Dzanga Bai
Spot forest elephants and western lowland gorillas in the beautiful Dzanga Bai.
Follow in the footsteps of Africa’s most illustrious explorers to the wilds of the Congo Basin, where lowland gorillas and forest elephants outnumber tourists, the dark forests are ablaze with giant butterflies and Ba’Aka tribes hunt and sing in the shadows.
Spot forest elephants and western lowland gorillas in the beautiful Dzanga Bai.
Meet the Ba’Aka people – original inhabitants of these ancient forests.
Track a habituated group of agile mangabeys.
Trek to a family of western lowland gorillas – a subspecies unique to Central Africa.
For a taste of Central Africa, look no further than Dzanga-Sangha. This beautiful reserve has weathered poaching crises and political unrest, surviving against the odds in a remote corner of CAR. The magical Dzanga Bai is reason enough to visit, but the forests hide so much more. From the unpretentious Sangha Lodge – defined by its enigmatic owner Rod Cassidy – it is possible to trek for western lowland gorillas, encounter habituated mangabeys, join Ba’Aka hunters in the forest and spot three species of pangolin.
Day 1
Bangui - Dzanga Sangha
Day 2
Dzanga Sangha
Day 3
Dzanga Sangha
Day 4
Dzanga Sangha
Day 5
Dzanga Sangha
Day 6
Dzanga Sangha
Day 7
Dzanga Sangha
Day 8
Dzanga Sangha - Bangui
Day 1
Bangui - Dzanga Sangha
Day 2
Dzanga Sangha
Spot forest elephants and western lowland gorillas in the beautiful Dzanga Bai.
Day 3
Dzanga Sangha
Day 4
Dzanga Sangha
Meet the Ba’Aka people – original inhabitants of these ancient forests.
Day 5
Dzanga Sangha
Day 6
Dzanga Sangha
Track a habituated group of agile mangabeys.
Day 7
Dzanga Sangha
Trek to a family of western lowland gorillas – a subspecies unique to Central Africa.
Day 8
Dzanga Sangha - Bangui
This is a true adventure in the rainforests of the Central African Republic. Those that like their holidays devoid of surprises should travel elsewhere. Hard to reach, through wild jungle roads and remote villages, in 4x4s and wooden pirogues – getting there is half the fun.
This journey visits the Dzanga Sangha Special Reserve, an ecosystem that harbours the world’s highest concentration of lowland gorillas and forest elephants, found in natural clearings or “bais”, also home to the rare bongo antelopes and flocks of grey parrots a hundred strong.
As well as exploring the area alongside wildlife researchers for a unique insight into pioneering wildlife tourism, join the welcoming Ba’Aka tribe, whose knowledge of the forests and tracking skills have been crucial in establishing eco-tourism in the area.
Spending time with these incredible people, listen to their haunting singing as you join them on a thrilling hunt. And learn about some of the challenges they face in today’s Central Africa.
Given the difficulty in reaching Sangha Lodge, this trip runs on a set departure basis, with scheduled charter flights operating between Bangui and Dzanga Sangha. These are timed to work with the incoming and outgoing Kenya Airways flights. It departs roughly once a month; please enquire for the exact dates. There is also a slightly longer 10-day itinerary that runs less frequently.
The price includes one gorilla tracking permit and one mangabey tracking permit.
Prices will vary depending on the time of year you are travelling. Prices do not include international flights. Please ask one of our Travel Experts for an accurate quote. Flights purchase through Steppes Travel departing from the UK are ATOL protected.
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