Central African Republic

    start
  16-Mar
  20-Jul

finish

23-Mar
27-Jul

Includes

• All park entry fees – 4 days
• Meet and greet in Bangui, return
• Transfers in Bayanga
• Sundowner boat trip including drinks
• Night Forest walk with spotlights
• Dzangha Bai platform, 2 x visits
• Mangabey Trek
• Pirogue trip on Yobe and Sangha River
• Net Hunt with Ba’aka
• Ba’aka Medicinal Plants and Dance
• Trek to the waterfalls / birding for Picathartes
• Saline Walk at Bai Hokou
• 7 nights accommodation on a full board basis
Situated in the Northern part of the Congo basin, the Dzanga Sangha Protected Areas are internationally known for their beautiful rainforests, host to a remarkable diversity of wildlife, comprising western lowland gorillas, forest elephants, bongo antelopes and a multitude of bird species. Furthermore, a rich local culture, comprising the Sangha fishermen as well as hunting and gathering BaAka, are present in the area. Apart from conservation and local development efforts, Dzanga Sangha operates as an eco research centre.
DAY 1
Charter flight in from BANGUI to BAYANGA. Flight times and aircraft used to be advised, as well as cost. Arrival and transfer to the Sangha Lodge in time for lunch.
Situated on the banks of the Sangha River in the Dzanga-Sangha special reserve, Sangha lodge is the ideal tranquil spot from which to set off on activities within the Dzanga-Sangha National Park, and the perfect most relaxing spot to return to after a long day in the field. You will spend eight days / seven nights at Sangha Lodge on a full board basis i.e. all meals included.
Evening: a sundowner cruise up river from the lodge will take you into the area where the river narrows considerably. Once there, the motor will be turned off and we drift down slowly while drinking gin and tonics or beer as we watch the sunset over the forest and discuss the next week’s program with your guide, Rod Cassidy.
DAY 2
To the Elephants at Dzangha Baiwhich is a full day excursion with a picnic lunch included. Approximately 90 minutes by vehicle and an hour walk to the viewing platform. To be able to observe the timid forest elephant in the wild is an experience usually reserved to a limited circle of researchers. Dzanga Bai has always been known for its remarkable density of local wildlife, and visitors have thus the chance to observe wildlife in a region covered by dense forest where this is hardly possible. It is a forest clearing extending 500 by 250 meters, which can be reached after a walk through primary forest on a path created by elephants.
Return to the lodge for dinner and overnight.
DAY 3
After breakfast – experience a net hunt with the Ba’aka. Return to the lodge after lunch. Accompany the BaAka pygmies hunting and help with the carving up of the game, let the BaAka women show you the medicinal and other plants of use, taste a typical dish of liana leaves with a sauce made from forest nuts, watch how they construct in the forest, in no time at all, a protective hut against the rain. Getting to know this secret culture is an experience few have known.
In the afternoon, we visit a Ba’aka family and experience their music and culture.
After Dinner at the lodge, we walk with spotlights and guides into the forest behind the Lodge. A deep, untouched rainforest, where elephants and wild gorillas are often heard and sometimes seen,this experience is unique and not to be missed. Some of the more unusual nocturnal species like Galago, Potto, Genet, Civet, Golden Cat, Hammer-Bat and a number of owls can be seen.
DAY 4
Gorillas – this is a full day excursion with a picnic lunch included.
There are now two places to view gorillas, and they only take 3 persons at a time - e.g. 6 per location per day so one group will be about an hour “behind“ the other group of three OR three persons visit the mangabeys, starting in early morning, then trek gorillas, whilst the others trek gorillas then mangabeys.
It is an approximately 90 minute drive to the trekking base
GORILLA TREKKING
Several international researchers as well as other team members are living permanently in the camp of Bai Hokou who are responsible for locating and following the gorillas each day.The tracking experience alone, searching for the gorillas by following their almost imperceptible signs on the forest floor, leaves you with an unforgettable memory. To do this, one takes elephant paths and narrow trails, sometimes crossing copses. The pursuit can be strenuous as gorillas can sometimes cover significant distances before finding a fruit tree of choice. Encountering the gorillas cannot be guaranteed, but nearly 90% of the tourists taking part in this activity have seen gorillas in close proximity.
AGILE MANGABEY TREK
In 2004, the PHP diversified its activities and began habituating a large group of agile mangabeys (Cercocebus agilis) which have since been followed daily. Agile managbeys are medium sized monkeys (males 7-12kg, females 5-7kg) which very much live up to their generic name by their vibrant nature. They are mostly ground-dwelling, and feed on a diverse array of fruits, seeds, stems, mushrooms, eggs, insects, crustaceans, and even certain mammals.
Return to the Lodge for dinner and overnight
Day 5
Morning boat ride and birding from the lodge in search of Picathartes etc. Return for lunch. Rod Cassidy and Barry Watkins recently discovered a hitherto unknown population of this extremely rare species, the Red-necked Picathartes, breeding in a small colony of 3 birds less than 5km from the lodge. Further exploration turned up another 3 nests over a 500 meter stretch of cliff face. Even if not a birder, this hike up the river will show you some huge forest trees, primates, waterfalls and other bird species, and an amazing view over the rainforest canopy. Agility and fitness are required. In the afternoon you will be driven to a river crossing ( approximately 15 minutes by road) and board pirogues with Ba’aka guides for a 4-5 hour trip down the Yobe River to the main river, travelling through some beautiful primary rainforest– viewing birds / primates etc.
DAY 6
Option of second gorilla trek, those not doing a trek should do the Saline walk at Bai Hokou, from saline to saline, with a picnic lunch…..this is an interesting day. If one decides on a second trek, the Saline Walk can still be undertaken this day.
SALINE WALK
Following elephant paths through the forest from the camp, you are led to the wildlife’s’ favoured spots. Often these are clearings and salines, crossed by streams, and kept open by the elephants. With a bit of luck you will not only see forest elephants and buffalos, but also sitatunga,bongos, monkeys and traces of other animals. The sounds, smells and the luminous green of the vegetation create a very unique atmosphere.
DAY 7
A further visit to Dzangha Bai, for elephants etc for a full day excursion with picnic lunch provided. Return to the lodge in the evening for dinner and overnight.
DAY 8
Transfer to BAYANGA AIRSTRIP for your chartered flight to BANGUI. Plane costs / timings are to be advised.