Kahuzi Biega National Park
Kahuzi biega National park is a well protected area which is near the Bukavu town in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. Travelers also opt to visit kahuzi biega national park after touring Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable Forest National Park.
Kahuzi biega park is located near the western bank of Lake Kivu and Rwanda border.
The name Kahuzi biega is named after two dormant volcanoes, Mount Kahuzi and Mount Biega since they are located in the range of the park.
Kahuzi Biega National park is found at the 6, 000 square kilometers; it’s one of the biggest national parks in the country. The park is found in the lowland terrain and mountainous area and it’s the main habitat of the Eastern lowland Gorilla. It’s a world Heritage site which was formed in the 1980 for a unique biodiversity of the rainforest habitat and it’s the eastern lowland Gorillas.
The park is located in the west of Bukavu town in south Kivu province. The park is in Mitumba mountain range of the Albertine Rift in the Great Rift Valley, the larger part is in the lowland terrain.
Kahuzi Biega National park is an eastern part in the mountainous area which measures 600km it the largest measures of 5,400km consisting of lowland stretching from Kisangani to Bukavu which is drained at Lugulu and Luka rivers flowing into Lualaba, Kahuzi is 3,308m and Biega 2,790m.
Before the park was found it was a reserve called Mount Kahuzi, created on 27 July 1937. Kahuzi Biega National park was extended covering over 6000 km2.
The park is rich diversity of fauna and flora which protects 1,180 plant species in the mountain region of the park with about 140 mammal species and 400 bird species.
Kahuzi Biega national park has a large swamp, marshland and riparian forest. There are over 136 species of mammals in the forest, 130 lowland Gorillas and this was the lowest number since 1990s conflict period. There are other primates of the park including the chimpanzees, owl faced monkey, bush buffaloes, elephants, Bongo, otter shrew, bush squirrels, horseshoe bats and many more.
The park is under a management of Institut Congolais pour la conservation de la Nature and in the 1975 there was inhabited lowland areas and a number of people about 14,000 were evacuated although some refused. There was development of protecting the local people and the resources of the park.
Kahuzi biega National park is the largest habitat for lowland gorilla species in the world. It is the top attraction for lowland gorillas. There are two eastern lowland Gorilla families for habituation that are ready for trekking and this has provided an amazing lifetime experience. Travelers are encouraged to trek with no infectious diseases that can be spread through human wildlife diseases.
There different trails in the forest which depend on where the Gorillas last feed and slept. The hiking ranges from 30 minutes to six hours in the jungle, taking one hour with the Gorillas as they continue with their day to day life.
You will learn a number of things including how mountain Gorillas find people,how they play, move, build their nests defend their family, groom each other and many other things. This gives an incredible experience for the trekkers in a lifetime safari, spending a close look at primates that one hour lives travelers with a great experience in lifetime.
Volcano hiking
At Kahuzi Biega National park, one can enjoy a hike to the volcanoes and there are two inactive volcanic mountains within the park where trekkers can participate in hiking. Mount Kahuzi is one of the highest mountains which stands at an elevation of 3,308 meters above sea level.
Mount Biega is another in active volcano in the National park standing at an elevation of 2,780 above sea level.
There two volcanoes for travelers with a clear view of the National park, communities, wildlife, bamboo, subalpine vegetation, harbor various animals, volcanoes ,birds, monkeys and many more.
Birding
There are over 400 bird species, 42 endemic to the National park. Kahuzi Biega is a birder paradise for bird lovers, including African green broadbill, yellow crested helmet-shrike, Congo peafowl and Rockefeller and many more to see.
Kahuzi biega National park is under the protection of International Union Conservation area (IUCN).
Nature walk
Travellers enjoy a nature walk in the tropical rainforest of different tourism sites, the walks lead to different sites including Tshibiti waterfalls trails.
The guides have full information about the national park, naming the different vegetation types in the park and wildlife in the National park. There are sweet sounds of birds that sing on trees and the guides give clear knowledge about every wildlife inhabiting the national park with great experience.
Accommodation
Kahuzi Biega National park is served by a number of accommodation and lodge facilities offering high quality food .The lodges include Lodgecoco lodge, L’orchids safari of high and low budget travels.
