Explore Bukavu City in the Democratic Republic of Congo: Bukavu is a city in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, located on the extreme south-western shore of Lake Kivu, west of Cyangugu in Rwanda, and separated from it by the Ruzizi River’s discharge. It is the capital of the South Kivu province and has an estimated population of 806,940 in 2012. It is expected to have a population of 1,078,000 in 2020.

History of Bukavu City in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Bukavu is part of the historic area of the Bushi Kingdom, a South-Kivu ethnic group. When the first Arabs, then Europeans, came in Bushi at the end of the nineteenth century, it was ruled by a “Muluzi” Nyalukemba. To Shi, ‘Muluzi’ or ‘Baluzi’ in plural signifies ‘the nobleman’ or ‘nobility.’ Bukavu was known as “Rusozi” before Europeans arrived in the Bushi Kingdom. The name Bukavu stems from the transition of term ‘bu ‘nkafu ‘ which means ‘farm of cows’ in Mashi, the language of Bashi.

The Belgian colonial government created Bukavu in 1901. Bukavu was renamed “Costermansville” in French or “Costermansstad” in Dutch in 1927, after Vice Governor-General Paul Costermans, until 1953, when it was renamed Bukavu again. Under colonial administration, it had a sizable European population.

The subtropical climate and attractive location drew them in. Bukavu is built on five peninsulas and has been described as “a green hand, dipped in the lake”. Many colonial homes feature gardens that slope down to the beach.

Following the genocide in Rwanda, Hutu refugees and many former Hutu-led government officials fled as part of the Great Lakes refugee crisis. To a lesser extent, the refugee camps near Goma and Bukavu were a focal point of the Hutu insurgency against Rwanda’s new Watutsi administration. In November 1996, at the commencement of the First Congo War, Rwandan government forces targeted Hutu camps as well as forces of the then-Zaire government, allowing the insurgency to continue.

Geographical Location of Bukavu City in DR Congo.

Although not endangered by volcanoes like Goma, Bukavu is also threatened by a hypothetical limnic eruption from Lake Kivu, in which large volumes of dissolved carbon dioxide and methane might explode from the lake and endanger the lives of the 2 million people who reside nearby.

Weather & Climate of Bukavu City in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Bukavu’s climate is classified as tropical savanna by the Köppen-Geiger climate classification system, while being milder than other climates of its kind due to its high altitude. Bukavu has very warm days and nice evenings all year.

Major Attractions in Kahuzi-Biega National Park.

 The Kahuzi-Biéga National Park, a World Heritage Site and one of the two remaining habitats for the eastern lowland gorilla, is near to the city and may be reached by the route to Kavumu. Tshivanga, the park headquarters, is 31 kilometers from Bukavu.

The Kahuzi-Biega National Park was established in 1970 to protect the world’s biggest gorilla species, the Grauer’s gorilla. The park encompasses 6000 square kilometers and preserves a mountain forest in eastern DRC, the country’s most heavily inhabited region.

Mount Kahuzi (3,308m) and Mount Biega, two beautiful extinct volcanoes that dominate the park’s high altitude area, are named after the park (2,790m). Wildlife Conservation Society manages Kahuzi Biega National Park, which is a safe location.

Where to access medical care in Bukavu City in Congo.

The Panzi Hospital, founded by the Swedish Pentecostal Mission in 1921, is located in the city. Its director, Denis Mukwege (Nobel Peace Prize in 2018), works on women who have survived sexual abuse and is one of only two surgeons in the eastern Congo certified to undertake reconstructive surgery.

Accessing Bukavu City in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The domestic airport for Bukavu is Kavumu Airport, situated about 30 kilometers north. This airport hasn’t been upgraded in a long time. The rehabilitation of this airport will be a huge relief to the community, allowing for more commercial and economic growth thus Explore Bukavu City in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Bukavu is an important transport center and entrance to eastern DR Congo, but the road network has degraded as a result of the conflicts, and highways to Goma, Kisangani, and other cities have not been entirely repaired.

As with Goma, proximity to the East African paved road network and the operational eastern leg of the Trans-African Highway to Mombasa may allow for a speedier recovery than in other Congolese towns.

Gorilla Trekking Safaris in Bukavu City in Congo.

Gorilla trekking safaris in Bukavu city in the Democratic Republic of Congo are conducted in Kahuzi Biega National Park. Kahuzi Biega national park is one of the two places in Congo where visitors can do eastern lowland gorilla trekking during your Congo safari.

Eastern lowland gorilla trekking in Kahuzi Biega national park in Congo costs USD 400 for a gorilla permit. During the low season, visitors are offered discounted gorilla permits at a fee of USD 200 per person per permit for both eastern lowland gorilla trekking and also mountain gorilla trekking in Virunga National Park in Goma.

Eastern lowland gorilla trekking safaris in Kahuzi Biega national park take between 2 to 6 hours with an hour that visitors get to spend with the gorillas once they have been located.

A gorilla trekking safari to Kahuzi Biega national park in Bukavu city in Congo can be combined with gorilla trekking in Virunga national park, bird watching or a hike to Mount Nyiragongo volcano in Goma.

Contact info@kahuzibieganationalparkcongo.org for inquiries and affordable Congo safaris tour packages.