZS 5,000 |
| Vehicle up to 2,000 kg, per entry | USD 40 commercial or foreign; TZS 20,000 private TZ or EA registered | ||
Last checked November 2026. Indicative only: rates from the latest TANAPA tariff published on tanzaniaparks.go.tz, which lists fees before 18% VAT. Children under 5 enter free. Walks are costed for adults only. Confirm current rates with TANAPA before you pay.
Ibanda-Kyerwa Trip Ideas from 2 to 4 Days
Two days is the practical minimum for Ibanda-Kyerwa from inside Tanzania, because the Bukoba drive uses most of a day each way. Four days lets you add Rumanyika Karagwe or exit into Uganda.
Two Day Ibanda-Kyerwa Camping Safari from Murongo
Day one: drive from Bukoba to Murongo, 221 km via Omurushaka, pay fees at the gate and set up camp at Kihinda. Day two: early game drive across the plains, a short ranger walk, then exit. Travellers coming from Uganda can do the same plan in reverse after crossing at Kikagati, which saves the long Bukoba drive.
Four Day Kagera Circuit with Rumanyika Karagwe
Day one: Bukoba to Murongo. Day two: full day in Ibanda-Kyerwa with a game drive and a long walk. Day three: move to neighbouring Rumanyika Karagwe National Park, also in Kagera and in the same fee band. Day four: return to Bukoba, or continue south to Burigi Chato for a longer western route around Lake Victoria that can take in Rubondo Island National Park.
Ibanda-Kyerwa National Park FAQs
Where is Ibanda-Kyerwa National Park?
Ibanda-Kyerwa National Park is in Kyerwa District, Kagera Region, in the far northwest of Tanzania. The Kagera River forms its border with Rwanda to the west and Uganda to the north, and the nearest town is Murongo beside the Uganda border post.
How many days do I need in Ibanda-Kyerwa?
One full day in Ibanda-Kyerwa covers a morning game drive and a ranger walk. Add a travel day either side if you start in Bukoba, 221 km away, so most trips run two to four days in total.
Can I visit Ibanda-Kyerwa from Uganda?
Yes. Travellers reach Ibanda-Kyerwa from Uganda through the Kikagati and Murongo border post, which TANAPA places about 4 km from Kifurusa gate. You need a Tanzanian visa and the correct vehicle documents; a commercial or non East African vehicle pays USD 40 to enter.
Are there lodges inside Ibanda-Kyerwa National Park?
We could not confirm any lodge operating inside Ibanda-Kyerwa National Park. TANAPA lists a public campsite where visitors bring their own camp, plus affordable guesthouses in Murongo. Larger hotels are in Kayanga and Bukoba.
Are there elephants in Ibanda-Kyerwa?
TANAPA’s species list for Ibanda-Kyerwa does not include elephant. Some operator pages say elephants pass through, but treat that as unconfirmed and plan the trip around buffalo, roan, topi, hippos and birds instead.
Can I drive myself in Ibanda-Kyerwa?
Self drive is possible in Ibanda-Kyerwa if your vehicle is a sturdy 4×4 and you pay the vehicle fee, TZS 20,000 for a Tanzanian private car or USD 40 for a foreign or commercial one. Tracks have little signage, so hiring the USD 20 park guide is a sensible addition.
Is Ibanda-Kyerwa National Park worth visiting?
Ibanda-Kyerwa is worth visiting for travellers crossing between Uganda and Tanzania, birders and repeat safari goers who want empty tracks for USD 30 a day. First time visitors hoping for lions and big herds should skip it for the northern circuit, since the reward here is solitude rather than volume.
Tanzania Safari.travel helps travellers plan Tanzania safaris beyond the northern circuit, including routes through Kagera’s newer parks. Tell us your dates and starting point, whether Bukoba or a Uganda border crossing, and we will help you work out a realistic Ibanda-Kyerwa route with current TANAPA fees.