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Kahuzi-Biéga National Park,
inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1980, is located in
the East of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with headquarters
approximately 30 km northwest of the town of Bukavu (on the road to
the airport) in the South-Kivu Region, near to the western side of
Lake Kivu and the Rwandan border.
The park is one of the last
refuges of the rare Mountain Gorilla and was the original site
where Dian Fossey studied gorillas before relocating to
Rwanda.
Named after two extinct
volcanoes, Mount Kahuzi and Mount Biéga, the park is composed of
dense tropical forest spanning in good part between the altitudes
of 2100 and 2400 meters.
The cache container can be
claimed in the Information Desk of the Park (front door coordinates
given above); it’s a glass jar of medium size. In case of
difficulty ask for Mr. Sebastien or Mr. Lazare and explain them you
are there for the geocache. The park claims to be open from 07:30
to 18:30 from Monday to Saturday and from 7:30 to 15:00 on
Sundays.
Guided close visits to groups of
gorillas in the wild are possible. Should you be interested in
making one while claiming the cache you are advised to book in
advance - Phones (+243): 0997767018 or 0997705639 (use French!).
The fee is of around 200 USD per person. Be ready for a good walk
on dense forest and take appropriate
footwear! |