Eastern Lowland Gorilla trekking in Kahuzi Biega National Park.

In the thrilling and daring sport known as “Eastern Lowland Gorilla Trekking,” tourists travel into the lowlands of Kahuzi Biega National Park in search of habituated eastern lowland gorilla families. Once they are located, they spend an hour with the primates in their natural habitat.

One of the biggest protected areas is Kahuzi Biega National Park, which is situated near the Rwandan border in the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, south of Lake Kivu. The great biodiversity of Kahuzi Biega National Park, which includes the endangered eastern lowland gorillas and volcanic mountains Mount Kahuzi and Mount Biega, among others, led to its designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1980.

Experience trekking with Eastern Lowland Gorillas in Kahuzi Biega National Park

The largest of the four gorilla subspecies, the eastern lowland gorilla, also called the Grauers gorilla, is restricted to Kahuzi Biega National Park. Only two of the more than nine gorilla families in the national park are habituated and accessible to tourists every day. The Eastern lowland gorilla journey begins early in the morning with a briefing on the guidelines that must be adhered to.

Following the lecture, a park guide who is knowledgeable about the many routes will accompany you as you begin your jungle adventure. Other primate species, including red-tailed monkeys, olive baboons, grey-cheeked mangabeys, blue monkeys, many bird species, and vegetation, can be seen while trekking with the eastern lowland gorillas.

Once the eastern lowland gorillas have been located, you will be permitted to spend an hour with them in their natural environment. This will allow you to observe how they go about their daily lives, including feeding, nursing, playing, and grooming their young. You will also be able to take pictures and document the amazing moments to share with people back home after the safari.

The price of a hiking permit for eastern lowland gorillas in Kahuzi Biega National Park

For international non-residents, a gorilla trekking permit in Kahuzi Biega National Park costs $400 USD per person. During the off-peak season, the park offers a discounted gorilla trekking permit of $200 USD per person. In comparison to other gorilla locations such as Uganda, where a gorilla trekking permit costs 800 USD per person for foreign non-residents, and Rwanda, where it costs 1,500 USD per person for foreign non-residents, the gorilla trekking permit in Kahuzi Biega National Park is the least expensive.

Since gorilla trekking permits in Kahuzi Biega National Park sell out rapidly, especially during the busiest months of June through September and December through February, reservations should be made three to four months prior to the trekking date.

The ideal time to visit Kahuzi Biega National Park for eastern lowland gorilla trekking

While it is possible to trek eastern lowland gorillas in Kahuzi Biega National Park at any time of year, the ideal time to do so is during the dry season, which runs from June to February. walking paths will be passable during the dry season because the national park receives less rainfall than during the wet season, when the trails become muddy and slick, making walking challenging.

Accommodations in Kahuzi Biega National Park for trekking in the Eastern Lowlands

There are several lodging options in Kahuzi Biega National Park where you can spend the safari. Exodus Bukavu, Hotel Begonias Bukavu, Lakeside Hotel Bukavu, Coco Lodge, Mount Kahuzi Hotel Bukavu, and Orchids Safari Club are just a few of the affordable, mid-range, and upscale lodging options available.

How Kahuzi Biega National Park is accessible

The eastern portion of Congo is home to Kahuzi Biega National Park, which is reachable by road. The park headquarters is 40 kilometers west of Bukavu town and takes approximately one to one and a half hours to drive to.

It takes roughly 6 to 7 hours to drive from Kigali, Rwanda, to the park. From Kigali, you can drive to Cyangugu, over the Le Grande Barrier to Goma, then drive to Bukavu town, and finally arrive to Kahuzi Biega National Park.

Charter flights from Kigali airport to Kamembe airport, which link to Bukavu town and the park headquarters, are another way for visitors to reach Kahuzi Biega National Park.