| Duration: | 1 Day(s) - 0 Night(s) |
| Tour Category: | Eco Tourism |
A famous natural tourist attraction in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is the Maiko National Park. But this park is somewhat out-of-the-way and it will be a challenge to get there. The group responsible for taking care of the park’s affairs is the Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature or ICCN. It was founded back in 1970 and has an area of 10,885 square kilometers or 4,203 square miles. Maiko National Park is one of the places to visit in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Explore More About Maiko National Park:
Maiko National Park is a national park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It lies in one of the most remote forest areas of the country and covers 10,885 km2 (4,203 sq mi). The park is divided into three sectors, straddling the states of Nord Kivu, Province Orientale, and Maniema. 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.
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 of 1970, the Presidential Decree no 70-312 which is bound to the law that had created the ICCN the previous year, was signed into force by Joseph Désiré Mobutu. This document asserted the Maiko National Park to be a full-fledged nature protection area.
Maiko Park Congo is a wonderful destination that any traveler who ventures into visiting it would appreciate. The park is a major primate destination for it inhabits the rare eastern lowland gorillas that are endemic to the Congo only. The other two endemics that can only be found in the Congo are the Congo peafowl and the Okapi.
Maiko National Park is a very diverse national park with loads of flora and fauna flaunting the park. Three of the Congo’s spectacular endemic animals can be found in Maiko Park Congo and they include the rare eastern lowland gorillas, the Congo peafowl, and the Okapi.
Other wild animals that can be found in the park include forest elephants and leopards, among so many others. The birdlife in Maiko Park Congo is worth a mention and travelers may spot among others the Ruwenzori turaco and the handsome francolins. The park also has two rivers namely River Oslo and River Lindi. All these travelers can see as well as encounter when on a Congo safari tour visiting Maiko National Park in particular.
