Democratic Republic of Congo is the third largest country on the African Continent located along the Equator in central Africa bordered by, Sudan on the north, the Republic of Congo on the West and Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi on the East.
It has access to water bodies like the Atlantic Ocean coastline at Muanda and the Congo River which opens into the Gulf of Guinea.

The country has suffered greatly from various conflicts that led to political instability (civil war), though with time the pressure is reducing. The eastern part bordering Uganda and Rwanda where the Virunga national park and Kihuzi-Biega national park contain great biodiversity including rare and endemic species.

The unique attractions include mountain gorillas and lowland gorilla tracking where they have the opportunity to see face to face with gorillas living in their natural environment.

Virunga National Park.

Virunga national park was established in 1925 and classified in 1979 as a world heritage site which lies from the virunga mountains with Nyamirangira (3063m) and Nyiragongo 3462m) both active volcanoes with substantial associated lava plains.
It covers an area of 7,800sq kms comprising of a diversity of habitants varying from swamps, steppes, Rwenzori snowfields, lavaplains and savannah on the slopes of volcanoes.

This park is managed by the Institut Congolese Pour Ia Conservation dela Nature or the Congolese national park authorities (ICCN).The park is bordered by Southern sector of the volcanoes national park in Rwanda, Rwenzori mountains national park in Uganda covering the northern region and Democratic Republic of Congo in the eastern.

Mountain Gorilla tracking in the Southern sector is the main famous activity in the park. The habituated gorilla families which are available for tracking are increasing in number.
The park also has hippos along River Rutshuru and buffaloes, elephants in the Rwindi plains.

Another activity is climbing the volcanoes such as Mount Nyiragongo from Goma associated with the great rift valley,19kms north of Goma town.
There is a lava lake in the crater which is 250m deep which later erupted in 2002 with a solidified rock. Walking through the side of the volcano creates a good view and the ascent to the peak to see the big volcanic pot of bubbling lava can be seen at night which is part of the great adventurous volcano expedition.

Kahuzi-Biega National Park

Kahuzi-Biega is located in the eastern part of Democratic Republic of Congo covering an area of 6000sq kms.The park is a tropical forest named after two extinct volcanoes Mount Biega (2.790m) and Mount Kahuzi (3.308m) which is the highest in Kivu.

It is home to the rare mountain gorillas and was inscribed a world heritage site (UNESCO) in the 1980, so as to preserve and protect the increasing numbers of gorillas from hunters. It is during this time that Dian Fossey started her work of studying about these rare apes.
The park also inhabits several species of monkeys, forest elephants and birds.

Selected wildlife Tours

• Gorilla tours
• Wildlife safari

Itineraries to the different national parks in Uganda and Rwanda