Your travel will most likely start in the bustling city of Bangui, the capital of Central African Republic, which has been troubled over the past few years by an influx of refugees and not having enough infrastructure to receive everyone. The thought of going to a country with active war zones might frighten you, but while there is a lot of insecurity in several parts of the country, Bangui is calm at the moment (which doesn’t mean it is free from danger or crime). It would be a shame to just spend your days in Bangui inside of your hotel and not discover the history and culture of the capital. It is rewarding to visit the local markets, have a chat with the friendly locals who will be open to get to know you, have some local bbq and enjoy a cold beer near the river. It will help you to put things in perspective and help you to learn a little bit more about the people and not just focus on the wildlife and nature part of your safari in the Central African Republic.
Over two thirds of Central Africans live in villages and many of them are difficult to access. Thus, their traditions remain very alive, especially as they keep their culture very secret. But, once you gain people’s confidence, they open their doors to you. One of the most exciting activities you can do in the Central African Republic is to join net hunting with the Baka tribe in the Dzanga Sangha park, one of the many activities you can do when visiting the Baka. There are several tribes which can be visited all over the country and where we can learn more about their traditions and customs and even get an introduction to their medicinal plants. An activity where you visit a local village should definitely be on anyone’s itinerary and there is room and space for that to easily organize it in between your safari activities here in the Central African Republic.
The highlight of the Central African Republic is ofcourse its unrivaled nature with deep green rainforest and the high diversity of plants and animals. Roads made out of red dirt and mighty rivers penetrate the deep jungles in the heart of Africa until they can go no further. March through the dense forest and wade through shallow rivers and marshes with flashes of gorillas in front of you and the sounds of nearby elephants in the back. Have a swim in the shallow waters of one of the many streams and watch how spot-necked otters are fishing while refreshing yourself.
Observe millions and millions of butterflies crossing the mighty Sangha river while you’re making your journey to the Dzanga Sangha park. Stand eye in eye with a pangolin and fall in love with one of the most fascinating creatures on our planet. Watch African fish eagles dive into the water while you’re having your sundowner near the river and wake up by the call of the king fisher when the sun is making its way through your window in the morning. Feel like a tiny being when the thunderstorms are rolling over the country while the rain is pouring down and thousands of lightning strikes are giving you a spectacular sky show.
The highlights of the country are definitely the flagship Dzanga Sangha National Park with its top-class gorilla tracking, mangabeys and forest elephant gatherings and also the lesser known Chinko National Park (by chartered flight), which is even harder to get to, but not less beautiful or exciting! A stop in the Ngotto forest and exploration of several waterfalls such as the Baoli Falls, which are a nice day tour from Bangui, are splendid experiences as well, as you will often be the sole visitor of the site. You will be amazed about the abundance and high variety of wildlife in the dense jungle: from small critters to colorful butterflies and insects to playful otters, flying mice, pangolins, forest buffaloes, bongos, golden cats and many other of our main actors on our green stage.
Next to deep forest exploration, fantastic wildlife viewing and cultural activities we equally recommend you having a grilled chicken leg with nice beer and shaking your legs on the newest afro beats in one of the many terrasses in Bangui as these kinds of experiences will be impossible to repeat in the western world.
The landlocked nature of the country, which has made it possible to preserve its incredible natural resources, also contributes to limiting the number of tourists: only a few handful venture, each year, to discover gorillas and multiple waterfalls of the Central African Republic. As a result, tourism infrastructure, especially hotels, is almost non-existent outside of Bangui. There is no real predefined or marked circuit, gleaning some information is a challenge, no tourist site is sustainably maintained and scams are numerous. It is vital to find a reputable tourist agency with actual presence in Bangui, which you can trust so you don’t arrive at the airport without anyone waiting for you and your money you trusted to your so-called agency already being spent. Be very careful with imposters and people copying our programmes. If the price looks to good to be true, it probably is.
But the adventurers, endowed with a good sense of resourcefulness and an unfailing patience, will be fully satisfied as you’ll have the adventure of a lifetime. Even more, every serious mammal enthusiast and birder should try to come here once in her/his life as the national parks of the Central African Republic offer truly some of the best wildlife experiences and safari in the whole continent. And even if animals aren’t even your dada, you will definitely start to appreciate them while you enjoy the perfect peace and tranquility of the rainforest.
If you’re also dreaming of discovering this raw diamond and having a thrilling wildlife experience in the heart of Africa, please, just send us a message with your plans and desire and we’ll help you set itup. We work closely together with the lodges, camps in the forests, have excellent government licensed guides with plenty of experiences, rent out good vehicles and charter flights. We also can handle your overland tours from Cameroon to the Central African Republic and can help you get to Ouesso in Congo-Brazzaville, Gemena in the Democratic Republic of Congo and others.
Please, also have a look to our river trips with our comfortable boats starting from Bangui on the Ubangi River, with a stop in Zinga (Central African Republic), before continuing to Congo-Brazzaville further down the river all the way to Impfondo, finding our way to the Congo River, and finally to Brazzaville or Kinshasa by boat with camping, pygmy tribes, fishing and forest exploration. We are proud to say that we are the only agency in the Central African Republic who offers river tours on the Ubangi and Congo River, with the possibility of sports fishing such as the Goliath Tiger Fish with our fishing experts.
We also offer boat trips on the Oubangi River all the way to Gbadolite in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where you can see the palace of Mobutu, before going down to Gemena, where you can continue your adventure to Mbandaka, Kisangani or Kinshasa.
Please, let us know your needs and we can customize your programme for your travel in the Central African Republic as well as Congo, DRC and Cameroon.
