This exclusive group tour for up to eight people sharing to Dzanga Sangha National Park in the Central African Republic is one of our favorite tours as this might be one of the most beautiful destinations in Africa and one of the best wildlife destinations in Africa and even in the whole world.

Dzanga Sangha National Park is a gorgeous park which mostly consists of rainforest and is located in the south of the Central African Republic and borders the Republic of Congo and Cameroon. The park is famous for its large groups of elephants, bongos and western lowland gorillas. It has a great platform near the famous Dzanga Bai which is a dream for any serious wildlife photographer so you can comfortably take pictures of the forest elephants and birds such as the white-throated bee eater, woodland kingfishers or the big flocks of African grey parrots who give a great daily show.

Dzanga Sangha is quite isolated and hard to get to. Most people come by chartered plane from Bangui and some people go overland by car, which takes two days of driving either way. It’s a long journey and not a cheap one, but it’s also one of the best jungle experiences you can have in all of Africa. The park is packed with wildlife and you will have several encounters with wildlife. Even the lodge where you’ll be staying is surrounded by wildlife such as birds, galagos, squirrels and monkeys.

A safari to Dzanga Sangha National Park offers a unique experience which is very different than any other safari in Africa. First of all, it is in the rainforest and not the savanna. It can in no way be compared to experiences such as the Aberdares or other small forest reserves. This is deep, deep jungle, far away from everything and this is a true adventure, it’s more of an expedition than it is a travel. You will walk on trails in the deep rainforest, wade through shallow streams and have close encounters with wildlife.

The park is heaven for any serious wildlife enthusiasts and birders as the park is home to many animals who seek refuge in the park. One of the highlights of the park is the Dzanga Bai where we can witness 50 up to 150 forest elephants who come to feed on the mineral rich soil of the clearance, accompanied by forest buffaloes, bongos, sitatungas, red river hogs, African grey parrots and even gorillas. It is also a great place for gorilla tracking, mangabey observation, pangolins and much more.

For this tour we will use a private chartered flight as it is the fastest means of getting to the lodge. Please, contact us about upcoming group tours. Please, know that the itinerary is a rough indication on how the programme will look like, but it can change.

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.

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 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.

Day 1: Flight to Bangui

We will pick you up at the airport and help you to your hotel.

Day 2: Bangui

Today you will have a buffer day in Bangui with optional day tour such as a city tour of Bangui, a visit to the Boali Waterfalls or even a cooking workshop.

Day 3: Flight to Sangha Lodge from Bangui

Today you’ll take your charter flight to Dzanga Sangha, where you will stay for your first night at the lodge. If possible we will go on a small hike in the premises and a short sundowner tour on the Sangha River.

Day 4: Gorilla Tracking

Gorilla tracking of a group of habituated western lowland gorillas in Bai Hokou. The duration depends on how long we’ll have to walk to find the gorillas. We typically spend around one hour around them. You are obliged to be vaccinated against covid and you will have to take a rapid antigen test before going on this tour.

Day 5: Dzanga Bai

Dzanga Bai is a large clearance in the middle of the forest and the soil is rich in minerals. It attracts 50 tot 150 elephants who visit the bai each day. We can also observe bongo, giant forest hog, red river hog, sitatunga, forest buffaloes and even gorillas who come to the edge of the bai. We will spend the day on the platform giving you enough opportunity for wildlife viewing and photography.

Day 6: Agile Mangabey Tracking and night walk

We will spend more time in the park in search of more mammals and we will also visit a group of habituated agil mangabeys with over 150 members.

Day 7: Ba’aka Net hunting

We will go out with a group of Ba’aka net hunters, which is a really fascinating experience in the middle of the forest. It is very overwhelming to be in the middle of their calls and see them flashing around you while on the hunt for animals such as duikers.

Day 8: River exploration

We will go on a boat on the river and visit a few waterfalls while exploring the rainforest. On top of the waterfalls you’ll have an awesome view over the canopy. In here we will also be on the lookout for grey-necked rock fowl.  In the night we will do a night walk in search of elusive animals such as potto, Thomas’ galago, pangolin, civet, owls and more.

Day 9: Back to Bangui

After breakfast we’ll fly back to Bangui. End of tour.

Price: Please, contact us to know when the next group tour is scheduled. 

Includes:

– Full board accommodation in the park

– All activities as described

– Park entrance fees

Doesn’t include:

– Accommodation in Bangui
– Airport transfer in Bangui
– Activities in Bangui
– Drinks
– Tips and gratuities

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