Kahuzi Biega National Park-Gorilla trekking in Congo

Kahuzi-Biega National Park is a protected national park with Bukavu town as the nearest town in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo which is the conservation park for eastern lowland gorillas.

Kahuzi Biega National Park was established in 1970 by the Belgian photographer and conservationist Adrien Deschryver who was the first to habituate the Eastern Lowland gorillas & other primates in the park.

Kahuzi Biega National Park was named after two extinct volcanoes, Mount Kahuzi and Mount Biega and is one of the biggest national parks in the country with an area of 6300 square kilometers.

Kahuzi Biega national park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site inscribed in 1980 for its unique biodiversity of rainforest habitat and its eastern lowland gorillas and it is managed by Congolese National Park and the institute of Congolais pour la conservative de la nature, the wildlife conservation society

How to Access the Park

Kahuzi Biega National Park can be accessed by road and water transport, the most traveler planning to visit the park from Rwanda, explore the best option to use road transport that takes 7-8 hours from Kigali including border crossing to DR Congo.  Rusizi Border is the best recommended to use.

The Drive from Bukavu to the park headquarter takes between 1-2 hours to drive considering checkpoints and toll fees when crossing from one province to another.

From Nyungwe forest national park Rwanda requires approximately  30 km from the border post.

Those who prefer using air transport there is an airfield at Kavumu airstrip for chartered light aircraft. Take some time to make inquiries before you set off to reconfirm your booking.

Those clients from Goma will take 2-3 hours speed boat on Lake Kivu and connect to the local villages near the park and then connect to the park using 4×4 Landcruiser.

The thing to See in Kahuzi Biega National Park.

Kahuzi biega is known mostly for the eastern lowland gorillas which are only found in two parks in congo including Maiko national park. Eastern needle-clawed galago, the bongo antelope, eastern chimpanzee, bush elephants, bush buffaloes among others. The park has over 1,178 plant species,349 bird species.

ACCOMMODATIONs- Safari lodges

Kahuzi Biega national park has constructed one hotel at the park headquarter for tourists however due to the demand, Bukavu hotel recommended to travelers planning their congo Safari with Primate Safaris includes Exodus Bukavu, Hotel Begonias, Lodge Coco, Orchids Safari Club. Check on Safari lodges that are recommended and booked with primate Safaris

Things to do & See in kahuzi Biega

Gorilla Trekking

This activity is cheaper than mountain gorilla trekking and the package offered one would need a minimum of 3 days.

Eastern Lowland Gorilla trekking can be done throughout the year, though it is better enjoyed in the drier months that is May to August and December to February as that way the ground is drier and not muddy making trekking easier.

Visitors are allowed one hour to enjoy the beautiful creatures to enjoy the gorillas keenly, you will be able to see juveniles playing, females nursing the young ones and the dominant silverback looking out for any danger to the family  Since this is forest rain can happen any time so please be sure to wear hiking boots, carry a raincoat, T-shirts, long trousers, long sleeves, bug repellants, and sweaters since it tends to be cold in the mornings and evenings.

Mountain Hiking

Looking for mountaineering tours in Africa? Find the list of recommended mountains that can be visited in Kahuzi biega National Park.

MOUNT KAHUZI

This is one of the most exciting activities, that gets you up to the summit of Mount Kahuzi one of the highest mountains at an altitude of 3308 meters in Mitumba range. A range that stretches along the Albertine rift south of Rwanda into the Rwenzori Mountains west of Uganda. This takes you about 4hours to climb and 3 hours to go do, here you will see the sub-alpine vegetation and bamboo forests filled with birds and other creatures.

MOUNT BIEGA

This standard at 2790 meters high and it takes about 6hours to climb and go down the mountain, the vegetation is different from that on Mount Kahuzi.This mountain lies west of Bukavu Town close to Lake Kivu that forms the borderline with Rwanda.

MOUNT BUGULUMIZA

It is also another mountain 2400meters highland it offers interesting views of the surrounding landscape which includes the Biega and Kahuzi volcanoes. Climbing and going down the mountain takes 3 hours.

Bird watching

This can be done in the morning and evening and it can be done while having the forest and nature walks.

Nature walks,

The park has trails that lead you to see primates like chimpanzees and small monkeys and birds, and they are the same trails used for gorilla trekking. In the company of park guides, you will use the Marais Musisi Trail or use the Tshibati  waterfalls trail that goes through swamps, bamboo forests, and 3 beautiful waterfalls

Come learn and get the experience yourself