The national park is a UNESCO world heritage site and an exceptional habitat for the eastern lowland gorilla subspecies, Gorilla berengei graueri. It is also a protection of the rainforest. Near the western bank of Lake Kivu lies the national park; in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo near Bukavu town, South Kivu province. It covers a total area of about 6,000Km² and lies on the Western flank of the Albertine rift valley in the Mitumba mountain range; with an elevation that ranges from 700 to 3,300m altitude. The mountain side covers an area of about 600Km, with altitude ranging from about 1,800 to 3,330m; the tropical rainforest has an altitude that ranges from about 700 to 1,200m. About 10% of the park is comprised of high mountains dominated by extinct volcanoes, Mt.Kahuzi and Mt. Biega; which are literally the dominant physical features in the park. The parks name is derived from the two extinct volcano mountains.The Mountain areas and lowland terrain are separated by a 7.4Km corridor.