LOWLAND GORILLA TREKKING IN KAHUZI-BIEGA NATIONAL PARK

Home | Safaris | blog | parks

Seek to find meanings in every travel you have, pick amazing destinations and engage in unforgettable activities across the world. One or more days tracking your closest relatives; the lowland gorillas in Kahuzi-Biega national park is definitely that one unforgettable lifetime adventure one can't miss out. The destination may be hidden to the world, but its residents and landscape are unmatched.

The trip answers the questions of the relation between man and apes, the difference between lowland gorillas and mountain gorillas, and how to have fun on the trip.

With all this said, get to know that gorilla trekking is one of the main activities that is sweeping the world and hearts of humans by storm. After a period of conservation, men and women have seen it wise to visit their closest relatives- the gorillas in the unattached gem of Africa.

Interesting, not only is the focus on the famous Mountain Gorillas but also on the unique and very exciting lowland Gorillas, residing in kahuzi beige national park; situated at the border between the democratic republic of Congo and Rwanda, a few kilometers off Lake Kivu, at Bukavu town. This is the largest conservation area in the democratic republic of Congo, established in 1970 by Adrian deschryver- photography and Belgian wildlife conservationist, and was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site since the 1980s, because of her biodiversity, and high concentration of flora and fauna.

The park's name was derived from two dormant volcanoes at its corners; Mount Kahuzi and Mountain Biega. Its size is about 6,000sqkm, with a composition of lush forest, swamps, lowland terrain and cool climate. Its famous residents – the lowland gorillas (Grauer's gorillas) are reportedly the largest sub gorilla species in the wild, counted at approximately 3,800 by the 2015 census, and only found in two destinations worldwide, Salonga and Kahuzi – Biega national parks in central Africa.

Lowland Gorilla trekking is the main activity at Kahuzi-Biega national park, done all year round. These gorillas love spending most of their time underground, though the shift from one area to another for fresh pasture, and night.  The region has a low land which makes tracking very easy, faster, and interesting.

It all starts at about 08:00 hours with a pre-trekking briefing at the park headquarters, where the park rangers will explain the dos and don'ts of Gorilla trekking, allocate members to guerilla groups, as well as giving company through the jungle.

You must be aged 15 years and above to track the lowland gorillas at the park; free from flue, cough and any other virus the primates can easily catch from humans. The other thing to pay attention to are the set rules you must follow while with these primates in the Jungle. Observe a 7-meter distance from the apes, don't make noise, don't litter the environment, and don't look into the eyes of the apes, no smoking, and making walkways in the jungle.

After briefing, it can take approximately 5 hours to locate the gorillas, and one extra hour to watch them play, their giant bodies and amazing sounds. You are free to take photos and ask questions concerning the lowland species in the one-hour time allowance. About 3 habituated guerrilla groups are open for trekking by visitors from all over the world.

Gorilla trekking permit costs 400usd per person per day, which caters to the park entrance, contribution to conservation and ranger guides, but not accommodation, transportation, and other trip costs. The permits can be obtained from Kahuzi - Biega national park authority or through your travel operator. It is recommendable to book three months in advance.

The best time for a gorilla trekking trip at Kahuzi-Biega national park is during the rainy season, June to October. There is always no or little rain that can interfere with the hike during this season, or mud that makes hiking so hard.

For the sake of comfort during the adventure, you need to have adequate preparation as well as parking, most especially setting up the things most important for the trip, notably; hiking boots, long-sleeved shirts, trousers, gloves, insecticides, valid visa and passport, professional camera and other personal effects. Besides lowland gorilla trekking, you can also do birding, cultural adventure, nature walk and mountain hiking among others.

Traveling to Kahuzi-Biega national park, you will first need a Congo visa and then decide to either use public transport means, private or water means. Additionally, you don't need to worry about lodging because there are luxury, budget, and mid-range lodges, hotels, and home stays all around the park.

In conclusion, the Lowland gorilla trekking safari is one of the unforgettable adventures in the world, most especially after knowing that these creatures are your closest relatives; they are only located in this part of the world, and they are so exciting. This adventure is so cheap and unforgettable, just take a stop and make a trip to Kahuzi-Biega national park, the largest national park in the Democratic Republic of Congo.