For this travel we will first go to Nana Barya overland, to visit the savanna forest and explore the park by boat. After a small stop in Bangui, we will charter a flight to Bayanga from where we will go to Dzanga Sangha and stay in Sangha Lodge, to do gorilla tracking, elephant viewing from the platform, mangabey tracking and much more.

Nana Barya is a game reserve Republic.  It is located in Ouham Prefecture, in the western part of the country, 400 km north of the capital Bangui.

In the area around the Réserve de Faune de la Nana Barya, mainly savannah forest grows. Around the Reserve it is very sparsely populated, with 5 inhabitants per square kilometer. The savannah climate prevails in the area.

The park has kordofan giraffes, elephants, lions, leopards, giant elands and many more species. The park has barely had any visitors in the last few decades. We go to the park by 4×4 from Bangui to Batangafoa. After spending the night in Batangafoa we go towards the park where we’ll switch our car for a boat and will continue the rest of our expedition by boat.

This is a very adventurous expedition with rough conditions such as mud, mosquitoes and there will be no electricity or running water. Meals will be very simple, so it’s important to have realistic expectations. After our camping in Nana Barya, we will have a day in Bangui, followed by the second leg of our journey: Dzanga Sangha.

Dzanga Sangha is a park of extreme natural beauty with superb wildlife viewing, located in the extreme south of the Central African Republic. It can be accessed by a combination of boat and overland driving from Cameroon or Congo or one can come from Bangui by car or chartered plane. It is one of the most beautiful and diverse places in all of Central Africa. It is a completely different experience than your typical safari in the savannah and takes you deep into the rainforest in the heart of Africa.

Dzanga Sangha 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 Dzanga Sangha National 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, giant forest hogs, African gray parrots and even Chuck Norris. It is also a great place for gorilla tracking, mangabey observation, pangolins and much more.

For this tour in Dzanga Sangha we will use a private chartered flight leaving from Bangui as it is the fastest means of getting to the lodge. It is also possible to go overland from Bangui by car, but it takes two days each way. Kindly go to our overland itinerary. Please, know that the itinerary is a rough indication on how the programme will look like, but it can change.

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.

Itinerary

Day 1: Bangui – Batangafo

We have a long day of driving ahead of us. We will overnight in the town of Batangafo, passing Damara, Marali and Bouca first.

Day 2: Batangafo – Ouogo

We will trade our car for a boat and will now continue our way on the Ouham River. We will go to the village of Ouogo and stay there for the night.

Day 3, 4, 5, 6, 7: Camping in Nana Barya

The coming days we will explore the rest of the park by means of boat and hiking. We will camp in the park, eat simple meals and enjoy campfires in the evening. We will be on the lookout for animals and accompanied by a team of locals who will double as spotters and security.

Day 8: Return to Batangafo

Today we return to Batangafoua, where we will have a well deserved rest after a long, intens but rewarding expedition in the park.

Day 9:  Batangafo – Bangui

Our last day of our travel, we’ll drive back to Bangui and make sure you’re safe and sound at the hotel.

Day 11: 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 12: 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 13: 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 14: Dzanga Bai

Dzanga Bai is a large clearing in the middle of the forest and the soil is rich in minerals. It attracts 50 to 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 15: 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. 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 16: flight back to Bangui

Today we will take a charter back to Bangui after breakfast. End of tour.We will bring you back to your hotel.

Includes:
– Transport during the whole travel
– Park permits, camping permits in Nana Barya
– Accommodation in Sangha Lodge: full-board
– Professional local guide and supporting team
– Food throughout the whole travel, except in Bangui

Doesn’t include:
– Accommodation and meals in Bangui
– Visa
– International flights