What are the highlight tourist attractions in the Virunga national park?
Virunga National Park is located in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo. It is among the first protected areas in Africa created in 1925. It is known for its exceptional biodiversity, containing more birds, mammals and reptiles species than any protected area on the continent of Africa.
Since 1979, the Virunga national park was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of its rich diversity of habitats, exceptional biodiversity, endemism and being the refuge of the rare mountain gorilla habitat.
The Virunga national park is comprised of three different sectors: northern, central and southern sector also called Mikeno sector. For decades, besides periods of insecurity and political unrest in the region, tourism activities have been organized in Mikeno sector thanks to the dedication of park rangers. Gorilla trekking and Nyiragongo volcano hike are the main highlights of tourist activities in the southern sector of Virunga national park. Since November 2021, the Virunga national park has been confronted with a very serious security situation that has covered even the gorilla sector. Rangers positions in the gorilla sector were very violently attacked by suspected M23 militia. These rebels attacked and looted even the tourist lodges of Ngila and Kibumba Tented camps.
For this reason, the park management decided to suspend all visits to Virunga National park in the Mikeno Sector. Which means even the Nyiragongo volcano hike has been stopped since then. Only Tchegera Island remains open to tourism in the Virunga National park. Almost two years now, mountain gorilla and Nyiragongo volcano hike are still closed and no one has any idea when activities will resume; because of insecurity in the zone caused by the M23 rebels.
An undiscovered destination takes advantage: Kahuzi-Biega National park!
Also a UNESCO World Heritage Site inscribed since 1980 for its unique biodiversity of rainforest habitat and its eastern lowland gorillas, Kahuzi-Biega national park was not a famous tourist destination before the closure of tourism activities in the Virunga national park.
Why should tourists visit the Kahuzi-Biega National Park? Kahuzi-Biega National Park is located in the South-Kivu province and is safer, easier to visit and its undiscovered lowland gorilla trek can easily be combined with tours in Rwanda. Visa process to visit Kahuzi-Biega national park is very simple and visa price is affordable. Guests can also visit Idjwi Islands, Goma city even Kinshasa after their visit to Kahuzi-Biega national park.
Ubuntu Voyages offers you a stress-free travel to Kahuzi-Biega National Park by taking in charge your bookings (permit, accommodation, transportation) and visa inquiry.
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