Best activities in Kahuzi Biega national park

What are the best safari activities to do in Kahuzi Biega national park? The Democratic Republic of Congo is gifted with many tourist destinations and Kahuzi Biega national park which is found in the Bukavu town south of Kivu is among them. Kahuzi Biega national park is the second leading national park in the country after Virunga national park which is popularly in the world as a home to rare mountain gorillas. While Kahuzi Biega is known as home to the lowland gorillas. This means that on your Congo safari you have an opportunity to trek both mountain gorillas and the lowland gorillas. Although, there are many national parks and game reserves in Congo where one can go and enjoy wildlife viewing, bird watching, walking safaris, and others still Kahuzi Biega national park and Virunga national park remain as the leading and most visited in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The Congolese Institute of conservation of Nature and the government of the country are the ones responsible for these two national parks with the support from the international wildlife conservation society that provides funds to run the Kahuzi Beiga national park and Virunga national park for conservation in the area.

Kahuzi Biega national park is also known as the quiet destination that one should not miss out to visit while in the Democratic Republic of Congo due to its rich biodiversity evident by a thick green, mountainous and flat landscape which is surrounded by small lakes and rivers into the park which made it to be one the best African destinations. Also, the security in the park is tight whereby the security team is well trained on how to ensure the safety of travelers in the park, this is done by escorting the tourists throughout their visit to the park.

Kahuzi Biega national park is open for tourism all year round but the best time to visit the park is during the driest months that is starting from June-August and December- February when the tracking trailhead is not slippery and favoring you to enjoy the activities of the park. However, this park is a rainforest so at any time of the day it may rain but if you prepared yourself enough like improving your fitness and necessary items for Kahuzi Biega safari like good hiking boots, long clothes, raincoat, garden gloves, and among others so, expect to enjoy a memorable experience.

These are the major attractions and safari activities one can do in the Kahuzi Biega national park DR Congo;

Lowland gorilla tracking.

This is the key attraction not only in the park but also in the town of Bukavu. Lowland gorilla trekking is one of the major reasons why most tourists go to the Kahuzi Biega national park. on your trip to this park expect to see the Grauer’s gorillas. The eastern lowland gorillas are found in a larger number of groups if compared to the endangered mountain gorillas. The number of lowland gorillas is decreasing this is based on the census carried out in 2013 which came out with about 145 lowland gorillas which are lower than the census of 1990 that recorded with over 600 individuals. The decrease in the number of lowland gorillas is mostly happened by human activities like deforestation, mining which led to the destruction of their habitat, and the poacher who killed them for game meat or sell their body to get money.

There are a number of habituated lowland gorillas that are already for trekking every day. However, the activity is somehow tiresome to meet a lowland gorilla ground as they used to stay deep into the forest, this requires you to hike uphill and through the big forest, crossing of swamps but it is mostly depending on the location of your assigned gorilla group on that day.

Your assigned park rangers will take them into the forest for tracking these primates and it takes like 30 minutes to 6 hours to find a lowland gorilla group in their nests or forest. tracking lowland gorillas is difficult and takes long hours if compared to mountain gorillas. Therefore, book your permit at $400 and enjoy this experience in the Kahuzi Biega national park.

Mountain climbing.

Hikers, Kahuzi Biega national park is another best option for you while on your Congo safari. The Park is home to 3 mountains but the most popular mountains are Mount Kahuzi and Mount Biega that offer an exciting experience.  Hikers who hike up to the top of mount Kahuzi have an opportunity to see lake Kivu, Bukavu port. To complete the hike, you will spend like 4 hours while hiking mount Biega is 6 hours. or you can opt and hike mount Bugulumiza for about 3 hours, and the hiking permit for any one of these three mountains is sold at $100 per person.

Lwiro primate Rehabilitation Center.

The center is found just a few minutes from the park offices of the Kahuzi Biega national park. After trekking the lowland gorillas, get some time and visit the Lwiro sanctuary where you will find the rescued chimpanzees and other smaller primates. You can also participate in the daily activities at the sanctuary like feeding the primates, playing with them, and others. Most of the primates at the sanctuary lost their parents to the poachers so they were bought here to get a better life. You can visit the sanctuary as a volunteer and spend a day, week, or month and get to know more about the primates, how the caretaker conserves them for other future generations.

Bird watching

For a bird-watching safari in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Kahuzi Biega national park is also the best idea for birders where you see different bird species and some of them are endemic to the park others are migratory. This activity can be arranged in the morning or evening. some of the birds to see are African green broadbill, the yellow-crested helmet shrike, shelley’s crimson wing, and others. Come with your binocular and view beautiful attractions in the park.

Tshibati waterfall hike.

This is another interesting attraction in the park one who visited the park cannot miss out to do. The park ranger will lead on the Tshibati waterfalls trail through swampy vegetation, bamboo forest up to the 3 wonderful waterfalls. While hiking to the waterfalls, you will come across chimpanzees and many monkey species. Or you can participate in the nature walks around Marais Musisi trail which goes at $35 per person and where you will see many bird species.

Getting to Kahuzi Biega national park.

There are two best ways to get to Kahuzi Biega national park do do different safari activities; that is road and air transport.

By air: Fly to Goma international airport and get a ferry from Goma port to Bukavu port with a distance of about 100 kilometers which takes like 2-3 hours to reach the park. the ferry is operating two times in the day that is from 7:30 am and another one 2 pm and each trip goes at only 50 USD.

By road: You may use road transport which covers a distance of about 209 kilometers from Goma town to Bukavu and this takes you 3-4 hours. The road is somehow challenging that is between Kalehe and Kabibwi. You can hire a taxi and the costs are between $100-$150 per day.

This is important to note that every activity done in the Kahuzi Biega national park is guided by a park ranger all the time until the tourists are done with their safari. The visa which allows entering Kahunzi Biega national park can be arranged after booking your interesting activity in the park. Now get in touch with Africa Adventure Vacations and help you book your Congo safari.