Dzanga-Sangha Park is located in the south of the Central African Republic and borders the Nouabalé-Ndoki in Congo and Lobéké in Cameroon. It is the best wildlife destination in all of Central Africa, along with Virunga Park and is one of the best jungle experiences there is in Africa.
Dzanga Sangha is almost 7,000 square kilometers and together with the two adjacent parks Lobéké and Nouabalé-Ndoki they forma tri-national park. The Dzanga Bai became famous in David Attenborough’s BBC Africa episode on Congo, where big groups of elephants meet at the saline in the middle of the forest, a truly marvelous and unique sight. This bai has a high platform from where you can observe the wildlife in front of you. You’ll feel like you’re in the middle of a documentary and you can see up to 200 elephants and other animals such as bongos, sitatungas, red river hogs and forest buffalo, and various species of birds.
You will stay in a fantastic lodge in the middle of the rainforest and enjoy delicious meals prepared by the chef on duty. Around the lodge there are many opportunities for spotting smaller mammals and birds, as well as pangolins. You will participate in exclusive activities like tracking gorillas and mangabeys and exploring the forest. We also get to know the Ba’ka, a pygmy group.
We recommend that you take a buffer day in Bangui before and after the itinerary so that you won’t miss your charter on the first day. Sometimes the plane can’t take off because of too much fog. It is therefore always possible that the plane flies back to Bangui 1 day later to avoid disasters. We are not responsible for missed flights or for your PCR test, please allow enough time for yourself.
You can also drive a 4×4 to the park (to save several thousands of euros), but this takes 2 days and 2 days back. It is a tiring road and there are many checkpoints where policemen will try everything to get your money.
Be sure to bring: a hat with a net against sweat bees, long pants and shirts (against mosquitoes), good walking shoes, DEET, sun cream, sunglasses, cap, quick-drying shirts, moist wipes, mouth masks (for gorilla visits), a good flashlight with extra batteries, power bank, medication, etc.
Program (order may vary)
Day 1: Arrival in Bangui
We will wait for you at the airport and take you to your hotel. Free evening.
Day 2: Boali Waterfalls
Today we’ll have a pleasant day tour to the Boali Waterfalls a few hours drive from Bangui. We will depart in the morning and at noon you can have a lunch à la carte with a view of the falls. Overnight in Bangui.
Day 3: Flight to Dzanga Sangha from Bangui
We leave from hotel to the airport around 8am for our charter flight to Dzanga Sangha. We will have a short cruise on the Sangha River. (Lunch and dinner, full board the following days)
This is what your accommodation will look like: (integrated video)
Day 4: Gorilla Tracking
Today we will go to Hokou Bai where we will meet a group of Western Lowland Gorillas.
Day 5: Visit to Dzanga Bai
Dzanga Bai is a large site in the middle of the rainforest where forest elephants gather in large numbers to enjoy drinking the mineral-rich water in this forest clearing. The elephants come and go and are constantly interacting with each other, so you’ll be entertained by this spectacle for hours. We also can see buffalo, large flocks of African grey parrots, bongos, red river hogs, giant river hogs, sitatungas and more.
Day 6. Ba’ka
We will meet the Ba’aka net hunters to join them on their hunt, a uniquely overwhelming and intimidating experience. We will also get an introduction to local medicinal plants, as the hunt continues in the background, and the excited cheers will warn us if they’ve caught anything.
Day 7: River activities and trekking.
River cruise on the mighty Sangha River, followed by a walk through the rainforest where we’ll see some beautiful waterfalls. We get on top of the falls from where we get a beautiful view over the forest. In the evening you can take a night walk near the lodge in search of nocturnal animals such as pottos, Thomas’s galago, tree pangolin, African Palm Civet, Frazer’s Eagle Owl, Vermiculated Fishing Owl and more.
Day 8: Mangabey tracking
We will go track a group of agile mangabeys, which has 150 members. It’s an exciting hike through a beautiful part of the rainforest and we’ll most likely meet other animals such as buffles, sitatunga, bongos and elephants!
Day 9: Free day for optional activities.
You can do any of the past activities again (for an additional fee) or just relax at the camp or walk around. Either way, you won’t be bored as you’ll miss this paradise once you’ll leave!
Day 10: Back to Bangui
Today we take a charter back to Bangui.
Day 11: Exploring Bangui
Today we explore the capital and also take a trip on the Ubangi River.
Day 12: Flight back
Prices per person:
For 2022 this is: USD 8,900 per person if you share a room and USD 9,600 if you take a single room.
For the aircraft, prices are currently around USD 9,000 for round-trip flights. These prices are never 100 percent fixed.
It’s possible to go by 4×4 from Bangui, you rent the car for 11 days. This costs about USD 5,000 with driver included. It is a two day drive from Bangui to the park.
Includes:
– Full board accommodation in a beautiful lodge
– All transport costs in the park: jeep, boat, ..
– 1 gorilla permit per person
– 1 Mangabey permit per person
– 1 visit to the Bai
– 1 boat trip to the valley or waterfalls
– 1 night walk
– 1 activity with the Ba’ka (normal net hunting)
This trip is also possible as a group tour:
Duration: 12 days
Date: Friday, August 4 to Wednesday, August 15, 2023
Saturday, August 3 to Thursday, August 14, 2024
Minimum of: six people
Price: 6.999 euros per person (shared) *** Single supplement: 1.130 euros
Includes: Accommodation with breakfast in Bangui; Full Board Accommodation in the park, transportation; all activities, 1 x gorilla permit, professional guides, park permits, mangabey tracking, Dzanga Bai permit, night walk, river cruise, activities with the Ba’ka (Meals in Bangui not included)
Why choose Travel Congo?
We are the only local agency with people who are actually on site, and besides a “stray Belgian expat”, our team consists entirely of locals with years of experience in the field. We work closely with the authorities such as the Ministry of Tourism, ICCN, but also the military who help us to secure sensitive areas. Our tours will only take place if all safety conditions have been met and the necessary permissions have been granted and if we have been given the green light from the local authorities/chiefs if necessary.
Beware of travel agents who copy our itineraries and offer our tours for a lower price. Most of them are Ugandan or Rwandan operators who have never been to Congo and recruit locals without knowledge of the field or a license on the internet to do their travels, often with disastrous results, with people being arrested or defrauded and put in jail. worst case no one even shows up.
