Kahuzi-Biega National Park

Kahuzi-Biega National Park, in eastern DRC near the city of Bukavu on Lake Kivu, is the primary stronghold of the Eastern lowland gorilla, also known as Grauer’s gorilla, the largest of the four gorilla subspecies and found nowhere else on earth. Covering roughly 6,000 square kilometres of montane and lowland rainforest, the park takes its name from two extinct volcanoes, Kahuzi and Biega, that rise above the forest canopy at its core.

Eastern Lowland Gorilla Trekking

Kahuzi-Biega’s habituated Eastern lowland gorilla families live in the park’s more accessible montane sector near Bukavu, making this the most practical place in the world to see this critically endangered subspecies, considerably larger and darker than the mountain gorillas found in Virunga, Rwanda and Uganda.

A Distinct Gorilla Experience

Eastern lowland gorillas differ noticeably from mountain gorillas in both appearance, adult males can weigh over 200 kilograms, and habitat, spending more time on lower ground in denser forest. Trekking conditions here tend to involve more level walking than the steep volcanic slopes of Virunga or Volcanoes National Park, though forest density can make visibility more limited at the point of encounter.

Wildlife Beyond Gorillas

The park’s forest also supports forest elephants, chimpanzees, and a wide range of primate and bird species, though gorilla trekking remains the primary draw for the small number of international visitors who reach the park each year.

Access via Bukavu and Lake Kivu

Kahuzi-Biega is most practically reached via Bukavu, a lakeside city on the DRC shore of Lake Kivu, itself reachable by road from Rwanda’s Kigali or by flight, making a Kahuzi-Biega gorilla trek a natural pairing with a broader Rwanda itinerary for travellers willing to cross the border.

Where to Stay

Options near the park are limited compared to the more developed tourism infrastructure in Rwanda or Uganda, with most visitors basing themselves in Bukavu and making a day trip to the trekking sector.

Best Time to Visit

The dry seasons, June to September and December to February, offer the firmest trekking conditions, though the park’s lower altitude compared to Virunga makes it accessible somewhat more consistently across the year.