Super User 08 September 2023

Best Travel Guide To Maiko National Park Wildlife in DR Congo

Maiko National Park is one of the less explored ecologically richest habitats in Africa located in the most remote forests of the Democratic Republic of Congo in the eastern region.

Maiko National Park is a fascinating tourist destination and an important conservation site sheltering a wide range of beautiful unique animals

Three of the country's spectacular endemic animals occur here: the Grauer's gorilla, the okapi, and the Congo peafowl. Maiko is also an important site for the conservation of the African forest elephant, eastern chimpanzee, and the endemic aquatic genet.

Maiko National Park Size:

The Park covers an area of 10,885 square kilometers stretching in the states of Nord Kivu, Maniema, and Oriental.

Maiko National Park Location:

Maiko National Park lies in the great western south of Lake Kivu adjacent to the Rwandan-Kisangani border just 320 kilometers to the North West another great western ward bend of River Congo, The Park is 10,400 square kilometers halfway between Bukavu at the Rwandan border and Kisangani.

Though DR Congo is Known mostly for Mount Nyiragongo and Gorilla trekking in Virunga National Park and Kahuzi Biega National Park, Maiko is yet another wildlife beauty in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Maiko National Park History:

In 1949, the Belgian colonial administration created the Bakumu Hunting Reserve (Bakumu, meaning "The Kumus", the native tribe in the region) in an area that would later encompass the boundaries of the Park, as we know it today. The original plans for the area are believed to have aimed at preventing the exploitation of mineral resources rather than the protection of nature and wildlife.

On November 20, 1970, Joseph Désiré Mobutu the then President of DRC signed the Presidential Decree, which is bound to the law that had created the ICCN the previous year, into force. This document asserted the Maiko National Park to be a full-fledged nature protection area.

About Maiko National Park :

Maiko National Park is governed and managed by Institute Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature, a significant conservation area divided into three sectors that is Nord Kivu, province Orientale, and Maniema, These provinces harbor endemic animal species such as eastern lowland gorillas, okapi, and the Congo peafowl.

Maiko is the second Park in the Republic of Congo harboring the endemic eastern lowland gorillas, The Park is heavily characterized by dense equatorial forests that cross two rivers that is river Oso and river Lindi. River Oso spans an area of 4180 square kilometers extending northwards where it meets Lindi River.

Maiko National Park is a re-known the richest ecological habitat in Africa though the park’s tourism is not yet developed and this is attributed to the inaccessibility and remoteness of the national park. In the area where the park is located, there are no well-developed roads, bridges to cross the rivers, no airstrips, no lodges, and no amenities, which make a safari to this park slightly impossible. If you decide to navigate this park in the wilderness it is very adventurous as you discover the undiscovered, As a tourist you will stay in the local community-rated houses or tents and eat local foods.

Tourist Activities in Maiko National Park:

Numerous safari activities are offered in Maiko National Park which include.

Maiko National Park Wildlife viewing:

Maiko National Park is covered with vegetation cover, which harbors a variety of animals such as forest elephants, okapis, Congo peacocks, leopards, aquatic genet, eastern chimpanzees, and many that are endangered. The variety of animals in this park makes wildlife viewing safari unforgettable.

Maiko National Park Bird watching:

Maiko National Park is largely covered by tropical rainforest and crosses Baby River Oslo and River Lindi which are home to both water and forest bird species such as broadbills, pitas, sparrows, cormorants, turacos, egrets, herons, kingfishers which are seen while on nature walks and wildlife viewing safaris in the park.

Maiko National Park Nature walks:

Nature walks in Maiko National Park are very fascinating as they take you through the thickly forested wilderness of the park and on the riverbanks of River Oslo and River Lindi.

Maiko National Park Sights and sounds:

Maiko National Park is gifted with spectacular views of both the equatorial forests and the river, On sights and sound activity you get to enjoy the unique intoxicating sounds of birds singing different sweet melodies and sounds of river waters flowing.

Although the park shelters over 800 eastern lowland gorilla individuals, gorilla trekking is not carried out in this park. It used to take place but after a gorilla attacked a tourist the activity was banned, the incident is greatly attributed to the fact these gorillas are not fully habituated they are still wild.

Maiko National Park Insecurity threat:

Rebels have been a real threat to the development of Maiko as a National Park, The roadless and inaccessible nature surrounding Maiko National Park and the region at large has made Simba rebels and their control of the area flourish. Since their defeat in 1964, they have used this region as their protective spot, Throughout their stay in this region they have constantly carried out poaching of animals and illegal mining activities. The presence of these merciless rebels has been a constant threat to security making it difficult to be in the Park and patrol it, it also has made the Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature (ICCN) to carry out its operation and have control over the park.

Conservation of this area has been greatly tampered with by these rebels, according to several surveys carried out between 2003- 2005, 3 more active rebel groups have been identified in this area including the Rwandan Interahamwe in the east. With all the present uncertainties, the conservation of this park is greatly attributed to the Fossey fund.

Maiko National Park International Conservation efforts:

The first exploration of Maiko National Park was done in 1989 by the Wildlife Conservation Society, which was backed by ICCN and supported by the World Bank. The European Community and the WWF moved into this region and surveyed approximately 950 kilometers of the transect, The Wildlife Conservation Society further surveyed the northern sector in 2005. Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund conducted the first survey in the southern sector of the park in 2005; on this survey, they discovered and documented the eastern lowland gorillas. The last survey was carried out in 2010 and focused more on the forests in the west and south regions of Maiko National Park on this survey, it was revealed that threats towards the endangered eastern lowland gorillas and other animal populations.

Maiko National Park Access:

Access to Maiko National Park is one the hardest tasks but some routes can be used, You can use routes from Goma, Benin, or Butembo or you can use a 515 kilometers route from Kisangani town which leads to a small village within the Park from Bafwasende.

Book with Ultimate Wild Safaris for this expedition in Maiko National Park in DR Congo.

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Mobile: +256 705 087 906 / 760 282 342