Kahuzi Biega National Park

Kahuzi-Biega National Park is one of Africa’s most biologically rich and dramatic landscapes, nestled along the eastern edge of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Named after two extinct volcanoes—Mount Kahuzi and Mount Biega—the park spans a vast 6,000 square kilometers, stretching from the lush lowland rainforests near the Congo Basin to the mist-shrouded highlands of the Albertine Rift.

Established in 1970 and inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1980, Kahuzi-Biega is globally significant for harboring one of the last remaining populations of the critically endangered eastern lowland gorilla, also known as the Grauer’s gorilla (Gorilla beringei graueri). This gentle giant, the largest of all gorilla subspecies, finds refuge in the park’s ancient forests, which also support a rich diversity of other primates, forest elephants, endemic birds, and unique plant life.

The park is not only a biological treasure, but also a cultural landscape. It is deeply interwoven with the traditions of local communities, particularly the indigenous Batwa people, who have lived in harmony with the forest for generations. Despite decades of political instability in the region, Kahuzi-Biega remains a beacon of hope for conservation in Central Africa, where science, community, and heritage intersect in the shadow of the Congo’s forgotten volcanoes.