Dzanga Bai
Watch forest elephants dig for salt-rich soil in Dzanga Bai.
Combine Dzanga-Sangha Special Reserve with Odzala National Park, thanks to new flight and boat connections. Staying at Sangha Lodge, visit the incomparable Dzanga Bai, venture into the forest with the Ba’Aka and meet pangolin researchers.
This trip is not designed as a standalone experience, but rather as an extension that complements time in Odzala National Park. For example, it fits perfectly with our Congo – Western Lowland Gorilla Trekking holiday idea. Both of these trips can easily be extended or tailored, within the confines of what logistics allow.
Key Highlights of this Itinerary
Pangolins
Meet pangolin researchers and set out in search of the three pangolin species that live here
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Ba'Aka Communities
Join the Ba’Aka – the traditional inhabitants of this dense forest – on foot.
Gorillas and Mangabeys
Add on a lowland gorilla or habituated mangabey trek.
Why Steppes?
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Why we like it
There are few places on earth quite like Dzanga-Sangha and this should be justification enough to visit. Unfortunately, with the political situation in CAR, it has become increasingly isolated and hard to reach. However, thanks to the new flights between here and Odzala National Park in the Republic of Congo, access has once again opened up. This extension allows you to avoid Bangui, whilst also combining Dzanga-Sangha with the riches of Odzala – another of Central Africa’s last-surviving wildernesses.
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Day 1
Odzala National Park - Kabo - Dzanga Sangha
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Day 2
Dzanga Sangha
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Day 3
Dzanga Sangha
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Day 4
Dzanga Sangha
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Day 5
Dzanga Sangha - Kabo - Odzala National Park
Day 1
Odzala National Park - Kabo - Dzanga Sangha
Day 2
Dzanga Sangha
Dzanga Bai
Watch forest elephants dig for salt-rich soil in Dzanga Bai.
Day 3
Dzanga Sangha
Pangolins
Meet pangolin researchers and set out in search of the three pangolin species that live here
Day 4
Dzanga Sangha
Ba’Aka Communities
Join the Ba’Aka – the traditional inhabitants of this dense forest – on foot.
Day 5
Dzanga Sangha - Kabo - Odzala National Park
Gorillas and Mangabeys
Add on a lowland gorilla or habituated mangabey trek.
More Details
Dzanga Bai
The highlight of any visit to Dzanga-Sangha is undoubtedly time spent at Dzanga Bai – renowned as one of the largest and most active bais in the Congo Basin. This ancient bai – or forest clearing – is visited by a number of jungle species, including forest buffalos, sitatunga, red river hogs, bongos and western lowland gorillas.
Forest Elephants
It is forest elephants for which the bai is most famous. The soil, rich in mineral salts, attracts them in significant numbers, making Dzanga Bai one of the best places to spot forest elephants in Central Africa. A research platform (with a thatched roof) faces the bai, perfectly placed for you to sit and wait for the wildlife to come. If you’re lucky, you will get a chance to meet researcher Andrea Turkalo, who has dedicated her life to monitoring these threatened elephants.
Ba'Aka Communities
Time in Dzanga-Sangha also offers the chance to spend time with Ba’Aka people, who are the original inhabitants of Central Africa’s forests. Surviving in hunter-gatherer communities, their lifestyle has changed little over the past few millennia. Joining them on a hunt and exploring the forest with them is a privilege and a chance to learn about their way of life, which is – sadly – fast disappearing.
Gorilla and Mangabey Trekking
This five-day trip makes the most of the limited time, focussing on the bai, the Ba’Aka and the forest. However, it is also possible to trek for either western lowland gorillas or agile mangabeys. A further three days can easily be added to include these activities, and still tie in with the scheduled flights. Or we can look at replacing one of the forest walks with a gorilla or mangabey trek. Time at Sangha Lodge is flexible so it can be tailored to fit your interests.
A note on price
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 purchased through Steppes Travel departing from the UK are ATOL protected.
This Itinerary
Price
From $6,824 Per person
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