Kahuzi Biega National Park

Kahuzi Biega National Park in Democratic Republic of Congo is Positioned near the western bank of Lake Kivu and the border of the Republic of Rwanda.

Kahuzi Biega National Park is one of the protected areas in Democratic Republic of Congo situated near the town of Bukavu town. Established in 1970 by the Belgian photographer and conservationist Adrien Deschryver, the park derives its name from the two dormant volcanoes, Mount Kahuzi and Mount Biega which are located within its premises.

Kahuzi Biega National Park is one of the largest national parks in Democratic Republic of Congo covering an area of approximately 6,000 square kilometers. The park is one of the last homes of the rare species of Eastern lowland gorilla – an endangered category under the IUCN Red List since it is set in both mountainous and lowland terrain and it was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1980 because of its rich biodiversity of rainforest habitat and its eastern lowland gorillas.

With a total area of approximately 6,000 square kilometers, part of the park is located in Mitumba Mountain range of the Albertine Rift in the Great Rift Valley and the larger part is in the lowland terrain. These features are joined with a corridor of 7.4 kilometers. The eastern part of the park is a mountainous region covering an area of 600 square kilometers and the larger part consists of the lowland measuring 5,400 square kilometers and it stretches from Bukavu to Kisangani and drained by the Luka and Lugulu rivers which flow into the Lualaba River. The park also consists of the dormant volcanoes in which the park got its name.

Flora of the park

Kahuzi Biega National Park consists of the rare riparian forests, bogs, swamps, and the marshland on the hydromorphic ground at all altitudes. The western lowland region of the park is encompassed by the dense Guineo – Congolian wet equatorial rainforest and also has part of the northeastern Congolian lowland forests. The eastern mountainous sector of the park contains continuous forest vegetation and this is one of the rare sites in sub Saharan Africa which demonstrates all stages of the low to highland transition including the six distinguishable primary vegetation types – swamp and peat bog, swamp forest, high altitude rain forests, mountain rainforest, subalpine heather, and bamboo forest. The montane rain forests are part of the Albertine Rift montane forests.

Wildlife of the park

Kahuzi Biega National Park is a home to a greater diversity of mammal species than other national parks in the Albertine Rift. The park records more than 136 mammal species and of these the eastern lowland gorilla is the most common. According to the survey made in 2008, the park had more than 125 lowland gorillas. The park is also a habitat to a variety of rare species and according to the census made in April 2011 by the Wildlife Conservation Society, over 181 mountain gorillas were recorded in the park.

Aside the mountain gorillas, other primate species in the park include the eastern chimpanzees; the owl faced monkeys, several cercopithecinae, and colobinae. Other mammal species in the park besides the primates include the bush buffalos, African bush elephants, hylochere, bongo, eastern needle clawed galago, Alexander’s bush squirrel, Ruwenzori least otter shrew, Maclaud’s horseshoe bat, and others. The park is also a home to two species of genet that are endemic to the Congo Basin and these are; the aquatic genet, and the giant forest genet.

Bird species

Kahuzi Biega National Park is a home to more than 349 bird species and 42 of these are endemic to the region. Among these include the threatened Albertine owlet. Other native species of birds in the park include the yellow crested helmet shrike, the Congo peafowl, the African green broadbill, the Rockefeller’s sunbird and many others.

In a survey made in 2020 of the freshwater fish in the park, more than 147 species were identified and of these, 11 species were found endemic to the Low River basin.

What to do while in the park

Gorilla trekking

Protecting over 125 lowland gorillas and 181 mountain gorillas, Kahuzi Biega is one of the best destinations in Congo for gorilla trekking experience. The activity involves hiking through the thick rainforests of the park in search of the apes and once found, you are allowed to spend a full hour in their presence as you learn more about their lifestyles. On the African Continent, the Republic of Congo (Kahuzi Biega) consists the lowland gorillas and for one to encounter them, he/she must possess a trekking permit at USD 400 per person.

Bird watching

With over 349 bird species, the park is among the best destinations for bird watching experience. Among the species to sight during the encounter include the threatened Albertine owlet, the yellow crested helmet shrike, the Congo peafowl, the African green broadbill, the Rockefeller’s sunbird and many others

Hiking and nature walking

This experience is mostly done during the gorilla trekking experience since it involves hiking through the rainforest of the park in search of the species. During the hike, you won’t only spot the gorillas but also other primates’ species like the eastern chimpanzees; the owl faced monkeys, several cercopithecinae, and colobinae and a lot of bird species and small mammals.