Kahuzi-Biéga National Park

Kahuzi-Biéga is a protected forest area shaped by two extinct volcanoes that rise from the landscape near Lake Kivu. Dense vegetation covers the slopes and valleys, creating habitat for large gorillas and numerous other forest animals.

The park was established in 1970 to protect the gorillas living there and later gained international recognition. Designation as a World Natural Heritage site in 1980 highlighted the global importance of this forest region.

The Grauer's gorillas have lived in these forests for generations, and local communities have developed their own relationship with the land and its plants. The presence of these gorillas shapes how people view and interact with the forest as a shared space.

Visitors travel from the nearby town of Bukavu and should prepare for wet, uneven forest paths. The best time to visit is during drier periods when the trails are easier to navigate.

This is the only place on earth where you can see the largest gorilla species in their natural forest home. These gorillas exist nowhere else in the world and live only in this particular woodland.