Maiko National park is the second destination that is hosting the Eastern Lowland gorillas. However, the park is not open for Eastern lowland gorilla trekking except Kahuzi Biega National Park.
Maiko National Park lies in one of the most remote rain forest areas of Congo. It covers an area of 10,885 km2 (4,203 sq mi). The park is divided into three sectors, straddling the states of North Kivu, Province Orientale, and Maniema. This is a clear indication that travelers planning to visit Gorillas in Maiko national park can have safari extensions to cover Virunga National Park & Kahuzi Biega National Park for the comparison of the Mountain Gorillas & the Eastern lowland gorillas in the wilderness of Congo.
Among the top things to see & do in Maiko include Eastern Lowland gorillas (Gorilla Trekking) Okapi Wildlife Watching, Eastern Chimpanzee and Congo Peafowl which is among the rare Species in Africa.
Maiko National Park is 10,400 sq km half way between Bukavu at the Rwandan border and Kisangani. Tourism in the park has not yet developed due to the in accessibility of the park and so there is no airstrips, no lodges, and no amenities as per the recent search.
The park is managed by the Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature (ICCN) which, despite the absence of rangers and facilities, is responsible for entry permits. ICCN has control over the park in law, but villages of rebels and native tribes retain control over the park.
Getting in and around the park
Accessibility of Maiko National park in Democratic Republic of Congo is among the hardest things. The park is hard to be visited as compared to Virunga National Park, Upemba national park & Kahuzi Biega National Park. See the various routs and ways of getting around Maiko National Park while on Congo Safari tour, Routes, that lead to Maiko, whereby you can either start your journey from Goma or Beni or Butembo, or from Okapi wildlife reserve as they are allocated in Congo.
There is just one 4×4 “road” leading from Bafwasende to some small villages within the park. There are some off-piste 4×4 tracks for only the most die-hard over landers in properly-equipped vehicles can tackle
Flora and fauna in Maiko National Park
Three of the country’s spectacular endemic animals occur here: The Eastern Lowland Gorilla, the Okapi, and the Congo Peacock. Also, Forest Elephants and Leopards. The park is home to numerous endemic & rare species and almost certainly, many rare species yet to be documented. However, the presence of former rebels who have made their homes in the park, along with illegal mining and poaching means that many species are threatened with extinction. One example, a new gorilla subspecies first documented in a 2005 survey was not found and believed extinct in a 2010 survey.
