For this travel we’re focusing on three major parks in Central Africa. Our trip will start in Brazzaville, the capital of the Republic of Congo. From there, we’ll make our way to the south of Odzala National Park to spend a few days searching for wildlife such as forest elephants and gorillas. We’ll be staying in a budget accommodation as a cheaper alternative to the overpriced lodges in Odzala. After Odzala we’ll continue our way to the Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park where we will track gorillas, discover the forest and then take a boat from Ouesso all the way to Bayanga to discover the beauty of Dzanga Sangha.

In the north of Congo, we find Odzala National Park, probably the most most beautiful park in the Republic of Congo. Odzala consists mainly of pristine rainforest and savanna, and has several clearings (bais) which are rich in minerals and attract wildlife such as forest elephants, buffaloes and antelopes. We can also find other primates and predators such as hyenas and leopards in the park. During the ebola outbreak the park lost a lot of its gorillas and also suffered from poaching. Since African Parks took over, the situation has slowly been improving. The park is run by WCS, African Parks, WWF and the Congolese government.

Odzala is over 13.000 km² was given the status of a national park in 2001 after being a biosphere before that. We can find over 100 mammal species and there are an estimated 20.000 or more lowland gorillas in the park. 

We will go overland to the south of Odzala and we will be on the lookout for mostly elephants and gorillas, but we can also spot several other animals such as, African grey parrots, duikers, de brazza monkeys, hogs, civets, porcupines, pottos and others. We will stay in basic accommodation and eat simple local food. Please know that power cuts are frequent and there might not be running water at times. After Odzala it’s time to go to Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park.

Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park is even more north than Odzala and borders with Cameroon and the Central African Republic. Together with Dzanga Sangha and Lobéké it’s part of Sangha Trinational. The park was given its official status in 1993 and is home to many animals such as elephants, chimpanzees, gorillas, leopards, bongos, sitatungas, red river hogs and others. The park is around 3.900 km² and consists of pristine rainforest with a few clearings. It is managed by the WCS. As of 2022 it is undergoing restructuring and a new touristic infrastructure is being established as we speak. 

By the end of 2022 there should be possibility again to book safari and gorilla tracking at Nouabalé-Ndoki, which we combine with a safari to Dzanga Sangha. One of the highlights of the park is Mbeli Bai from where you can observe elephants and other mammals. The park is also known for its gorilla tracking. After being a few days in the park we will take boat from Bomassa to Bayanga, from where we will enter Dzanga Sangha.

Dzanga Sangha is located in the extreme south of the Central African Republic and a prime wildlife destination, possibly the best in all of Central Africa. Dzanga Sangha is one of the most mesmerizing parks in Africa and rich in fauna and flora. A travel to Dzanga Sangha takes you deep into the African jungle and is very different from your typical African safari. 

A visit to Dzanga Sangha is a must for anyone serious about African wildlife and birds. It is also the perfect destination to track the western lowland gorilla and to see bush elephants. The highlight of the park is a tall platform overlooking the Dzanga bai from where you can see up to 200 elephants and more, accompanied by bongo, sitatunga, giant forest hogs and others. 

There is also a great mangabey tracking activity and if you’re staying at the Sangha Lodge you can also meet the habituated pangolins and photograph them. 

It is VERY IMPORTANT to add at least one buffer day before your travel in case your flight is delayed and also add at least one (or up to 3) buffer day after the safari so you definitely not miss your flight back. We are not responsible for you missing any transfer flights due to bad planning.

Please know that this expedition includes a lot of walking through dense rainforest. You don’t have to be an experienced hiker, but know that sometimes we do need to walk for a few hours, take off our shoes to go through a shallow stream and that you will have to be on your guard to not trip. During your travel you will encounter wildlife and have unique experiences such as gorilla tracking or seeing buffaloes and elephants. Know that wild animals are unpredictable and you have to take precautions and behave in a responsible way.

Find below the itinerary, note that some flexibility is needed.

Day 1: Brazzaville to Etoumbi

We will leave early in the morning from Brazzaville to Etoumbi to where we’ll go with a comfortable coach. We’ll arrive somewhere in the evening.

Day 2: Etoumbi – Odzala

Getting in a 4×4 to go all the way to our guesthouse which borders the southern part of Odzala National Park where we will check in. In the afternoon we will have our first exploration of the rainforest and will start looking for animals.

Day 3, 4, 5: Odzala

For the next three days we will go into the forests of Odzala by means of car, boat and also hiking.

Day 6: Oyo
We will go to the town of Oyo (or Owando), where we’ll switch for the coach to go to Ouesso. In case there is no coach, we’ll take it the day after as that’s a buffer day.

Day 8: Ouesso

We will spend the day today in Ouesso, a charming little town just across Cameroon. It’s nice enough to spend the day and also to relax a little bit before going into our next part of the adventure.

Day 9: Nouabalé-Ndoki HQ

We will go to the headquarters or Nouabalé-Ndoki, do the necessary formalities and then will go to our camp for the night. You’ll get the first impressions of the woods of the park.

Day 10, 11, 12: Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park

During the next three days we will explore the park looking for animals. We’ll use the platform near Mbeli Bai and will also go gorilla tracking. Lodging is in very basic accommodation and food is local and simple.

Day 13: Boat transfer from Bomassa to Bayanga

In the morning you will be transferred by boat from Bomassa to Bayanga, the village bordering Dzanga Sangha. It’s a long, but beautiful journey and depending on the season you might see millions of butterflies crossing the Sangha River. 

Day 14: Gorilla Tracking in Dzanga Sangha

Today’s our first activity in Dzanga Sangha: gorilla tracking of one of the three groups habituated western lowland gorillas near Bai Hokou. We’ll start with a nice long drive to the base camp and afterwards we’ll go hike looking for the gorillas. If we’re lucky we might find them within half an hour, but it can also take a few hours. You will be asked to do a rapid covid-test and also wear a mask. 

Day 15: Dzanga Bai in Dzanga Sangha

Dzanga Bai is the biggest attraction in the Dzanga Sangha National Park and is a large clearing in the middle of the jungle. The soil is rich in minerals and water and hundreds of animals such as elephants, bongos and buffaloes come feast here every day, accompanied by the songs of large flocks of African Gray parrots. You can also spot red river hogs, giant forest hogs and see birds such as white-throated bee-eaters and woodland kingfishers among others. All this from the comfort of your viewing platform which will also allow you to take great pictures. 

Day 16: Agile Mangabey Tracking in Dzanga Sangha

Today we’ll have a beautiful 4 – 5 hour hike in which we’ll go search for a group of mangabeys which are tracked. On the way we might also encounter elephants, buffaloes, antelopes and more. 

Day 17: Departure

Enjoy your last breakfast in paradise! End of tour.

Please, let us know how you’d like to go back, either Congo, Cameroon or Bangui and we’ll help you set it up.

Includes:

– Full board accommodation in the park

– All activities as described

– Pak entrance fees

Doesn’t include:
– Accommodation in Brazzaville, and Bangui
– Airport transfer in Brazzaville
– Meals and drinks outside of the parks
– Drinks
– Tips and gratuities

Have a look at some of our videos of our Dzanga Sangha trips!

We can ofcourse go in a different direction. You can start in Bangui, rent a car through us or charter a plane through our agency in Bangui to go to Bayanga and visit Dzanga Sangha. From Bayanga we can take you by boat transfer to Bomassa to see Nouabalé-Ndoki. You would then go from Bomassa to Ouesso by boat and from Ouesso we can drive to Etoumbi and visit Odzala. From Odzala we can go by bus or by car to Brazzaville.