What to pack for Kahuzi and Biega mountains

For the best hiking experience on Mountain Kahuzi and Biega, there is a need to pack the right items. Hiking mountain Kahuzi and Biega is a moment to enjoy the stunning surroundings of Kahuzi Biega National Park too. The varied vegetation different wild animals and rich fauna make the hike up these mountains unforgettable.

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Mountain Biega lies east of  Kahuzi Biega National Park whereas Kahuzi Mountain is in the western part of this park. Between these two mountains is the low forested land that is home to the Eastern Lowland gorillas and a huge list of other primates. The long list of birds that live in Kahuzi Biega National Park is overwhelming.

In case you wish to do more than hiking to Mountain Biega and Kahuzi that is gorilla trekking to see the elusive eastern lowland gorillas. These are scientifically called Gorilla Beringei Grauen with a larger body compared to the other four gorilla species. These gorillas live in the lowland area most of their life where they feed and spend their daily life.

Mountain Biega stands at 2790 meters above sea level and Mountain Kahuzi at about 3317 meters above sea level. On the way up these mountains, you enjoy the great scenery of the surrounding areas like the rolling hills sheltered by the lush ever-green vegetation, may spot several wild animals including chimpanzees, olive baboons, blue monkeys, lowland gorillas, giant forest hogs, forest elephants to mention but a few.

As you pack for a hike on Mountain Biega and Mountain Kahuzi, do not shy away from chances of gorilla trekking in Kahuzi Biega National Park.

Packing list for hiking Mountain Kahuzi and Mountain Biega

Safari boots

Pack comfortable safari boots to use when hiking Mountain Kahuzi and Mountain Biega. The trails may be quite rough so you need to wear the right boots that can go through these forest conditions without causing a twisted ankle.

Camera

Memories of your hike on Mountain Kahuzi and Biega can only be kept alive in camera. Carry a camera with a lens that is capable of zooming far-ranging features.

Extra batteries

Carry extra fully charged batteries to exchange with in case the need arises.

Safari hat

Wearing a foldable safari hat with a large brim while hiking mountain Kahuzi and Biega protects your head from buzzing insects that roam the jungle.

Rainproof gears

Sometimes it mysteriously falls while hiking mountains Kahuzi and Biega so you need to wear some protective gear.

Energy bites

Breakfast is taken too early to last the entire time up the mountain so you need to carry some crackers and other snacks to munch on and keep going

Hiking attire

Moving up the mountain necessitates wearing some special clothes in wilderness-friendly colors like brown, forest green, and Khaki that do not attract dangerous insects like tsetse flies.

Sunscreen

Mountain Kahuzi and Biega lie in a tropical rainforested area so expect strong ultraviolet rays on the way to the park and penetrating through the vegetation along the mountains. You need sunscreen to protect your skin.

Backpack

Most of the items to use on the hike on mountain Biega and Kahuzi need to be kept well in a backpack. This is to protect them from scattering in case you trip and fall or in case you hand them over to the porter.

Garden gloves

To catch a tighter grip, you need to wear garden gloves. Along the way, you may want to secure your grip and touch a plant with an irritating surface like stinging nettles.

A pair of stockings to tack in your clothes.

Insect repellant

 Hiking through the trails on Mountain Biega and Kahuzi involves going through the jungle with some stinging insects.

Extra Hard Cash

Most of the on-ground transactions are made by direct cash as credit cards are not commonly used in Africa because of the lengthy process of extracting money.

 Flip flops

After the long day of hiking, change into flip-flops to relax

Extra clothes

Other than the hiking clothes, carry extra wear to change into after freshening up.

Travel adapter and charger

Carry a personal adapter and charger in case your batteries run out.

 Sweater or warmers

 It gets so cold in the evening and early morning so you need some warmers.

Toiletries

Carry your toiletries in case your skin is sensitive to other products other than what you are accustomed to

 First aid kit

Hiking mountain Kahuzi and Biega involves moving through the jungle with chances of encountering some accidents so you need a first aid kit with the right prescribed medication.

Foldable water bottle

You must quench your thirst while on a hike up mountains Kahuzi and Biega. Carry your drinking water bottle because expect no supply along the slopes.

A pair of Binoculars

You may need to focus on the far-ranging features so you need a pair of binoculars.

Light shoe bag

After the hike, you may get no time to clean up your shoes to dry up yet you may have to pack and leave so you can safely keep your shoes in a light shoe bag so that they do not contaminate the rest of your belongings.

Travel Insurance

Purchase travel insurance before traveling to Hike Mountain Kahuzi and Biega in case of an emergency.

When Is The Best Time To Hike Mountain Kahuzi And Biega?

Other than the political unrest in eastern D.R.Congo, all the time is hiking time on Mountain Kahuzi and Biega. The drier season that is June to September and December to early February is most preferred as the routes up the mountain are drier and passable. Through the bright sunlight, you can spot various stunning features up mountain Biega and Kahuzi.

The dry season opens better chances to see several inhabitants like eastern lowland gorillas, chimpanzees, blue monkeys, olive baboons, Bongo, an array of birds, other wild animals, and much more. The evergreen vegetation along the slopes of this park is gorgeous.

The demand for hiking safaris to Mountain Biega and Kahuzi gets high in the peak season so you need to make advance arrangements.

The rainy season may offer fewer chances for hiking Mountain Kahuzi and Biega even though you can still try your luck. The rainy season is normally March to May and November

How Much is the cost of hiking Mountain Kahuzi and Biega?

The cost of the permit to hike mountains Kahuzi and Biega is about $100 per person and this is inclusive of the ranger guide, time up the mountain, security, conservation support, and others. The cost of a hiking permit to Mountain Kahuzi or Biega excludes tips, park entrance fees, accommodation, transport, and other personal expenses.

Another additional safari cost to incur on a hike to mountain Kahuzi and Biega may include, accommodation, transport, driver guide fee, and others. These costs also vary according to the number of days on safari, people traveling with them, time of booking the safari, and much more.

With the assistance of our professional and experienced safari consultants, we can tailor the best hiking safari to Mountain Kahuzi and Biega plus additional safari activities. We also send you quotations from which you can base to budget for your safari.

Is Hiking Mountain Kahuzi And Biega In D.R.Congo Difficult?

The hike up any mountain is never an easy task. Hiking Mountain Kahuzi and Biega is always quite challenging because of their varying altitude that is the highest point of Mountain Kahuzi is 3317 meters above sea level and Biega 2790 meters above sea level. You need some level of fitness to ascend and descend these mountains.

Along the way are trails obstructed by protruding undergrowth and creepers that may require crawling under or trimming which is time-wasting.

During the severe wet season, the way up these mountains gets challenging because of the very slippery slopes and decomposing matter.

Some plants are rough to touch as you try to catch a tighter grip. In case you come into contact with stinging nettles, they may cause you some skin irritations.

How safe is the hike up mountain Kahuzi and Biega?

The environment around eastern D.R.Congo is politically shaky because of the rebel activities in this area. There are so many illegal activities registered in this area like lumbering, illegal mining, poaching, and much more however of late, the D.R.Congo and other security agencies are on the ground to keep law and order.

No hiking expedition is conducted without an armed ranger guide as all tourists have to be protected just in case of an emergency. Mountain Kahuzi and Biega host different fauna that are not habituated to human presence and they may stage a fight that can hurt you in case you try to do the hike alone.

Before hiking up the mountains Kahuzi and Biega, all tourists have to attend a briefing to be educated about the dos and don’ts of this safari. No walking off trail up the mountain as this leads to degradation which will lead to soil erosion later.

It is best to hike mountains Kahuzi and Biega in the dry season when the trails can be navigated because they are not slippery.

What Accommodation To Book During The Hike On Mountain Kahuzi And Biega?

Accommodation to book on a hike on Mountain Kahuzi and Biega is categorized into upmarket, moderate, and basic. Note that options for these categories of accommodations are limited as infrastructural development in Eastern D.R.Congo is hindered by the political environment of this area.

Accommodations to book on a Hiking safari on Mountain Kahuzi and Biega include Orchid Safari Club, Coco Lodge Bukavu, Hotel Begonais Bukavu, Panorama Hotel, Exodus Hotel, and Hotel Elizabeth.

During the peak tourism season, accommodation options to use on Hiking adventures in Kahuzi Biega National Park run out so it is best to book accommodation in advance.

How To Get To Kahuzi Biega National Park?

From Rwanda, you can get to Kahuzi Biega National Park via Nyungwe National Park and Rusizi Border then Bukavu town then Kahuzi Biega National Park.

From Uganda, you drive via Kasese town to Goma Border to Bukavu town then Kahuzi Biega National Park.

Charter flight arrangements from Kigali Airport or Entebbe Airport to airfields closer to Kahuzi Biega Nation can be arranged in advance. Advance clearance is required too to go through all necessary protocols before flying into the airspace of D.R.Congo.

How Long is the hike on Mountain Kahuzi and Mountain Biega?

A return trip up mountain Kahuzi and Biega may take about 8 hours but is very scenic. From some points on the slopes of these highlands, you enjoy the stunning views of Kahuzi Biega National Park. The varied vegetation zones of these highlands are breathtaking.

The time up mountain Kahuzi and Biega depends on factors like level of fitness, the pace of fellow trekkers, the political environment prevailing, weather conditions of the day, and others.

Is Hiking Mountain Kahuzi And Biega Worth The Money?

Hiking Mountain Kahuzi and Biega is worth taking especially those trying to test their level of fitness. The stunning beauties around these mountains are breathtaking.

By paying park fees to hike up these mountains, you contribute to the conservation fund of the Virunga tourism office. Although some moments of peace are happening in the eastern part of D.R.Congo, there is a need for funding the fauna and flora conservation work in this area.

Other than hiking the mountains of Kahuzi and Biega, you can also include gorilla trekking to see the eastern lowland gorillas of Kahuzi Biega National Park.

What Are The Rules Of Hiking Mountain Kahuzi And Biega?

• Follow the tracks leading up the mountain as per the path the ranger guides take.
• No dumping garbage on the way and volunteer to pick up all indecomposable matter from the mountains so that you can dump it in the waste bins below.
• No making noise while hiking the mountain because along the way there are other inhabitants like chimpanzees, olive baboons, birds, forest elephants, and others that you may be scared of.
• Do not pick anything from the mountain like the plants, stones
• Every hike up mountain Kahuzi and Biega must be escorted by a professional ranger guide.

Hiking Biega and Kahuzi Mountains can be a bit hectic therefore it is good to pack the right hiking gear for your hiking safari. Contact us for more information about hiking gear and let us plan your hiking safari in Kahuzi Birga National Park.