Maiko National Park

Maiko National Park is a large protected area in the Democratic Republic of the Congo that covers extensive tracts of lowland and montane rainforest and biodiversity-rich habitat. The park is biologically important for several endemic and threatened species and contains rugged, often inaccessible terrain.

The area is largely roadless and remote; scientific surveys and conservation work have been impeded by logistical difficulties and regional insecurity. As a result, many parts of the park remain little-studied and access for visitors is generally restricted or inadvisable without formal guidance and security arrangements.

Maiko was designated as a national park to protect its forests and wildlife; it has been the focus of international conservation attention because of its species and the conservation challenges posed by remoteness and human pressures. Park management history includes periods of limited on-the-ground presence due to conflict and resource constraints.

The park lies in the northeastern DRC within Tshopo and adjacent provinces, spanning lowland Congo Basin forest and rising to mountain zones; it is inland from the Congo River basin and distant from major urban centres, making it one of the country’s most remote protected areas.

• Access and safety: Remote terrain combined with a history of armed conflict mean formal tourist access is limited and visits require coordination with DRC authorities.
• Biodiversity importance: The park contains both lowland and montane rainforest habitats and is important for populations of eastern lowland gorilla and other large mammals, though surveys are incomplete.