A Short 2‑Day Visit to DRC
During our short two‑day visit to the Democratic Republic of Congo, the situation at the Rusizi border was still calm enough for us to cross the bridge and briefly step onto the DRC side for a photo. Only a few days later, rebels from the March 23 Movement (M23) would take control of the Congolese side of that same border crossing near Bukavu.
We managed to enter Bukavu, but only for one night, as the security situation was already becoming unpredictable. Our original plan to continue south toward Burundi quickly became impossible due to the developments that followed.
Fortunately, we already had official permission to visit Kahuzi‑Biega National Park and we were able to do so just in time. The park was still open during our short stay, and it became the highlight of our brief journey into the Democratic Republic of Congo.
After our visit to the gorillas, we had no choice but to return to the Rwandan border. Although our original plan was to continue overland from Kahuzi‑Biega National Park, cross into Burundi, and travel south, this route was no longer recommended. The security situation in the region had deteriorated too much, and crossing into Burundi via DRC had become unsafe.
So instead, we headed back to Rwanda, spent the night in Bukavu, and made our way to Kigali. From there, I took a flight to Burundi the only reliable and secure option at that moment. It wasn’t the overland adventure we had hoped for, but given the circumstances, it was the safest way to continue the journey.