For those who want to travel to Dzanga Sangha National Park and stay in Sangha Lodge or Doli lodge and who don’t want to take a plane from Bangui or drive by car to the park, it is also possible to go to the Dzanga Sangha Park from Cameroon.

We offer secure transfers all the way from Yaoundé to Bayanga and then to Dzanga Sangha National park with a reliable 4×4 car. It is very important to do this journey with a good car such as a Landcruiser, Hilux or similar and to choose a reliable agency in Cameroon to hire a 4×4 car from Yaoundé. 

The overland travel from Yaoundé all the way to Dzanga Sangha takes two days. On the first day we leave from Yaounde and drive by 4×4 to Bertoua then through Gari Gombo and if we advance well, we hopefully reach Yokadouma where we will stay for the night. In Yokadouma we will stay in a simple hotel. On the second day we drive all the way down south to Goumela and there the road gets quite bumpy all the way to Libongo which is located next to the border with the Central African Republic, bordered by the Kadei River, a tributary river to the Sangha River. From there we can get you transport by ferry to Lidjombo and you can rent our boat from Libongo to Lidjombo to Bayanga. In Bayanga we will transport you by a comfortable car to your lodge: either Sangha Lodge or Doli Lodge. This budget tour is based on a stay in Doli Lodge, but you can also upgrade your travel to a stay in Sangha Lodge if desired.

It is possible to combine your safari in Dzanga Sangha National Park with a safari in Lobeke National Park, which is on the way to Libongo. Please, let us know if you would like to book a few extra days in Lobéké National Park and we can set that up for you as we have excellent local guides in Cameroon.

Dzanga Sangha is a national park located in the south of the Central African Republic. The closest town is Bayanga. It is named after the Sangha River which crosses the park. It is one of the most beautiful and remote parks in Central Africa and it is packed with wildlife such as primates, elephants, a wide variety of birds and much more. It is a must-do destination for anyone who is serious about wildlife and birding and it is also a great park for anyone who is interested in a photography tour in Central Africa. The park is located next to the border of Cameroon and Congo and can be reached by both of these countries or Bangui (by plane or car rental), but for this tour we are focusing on coming overland to Dzanga Sangha from Yaoundé.

During your stay you will go on gorilla tracking. It is one of the best places, if not the best place to go see habituated western lowland gorillas in Africa. There are three groups of habituated gorillas and you will have one hour to see and photograph the gorillas together with the local guides and trackers. Also on the menu is a day trip to the famous Dzanga Bai from which you will see dozens of forest elephants (up to 200 in one day), buffaloes, bongos, sitatungas, giant river hogs, red river hogs and huge flocks of African Grey Parrots. All this from the comfortable platform constructed next to the bai. You can also witness birds such as the white-throated bee eater of woodland kingfishers putting on their best show for you.

We will also focus on the Ba’ka culture, so during your stay you will also visit the forest tribe of the Central African Republic. We will go net hunting with the Ba’ka and will also explore the Sangha river. For this budget trip to Dzanga Sangha we will stay in Doli Lodge. It is also possible to upgrade your stay to Sangha Lodge. 

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.

Going overland saves you money by not chartering a plane, but there are at least 20 police stops where you have to pay on average 5 euro and more to pass, both ways. We advise you to bring at least 500 euro in bills of 5 euro or 2.000 fr. We are not responsible for any hold ups. 

Below is a proposed itinerary:

Day 1: Yaounde – Yokadouma

Today we leave around 5 am all the way to Yakadouma. We will pass Bertoua en Gari Gombo on our way. We will arrive in the late afternoon / evening and will stay in a simple hotel.

Day 2: Yokadouma – Libongo – Bayanga

Another long drive today and again we’ll have to wake up early. We will drive all the way to Libongo next to the Kadei River. From there we will help you cross the river with our team which is waiting on the side of the Central African Republic. We will continue to Lidjombo all the way to Bayanga. From Bayanga you will be brought to Doli Lodge by car, where your adventure will begin.

Day 3: Gorilla Tracking in Dzanga Sangha

Today we will go Gorilla tracking a group of habituated western lowland gorillas in Bai Hokou in the Dzanga Sangha Park. If we are lucky we can find them within 20 to 30 minutes, but it can also take a few hours, so be prepared for a lot of hiking in humid rainforest.

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 in Dzanga Sangha Park 

Dzanga Bai is one of the most beautiful places in all of Africa when it comes to wildlife viewing and maybe the best place in the world to see elephants. After a small hour or so of walking through the jungle you’ll start to hear the sounds of the African gray parrots, accompanied by elephants and other animal sounds. You’ll see the platform rising up next to the bai from where you’ll have a magnificent view and can
observe bongo, giant forest hog, red river hog, sitatunga, forest buffaloes and a wide variety of birds. 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

Today we’ll go on a four hour walk in which we will be in the middle of a group of agile mangabeys. You’ll also have the chance to see other animals such as bongo, sitatunga and buffalo. 

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: End of tour 

Enjoy a last tasty breakfast and the sounds of the forest. Please, let us know if you need our help to set up your travel, either back to Cameroon or Congo-Brazzaville or Bangui. 

Includes:

– Full board accommodation in the park

– All activities as described

– Park entrance fees

Doesn’t include:

– Accommodation in Cameroon
– Meals in Cameroon
– Drinks