Meet the Eastern Lowland Gorillas of Kahuzi Biega
In the Democratic of Republic Congo, Kahuzi Biega National Park is a protected area near Bukavu Town in eastern part of Congo. Situated near the western bank of Lake Kivu and the Rwandan border, Bukavu is a city in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), lying at the extreme south-western edge of Lake Kivu, Kahuzi Biega is one of the biggest national parks in the country hosting both mountainous and lowland terrain. Kahuzi Biega National Park is the last major sanctuary of Grauer’s lowland gorillas and it is one of the last refuges of the rare species of the Eastern lowland gorilla and endangered species category under the IUCN Red List.
Kahuzi Biega is one of the best wildlife protected area in Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), safe and well managed national park. The gorilla trekking tour experience is less tiresome compared to the Mountain gorillas in the Virunga Volcanoes. Our best experience ever was with the low land gorillas of Democratic Republic of Congo located just from Bukavu town south east of Democratic Republic of Congo bordering Rwanda in the west. The eastern lowland mountain gorillas in the park are well managed and visited them was facilitated through Budget Gorilla Trekking. If you are in south Kivu for a weekend then I recommend the experience of visiting the gorillas in their own habitat.
This is to say about the trekking of Low land gorillas in Kahuzi Biega National Park in southern Kivu province, which is a perfect experience like the same when trekking mountain gorillas in the Volcanoes and Bwindi Forest parks.
Bukavu and Kahuzi Biega are very safe for tourism. Beautiful view of Lake Kivu, short distance to the lowland gorillas, I advise all tourists in the region to come and visit the Kahuzi Biega National Park. This place is unique, just one hour and half driving from Bukavu. The rangers are very dedicated and professional as they are in the Virunga National Park in North Kivu but in Kahuzi Biega they receive fewer visits. Apparently, not many people know that this park is safe for tourists and that offers gorillas trekking, camping and hiking. It is also less expensive than in Rwanda and Uganda.
The beautiful drive from Bakavu to the park skirts Lake Kivu enters highland tea plantations and is a good way to get a feel for rural life. The hike into the mountain of south Kivu leads to the undisturbed jungle habitat of wild silver gorillas.
Once you are in the park, walking to meet the gorillas can surprisingly be quite fast and will definitively much cheaper than in Rwanda and Uganda. By picture you could realize how this animal is really nature with amazing and has its unique look and family nature with mountain gorillas. This region must continue taking of these animals and it should keep safe the security enforcement. The gorilla encounter itself is beyond description, truly a once in a lifetime experience to be so close to these gentle giants and to have a chance to see them interact with their environment and each other in ways that are both humorous and tend to witness behaviors that are so very human. It is good wear long and light clothing to protect yourself from thorny bushes and the many mosquitoes and ants, take water and be prepared to walk and get your shoes wet, so trekking waterproof shoes are recommended.
A boat cruise on lake Kivu is very beautiful, lake Kivu covers part of Congo and Rwanda which diversity of very clear outlooks of the islands, vegetation and birds of the air that are always feeding on small fish in the waters whole singing softly which enables everyone that takes on such an experience to enjoy it extensively throughout their stay around Congo.
Given that the DRC doesn’t have a lot of tourism like other neighboring countries, this might be the cheapest gorilla visit you will find. Still this means $400 per person if you are not a DRC resident. The visit includes a security briefing and a small story about gorillas that live there and then you go for a walk with a park ranger to see them. Make sure to take your yellow fever card as they will ask for it everywhere. The Congolese people are friendly and helpful and the eastern Congo is a lush and enormous landscape of beautiful mountains and lakes. A visit to Kahuzi Biega National Park is a thrilling adventure travel to an environmental paradise.
