Kahuzi-Biega National Park: Tracking the Eastern Lowland Gorillas
On the forested slopes of the Mitumba Mountains, overlooking the shimmering waters of Lake Kivu in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, lies one of Africa’s most extraordinary but lesser-known wildernesses—Kahuzi-Biega National Park. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, this vast rainforest sanctuary covers more than 6,000 square kilometers and is named after its two extinct volcanic peaks, Mount Kahuzi and Mount Biega. It is here, in this lush and untamed landscape, that travelers find the rare opportunity to trek with the eastern lowland gorilla, the largest and most powerful of all gorilla subspecies.
Unlike the mountain gorillas of Virunga, Bwindi, or Volcanoes National Park, the eastern lowland gorillas are unique to this region. They are distinguished by their sheer size and stockier build, with males sometimes weighing over 250 kilograms. Encountering these gentle giants in their natural habitat is both humbling and awe-inspiring. Guided by expert trackers, visitors trek through dense rainforest, following calls and broken vegetation, until suddenly the gorillas emerge—feeding on leaves, grooming each other, or lazing in family groups under the forest canopy. The intimacy of this experience, shared with only a handful of visitors at a time, makes Kahuzi-Biega one of the most rewarding gorilla trekking destinations in Africa.
But Kahuzi-Biega is far more than a gorilla park. Its immense size encompasses both montane and lowland rainforest, creating an ecosystem of extraordinary diversity. Alongside the gorillas live chimpanzees, colobus monkeys, and L’Hoest’s monkeys, as well as forest elephants, buffaloes, duikers, and countless smaller mammals. The park is also a birder’s paradise, with over 350 bird species, including rare endemics like the Congo peafowl. Every trek into the park feels like a journey into a living, breathing Eden, where every rustle in the undergrowth or flash of color in the canopy reveals new discoveries.
The scenery of Kahuzi-Biega adds another dimension to its magic. The slopes of Mount Kahuzi (3,308 meters) and Mount Biega (2,790 meters) provide spectacular hiking opportunities, with trails leading through bamboo forests, giant tree ferns, and mossy highland ridges. The views from the summits stretch across Lake Kivu and into Rwanda, offering a sense of scale that matches the grandeur of the forest itself. For travelers who combine gorilla trekking with mountain hiking, Kahuzi-Biega delivers a perfect balance of adventure and natural beauty.
Culturally, the park is surrounded by communities whose lives have long been intertwined with the forest. The Batwa people, some of the earliest inhabitants of the Congo Basin, offer cultural encounters that highlight traditions, storytelling, and dances passed down through generations. These experiences reveal not only the resilience of the people but also the deep cultural connections that bind humans and the forest together.
Visiting Kahuzi-Biega is more than a safari; it is an expedition into one of the last great strongholds of Central Africa’s rainforest. It is a place that feels remote, raw, and authentic—still untouched by the mass tourism that shapes other gorilla destinations. For travelers who seek something different, something wilder, this park offers the chance to stand before the world’s largest gorillas, to hike through ancient forests, and to feel the untamed pulse of Congo’s wilderness.
