Beautiful Tourist Places in Bukavu, South Kivu, Congo, Africa

Beautiful Tourist Places in Bukavu, South Kivu, Congo, Africa

Bukavu is a city situated in the South Kivu province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, located around 2450 km east of the national capital, Kinshasa. Bukavu is the administrative centre of the South Kivu province, located on the southwestern shore of Lake Kivu at an elevation of 1,498 meters. The geographical coordinates of Bukavu are 2°30′ S 28°52′ E and the city covers an area of 60 sq. km.

The magnificent structure Our Lady of Peace Cathedral is the prime landmark of Bukavu. Bukavu itself houses many manmade and natural tourist attractions and is also the gateway to Kahuzi-Biéga National Park.

History of Bukavu:

Historically Bukavu was one of the parts of a regional power Bushi Kingdom. Before the arrival of Belgians at the end of the 19th century, Bukavu had also seen the reign of the Arab rulers. The Belgian colonial authority founded Bukavu in 1901 and ruled until the country’s independence in 1960.

Conenctivity to Bukavu:

Bukavu is served by Kavumu Airport, situated around 30 km north of the city centre of Bukavu. The airport probably receives scheduled flights from Kinshasa. The closest international airport to Bukavu is Goma International Airport. This airport operates flights from Beni, Kinshasa and Kisangani and is situated around 640 km from Bukavu.

Although road is not paved, Bukavu can be reached by bus from Goma and Kisangani. The local transportation of Bukavu is catered by minibuses and rental cars.

Food and Shopping in Bukavu:

Bukavu is comparatively upgraded city than most Congolese cities with both traditional and modernized shops and restaurants. Here are two recommended restaurants in Bukavu:

Roby
Orchids

Things to do in Bukavu:

Exploring lake
Visiting nearby national park
Boat riding
Fishing

Tourist Attractions in Bukavu:

Our Lady of Peace Cathedral:

The Our Lady of Peace Cathedral is a splendid manmade structure and the highlight of Bukavu. It is visited by a substantial number of people, both devotees and tourists throughout the year for its striking construction and holiness.

Lake Kivu:

The Lake Kivu is spread over an area of 2,700 sq. km, situated on the border of Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda. The city of Bukavu lies on the southwestern shore of the lake, where one can enjoy fishing, boat riding, swimming and many other different water sports.

Kahuzi-Biéga National Park:

Situated around 30 km west of Bukavu, the Kahuzi-Biéga National Park is one of the renowned tourist destinations of DRC and it gained place on the UNESCO World Heritage Sites list. The park is mainly famous for Eastern Lowland Gorillas and other floral species include hylochere, Maclaud’s horseshoe bat, and Alexander’s bush squirrel.

List of other places of interest near Bukavu include:

Panzi Hospital
Virunga National Park
Mount Nyiragongo
Garamba National Park
Boyoma Falls
Maiko National Park
Salonga National Park
Zongo Falls
Musee National de Kinshasa
Petites Chutes de la Lukaya
Virunga National Park
Okapi Wildlife Reserve

Best time to visit Bukavu:

Bukavu features a tropical wet and dry and the best time to visit Bukavu is from May to September.

Hotels in and around Bukavu:

Being a prominent tourist destination, Bukavu houses many well facilitated hotels with the blend of traditional and latest amenities like food on request, AC, TV and arrangement of vehicle for local sightseeing. All the major hotels in the city offer advance booking facility for visitors’ convenience. The popular hotels in Bukavu and Goma (around 210 km from Bukavu, the last 7 hotels) are as follows: