Kahuzi Biega National Park was established in 1934 as a forest and a zoological reserve under the Belgian government during colonial rule. It is located along the borders of Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, neighboring Lake Kivu in Bukavu town. Established in 1970, Kahuzi Biega National Park is considered one of the largest national parks in the Democratic Republic of Congo and is also a UNESCO World Heritage site. The name of the park was obtained from the two dormant volcanoes found along the park’s edges. These mountains are Mountain Kahuzi and Mountain Biega. Kahuzi Biega National Park covers an area of approximately 6,000 square kilometers of lowland terrain and mountains. Did you know that Kahuzi Biega National Park is one of the destinations in the whole world with the rear lowland gorillas (Grauer’s gorillas?

What attractions are in Kahuzi Biega National Park?

Kahuzi Beige National Park is blessed with diverse beauty that you must not miss out on seeing or looking at during your Democratic Republic of Congo Safari, or combined safari with either Rwanda or Uganda. Some of these attractions that you should expect to see when you include,

Mount Kahuzi and Mount Biega

Those two dormant volcanoes are the outstanding attractions in Kahuzi Beige National Park and they are so beautiful and amazing that you should not miss out when you happen to have an African safari. Each of these mountain ranges has a different height, Kahuzi is approximately 3,308 meters high. Mount Beige is approximately 2,790 meters high. These mountains also happen to be home to various animal species which include primates, birds, and plants, to mention but a few. These can be spotted or seen during the hiking activities that are conducted on the slopes of these mountains.

Birds in Kahuzi and Biega National Park

 Kahuzi and Biega are also home to different bird species, the birds that call this national park home are approximately 349 in number. Some of these birds include Congo Pea Fowl, Rwenzori turaco, northern fiscal, Martial Eagle, and Black-billed Turaco, to mention but a few. These birds are very beautiful and amazing to watch as they fly around the park and sing along. Kahuzi and Biega National Park is the perfect place for bird lovers to visit and tick off birds from their birding list.

Lowland mountain gorillas (Grauer’sgorillas)

 Kahuzi and Biega National Park are some of the destinations in the world with the rare lowland gorillas that live along the slopes of these mountains. These mountain gorillas are critically endangered species that are under threat of extinction due to the high rate of poaching that is high in the area.

Lake Kivu

Lake Kivu is also one of the many attractions that are found in Kahuzi and Biega National Park. This lake is considered to be one of the great lakes in Africa and borders Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo in the Albertine Rift Valley. Lake Kivu is approximately 90 kilometers long and about 50 kilometers wide. Lake Kivu covers approximately 2,700 kilometers and most of the lake is found in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Some of the other attractions that you should look forward to seeing in Mount Kahuzi and Biega National Park include, mammals, primates like monkeys, and chimpanzees, forests, and walking trails, to mention but a few.

What activities can be done in Kahuzi and Biega National Park?

Just like the different attractions found in Kahuzi National Park, there are also a lot of different activities that are done in Kahuzi National Park and some of them include;

Guided nature walks

Guided nature walks in Kahuzi and Biega National Park are done or led by professional guides who lead groups of tourists or individuals through the walking trails in the forests of the park to explore and see different attractions in the park.  The tourists and the guides are protected by armed rangers throughout the whole activity. The guided nature walks in Kahuzi and Biega National Park take about 3-4 hours of enjoying raw nature on foot. During these guided nature walks, you can be able to spot different attractions like birds, monkeys, and chimpanzees if lucky, to mention but a few.

Mountain hiking

Hiking of both Mount Kahuzi and Mount Biega is an activity done in this park. Hiking Mount Kahuzi takes about 4 hours while hiking Mount 3 hours of hiking. The mountain slopes are covered with lush vegetation and also happen to be home to different birds, plants, and many other attractions that can be sighted as you hike to the top.

Birding in Kahuzi and Biega National Park

Since Kahuzi and Biega National Park happens to be home to a lot and different bird species, this makes it the perfect place for birding activity. So, are planning to do birding in the Democratic Republic of Congo or a birder? Kahuzi and Biega National Park is the best destination for you to go to for birding.

Gorilla trekking in Kahuzi Biega National Park

As mentioned before Kahuzi Biega is one of the few destinations where lowland gorillas are found in the whole world. This national park also offers gorilla trekking as an activity that is conducted to search for and see the lowland gorillas in their natural habitat. Lowland gorilla trekking in Kahuzi Biega National Park takes approximately 6 hours and this depends on the trekking speed and where the gorillas are located. The lowland gorilla trekking activity starts with an early morning briefing at the park headquarters. On finding any of the gorilla families, you will be given approximately an hour to spend in the presence of this endangered species learning more about their way of life.

What to pack when visiting Kahuzi Biega National Park?

Since you are going to travel to a new destination to do different activities, you are expected to pack some items to help you have the best experience during your Congo safari. Some of the things you should put very much consideration into packing include long-sleeved shirts, long-sleeved trousers, bag packs, sunscreen, and insect repellant, to mention but a few. Are you ready now to embark on your long-awaited democratic republic of Congo or Uganda and Congo and Rwanda Congo safari, let us help you have the best experience.