Member / Vendor Login

Bukavu

Country:
The Democratic Republic Of Congo
State:
Sous-Region Sud-Kivu
City:
Bukavu
Type of Location:
Multiple
About Location

Advertisement



Places to Visit
How to Reach

By Air

Kavumu Airport (ICAO code:FZMA, IATA code: BKY) located about 30 kilometres north is the domestic airport for Bukavu.

By Train

Bukavu was an important transport hub and gateway to eastern DR Congo, but as a result of the wars the road network has deteriorated and highways to Goma, Kisangani and other towns have not been fully restored.As with Goma, close proximity to the paved road network of East Africa and the functioning eastern section of the Trans-African Highway to Mombasa may allow a faster recovery than other Congolese towns.Bukavu's proximity to the Lake Tanganyika ports of Bujumbura and Kalundu-Uvira give it an additional advantage, with access on the lake to the railheads of Kigoma (linked to Dar es Salaam) and Kalemie (rail link to Katanga, in need of rehabilitation). Isolation, largely due to bad road infrastructure, has been found to be an important determinant of wealth and/or development in South Kivu.

By Ferries

Bukavu has numerous lakeside wharves and boat transport is used extensively in the Congolese waters of the lake in the absence of well maintained roads.

Key places to visit
Kahuzi Biega National Park, Lake Kivu, Virunga Mountain, Virunga National Park

Advertisement



Places to Visit

Kahuzi Biega National Park

Is in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, 50 km west of the town of Bukavu in the 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 Eastern Lowland Gorilla.Prior to conflicts which have plagued this part of Africa since the 1990s, only an estimated 600 gorillas remained throughout the range.As a result of the remaining gorilla population, the park was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1980.It is likely that recent war in the region has taken a terrible toll on their numbers. One recent (2005) estimate has suggested that as many as 60% of the population of nearly 300 recorded in Kahuzi-Biega in 1990 may have perished.

Lake Kivu

Lake Kivu is one of the African Great Lakes.It lies on the border between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda, and is in the Albertine (western) Rift, a part of the Great Rift Valley.Lake Kivu empties into the Ruzizi River, which flows southwards into Lake Tanganyika.The name comes from kivu which means "lake" in Bantu language, just like the words tanganyika or nyanza.

Virunga Mountain

Congo is definitely a must-see tourist destination.It is located inside the famous Virunga National Park and is quite popular for its distinct lava lake, which has been noted as the most voluminous in recent history.The volcano may not be as friendly because it has erupted about 34 times since 1882. Very recently, in 2002, the Nyiragongo Volcano erupted, damaging the nearby city of Goma in the province of North Kivu.But still, you can never underestimate its natural beauty, the main reason tourists flock to this spot.The Nyiragongo Volcano has a two-kilometer wide crater, which has two distinct lava benches.The most amazing thing about it is its lava lake.Many explorers brave the 6-hour climb for the fulfillment of seeing the huge lake,which shines brightly at night.

Virunga National Park

lies in the Virunga Mountains.In its borders lie the Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda and the Rwenzori Mountains National Park in Uganda.It is Africa’s first national park and definitely one of the best.How to get to the Virunga National Park you just need to take a flight to Kinshasa if you are already in Africa.If you want a no-fuss travel, you can just take a mountain gorilla trek.That already includes a trip to the mountains of Virunga.

Right Time to Visit

Information not available

Temperature

Information not available


Advertisement



View Map