Kahuzi-Biega rises west of Bukavu in a bowl of dripping montane rainforest, capped by two extinct volcanoes — Mount Kahuzi (3,308 m) and Mount Biega (2,790 m) — that give the park its name. It is one of the last strongholds of the eastern lowland gorilla, also called Grauer's gorilla, the largest of all gorilla subspecies and critically endangered. UNESCO listed the park in 1980; it has been on the World Heritage in Danger list since 1997.
Tracking is rougher and less polished than across the border in Rwanda's Volcanoes Park, but for that very reason it feels more authentic — fewer tourists, thicker bush, longer treks. Permits are arranged at the ICCN office in Bukavu or through tour operators; check the current security advice carefully before booking, as the area has been affected by armed-group activity. The park also has chimpanzees, forest elephants in much smaller numbers, and a remarkable number of forest birds.