ABOUT
UPEMBA

Upemba National Park is a rising forgotten park and a spring of Congolese biodiversity playing an important role for the survival of the Congo Basin.

Overview

Upemba National Park (PNU) is one of Africa’s oldest national parks. Established by royal decree in May 1939, it stretches across southeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, at the intersection of three provinces—Lualaba, Haut-Katanga, and Haut-Lomami. Biogeographically, Upemba lies at the crossroads of the Zambezian and Guinean biogeographic regions, benefiting from exceptional biodiversity with a rich and varied array of flora and fauna.

As a protected area of major ecological importance, Upemba safeguards unique ecosystems and iconic species. It serves as a refuge for the DRC’s savanna elephants, the country’s wild zebras, and the last Katanga buffalos. In the past, these vast expanses teemed with abundant wildlife, thriving in a fascinating ecological balance. However, successive crises in the DRC have decimated many species, pushing some—such as the black rhinoceros and large carnivores—to local extinction.

Covering a total area of 12,752 km², the park consists of a core protected zone of 9,984 km², an annex zone of 2,768 km², and two hunting reserves—Lubudi-Sampwe and Bena-Mulumbu. Its landscape varies between shrub savanna valleys, high plateaus dotted with gallery forests, and the vast swampy plain of the Kamalondo Depression, where the Lualaba River, the source of the Congo River, meanders. Upemba is also a crucial water reservoir, hosting the sources of numerous rivers, including Kalume Ngongo, Nzenze, and Munte—renowned for its spectacular waterfall. The Kamalondo Depression is home to over 80 interconnected lakes, among them Upemba, Mulenda, Kabamba, and Kayumba, all rich in endemic fish species.

Upemba is adjacent to Kundelungu National Park, separated by an ecological corridor that forms the Lubudi-Sampwe hunting reserve. This corridor once played a vital role in animal migrations between the two parks, though that is no longer the case today. These natural sanctuaries offer breathtaking landscapes, ideal for unforgettable hikes and stunning sunsets. They also provide opportunities for scientific or spiritual visits.

With the support of various partners, Upemba is committed to developing sustainable alternatives for local communities, placing their involvement at the heart of its conservation strategy. Current efforts focus on the park’s ecological rehabilitation, aiming to restore it as a key biodiversity hotspot in the DRC and a driver of green development. Enthusiasm and commitment have already yielded results, with new internal structures and standardized operating procedures implemented across three key areas: security, conservation, and development. Upemba aspires to emerge as a model for conservation in the DRC, Africa, and beyond.

Management

Upemba National Park is managed through a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) between the Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature (ICCN) and the Forgotten Parks Foundation (FPF). In 2017, FPF signed a 15-year co-management agreement with ICCN for the Upemba-Kundelungu Complex. Since early 2020, this agreement has focused exclusively on Upemba National Park and its buffer zones, including the hunting reserves.

FPF delegates the technical, administrative, and financial management of the park to its Congolese sister foundation, Forgotten Parks Asbl (FP-DRC), which operates with full autonomy under Congolese law. FP-RDC shares the same mission, ethical values, and professional standards as FPF, ensuring governance aligned with conservation and sustainable development principles.

The Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature (ICCN) is the Congolese governmental partner tasked with the protection and conservation of national parks and nature reserves in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The ICCN is governed by Law No. 08/009 of July 7, 2008 laying down general provisions applicable to public establishments.

The aim of the ICCN is the conservation of Nature in Protected Areas in situ and ex situ. As such, he is responsible for:

Ensuring the protection of fauna and flora;
Promoting biodiversity by promoting scientific research and facilitating ecotourism activities in accordance with current legislation and the fundamental principles of conservation.

The ICCN is under the general supervision of the Ministry of the Environment and Sustainable Development as well as under the specific supervision of the Ministries of Tourism and Defense. Since November 2022 the Congolese Institute for Nature Conservation is led by Yves Milan Ngangay, as its Executive Director.