Major National Parks in DR.Congo : The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is a vast country, making it home to may nationally parks. The country is the second largest country in Africa and the largest in Central Africa. It shares borders with serval nations, for instance Uganda, Rwanda, Central African Republic, Angola, Burundi, Republic of the Congo, Sudan, Tanzania and Zambia. The Congo is rich in diverse wildlife and plant life, and experts believe it will attract many tourists’ inn the future due to its natural beauty. The Democratic Republic of Congo is the only country where one can spot both the rare mountain gorillas and the eastern lowland gorillas. A Congo safari offers you with the chance to embark a variety of activities such as mountain gorilla trekking, hiking nature walks, game drives, beach safari, cultural encounter, eastern lowland gorilla tracking, chimpanzee tracking and many more. More so, the Democratic Republic of Congo is one of the few countries that still offers tourists a chance to explore the Africa that you read about in old hunting or safari books. However, this article focuses on the some of the major national parks in Congo and they include;
Virunga National Park
Virunga National Park is one of the top major national parks, famous and the oldest national parks in the African continent and Congo itself. Virunga national park was established in 1922 and covers 7800 square kilometer World Heritage Site that lies on the eastern border of the Democratic Republic of Congo, where it borders Uganda as well as Rwanda. It is the oldest national park in Africa and the second oldest in the world. Virunga National Park is known for hosting one of the remaining populations of mountain gorillas. The park comprises of an outstanding diversity of habitats, ranging from swamps and steppes to the snowfields of Rwenzori at an altitude of over 5,000 m, and from lava plains to the savannahs on the slopes of volcanoes. The park was one time the largest national park before it was split to from the volcanoes national park in Rwanda and the Mgahinga gorilla national park in Uganda. More so, Virunga National Park is park of the Virunga conservation area and is home to three of the eight volcanoes that make up the Virunga conservation area. Such volcanoes include Mikeno, Nyamuragira and Nyiragongo.
Beside the mountain gorillas, the park also houses variety oof wildlife such as Chimpanzees, Golden monkeys, blue monkeys, black and white colobus, Forest Elephants, Buffalo, Lion, Leopard, Kob, Hyena, Topi, warthog as well as known for hosting the largest population of Hippo’s. the park is also home to over 706 species of birds, making a paradise for Congo bird watching tours. Visitors while on a Congo mountain gorilla trekking tours here also have the chance to embark on other safari activities such as chimpanzee trekking, nature walks and hiking the Nyirangongo volcano among others.
Kahuzi-Biega National Park
Kahuzi-Biega National Park is a significant UNESCO World Heritage site located in the southeastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo, close to Bukavu and Lake Kivu. Established in 1970 by Belgian conservationist Adrien Deschryver, the park spans approximately 6,000 square kilometers, featuring a diverse landscape that includes lowland rainforests, bamboo forests, swamps, and marshes.
The park is named after the two prominent mountains it encompasses: Kahuzi and Biega. It serves as a vital habitat for various wildlife, notably the Eastern Lowland Gorillas, which are the largest gorilla subspecies. Besides Eastern Lowland Gorillas, the park is also home to variety of wildlife species such as is home to eastern chimpanzee, bush buffalo, forest elephants, owl-faced monkeys, bongo antelopes, horseshoes bat, leopards, otters, bush squirrels, aquatic civet and galagos just to mention a few. Other primates include the Angola black monkeys, blue monkeys, Bosman’s potto and red-tailed monkeys among others.
One of the park’s main attractions is its population of Eastern Lowland Gorillas, the largest among the gorilla subspecies. Visitors to the park often engage in gorilla trekking, where they can observe these magnificent creatures in their natural habitat. In addition to gorilla encounters, tourists have opportunities for bird watching, mountain climbing, and exploring the nearby city of Bukavu, making Kahuzi-Biega a rich destination for nature lovers and adventure seekers alike.
Garamba National Park
Garamba National Park is another top major national park in Congo. The park was established in 1938, is one of the largest national parks in the Democratic Republic of Congo and recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Spanning about 5,200 square kilometers in the eastern part of the country near the South Sudan border, the park features a rich variety of landscapes, including woodlands, savanna grasslands, rivers, and forests. It hosts a wide array of wildlife, such as buffalos, hyenas, giant forest hogs, giraffes, hippos, lions and various antelopes’ species among others. More so, the park is home to over 286 bird species including secretary birds have been recorded in the park. It has been designated an Important Bird Area (IBA) by Birdlife International because it supports significant populations of many bird species. Remarkably, Garamba may still be home to the last of the wild northern white rhinos. While on your Congo safari here, you will have the chance to embark on a variety of safaris activities such as wildlife viewing, bird watching, guided nature walks, boat safaris and fishing among others.
Upemba National Park
Upemba National Park, located in the southeastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo, is adjacent to Kundelungu National Park and spans an impressive 11,730 square kilometers, making it one of the largest parks in the country. Established in 1939, it stands as one of the oldest national parks in the DRC. The habitat of the park varies from Afromontane grasslands and forests at higher altitudes in the Kibara Mountains through Moimbo woodlands and tropical rainforest to marshes, wetlands lakes, and streams with riparian zones at the lower altitudes. It is home to some 1,800 different species. This vast area is home to a diverse range of wildlife, including lions, elephants, buffalos, cheetahs, zebras, leopards, and the unique Katanga Impala, which is found nowhere else. This national park has a variety of bird species that make your birding tours memorable, because of the unique bird species for instance the wattle crane, flycatchers, nicator, honeyguide greenbul, Angola lark and the rare shoebill among others
Visiting this remarkable park offers you with the Chace to participate in a number of safari activities such as birdwatching, cultural visits, wildlife watching, sport fishing and hiking among others.
Salonga National Park
Salonga National Park is also one of the top major national parks in Congo. The park is home to Africa’s largest tropical forest reserve covering spanning approximately 36,000 square kilometers. Its is located in the heart of the Congo River basin between Kisangani and Kinshasa. Established in 1956 and expanded in 1970, it was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984 for its protection of a large swath of relatively intact rainforest and its important habitat for many rare species. The park is a diverse ecosystem, featuring a mix of wetlands, woodlands, grasslands, and dense rainforests.
Home to various rare species, Salonga is a sanctuary for the Salonga monkey, bonobos, Angolan slender mongoose, African golden cats, leopards, and the distinct Okapi. Other wildlife found here includes, long-tailed pangolin, tree pangolin, Congo clawless otter, blue duiker, yellow-backed duiker, sitatunga, bushbuck and water chevrtain among others. It also boasts a rich birdwatching experience, with numerous species like cattle egrets and storks that are unique to the region. More so, the park also houses over 56 fish species have been identified in the park, including the catfishes Clarias buthupogon and synodontis nigriventris among others. Unfortunately, tourism in Salonga is limited due to concerns about safety and difficulties in accessing the park, as the only way in is via the Lokoro River.
Maiko National Park
Maiko National Park, located in a remote region of the Congo, spans an impressive 10,885 square kilometers. Established in 1970 by the Belgian colonial government, this park transitioned from a hunting reserve to a protected area. It offers a unique opportunity for wildlife enthusiasts to observe some of the Congo’s rare species, including the Grauer’s gorillas, okapi, Congo peafowl as well as the larger animals for instance African forest elephants and aquatic genets.
Additionally, Maiko National Park serves as an important site for chimpanzee conservation efforts, making it a valuable destination for both wildlife viewing and education on the preservation of these remarkable creatures. However, the presence of former rebels who have made their home in the park, along with illegal mining and peaching means that many species are threatened with extinction. For instance, a new gorilla subspecies first documented in a2005 survey was not found and believed extinct in a 2010 survey.
Lomami National Park
Lomami National Park is a national park located in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in Central Africa. The park is located between the Lomami River in the provinces of Maniema and Tshopo. This national park was established in 1992 and officially opened to the public in 2016. Covering an area of 8,879 square kilometers, it features a diverse landscape that includes hilly terrains on the west and rainforests alongside savanna regions to the south. The park is a sanctuary for various wildlife, including African forest elephants, bonobos, okapi, Congo peacocks, grey parrots and several primate’s species such as tshuapa red colobus, Lomami red colobus, Angola colobus, black crested mangabey, red-tailed monkeys, De Brazza’s monkeys and blue monkeys, salonga monkeys and the unique lesula monkeys, which are only found here.
Mangroves National Park
Mangroves National Park, also known as Muanda Marine Reserve, stands out as the smallest national park in the Democratic Republic of Congo, covering an area of just 768 square kilometers along the banks of the Congo River. Established in 1992, this unique park has earned the status of a Ramsar wetland, highlighting its incredible biodiversity and extensive mangrove forests. Mangroves National Park is the only marine park in the country and the mangrove forests in the park are distinct from the ones found in South Asia. The park is home to snakes, crocodiles, hippos, bushbucks, southern reedbuck and several species of primates.
Kundelungu National Park
Kundelungu National Park, situated in the Haut-Katanga province of southeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. The par was established in 1970 and spans approximately 7,600 square kilometers. Originally established as a private hunting ground, it was transformed into a national park after sport hunting was banned. This park boasts a diverse array of wildlife, including buffalos, antelopes, hippos, servals, warthogs and even small primates like porcupines and jackals. One of the park’s main highlights is the stunning Lofoi Falls. These waterfalls rise 1,120 feet high and are one of the largest in the continent. In order to raise global attention to the conservation, efforts needed to protect the park, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has listed it as a Category II Park.
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