Around Pointe-Noire we find the Mayombe Forest, a magnificent deep rainforest which is part of the geographic Mayombe area with lower mountains up to 900 meter. The region stretches from the Congo River Mouth in the Democratic Republic all the way to the Kouilou-Niari River in Congo-Brazzaville. The park also runs into Angola and Gabon.
The highest mountain in the green hills of the Mayombe is Mount Foungouti which is 930 meters high, all the other mountains are under 900 meter. From June to September it’s the dry season in which the temperature drops below 20 degrees and from October until May it’s the rainy season, in which it’s very hot and humid.
Mayombe consists of thick rainforest and savanna and there are many old trees of several centuries old present, all of them evergreen and up to 40 to 60 meters tall. We can find several species of fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals. The park is also home to monkeys, lowland gorillas and chimpanzees. We can also find forest elephants, forest buffaloes, duikers, pangolins, porcupines and birds such as the African gray parrot.
Besides the local expats the region is not known by tourists, while it has a lot of potential given that there are many great sandy beaches and thick forests with wildlife. The neighboring mangrove park in Congo-Kinshasa also offers great tours and there are also manatees present. Our travel starts in Pointe-Noire, the coastal town in Congo-Brazzaville and the second biggest city of Congo. On the first day we will explore Gorges de Diosso, a scenic nature site outside of the city in between the forest and the ocean, together with sandy beaches of the wild coast where the mayombe forest touches the ocean.
Itinerary:
Day 1: Pointe-Noire - Gorges de Diosso and the wild coast
Exploration of the forest and the wild coast north of Pointe-Noire with your guide, return to Pointe-Noire for overnight.
Day 2 and 3: Pointe-Noire - Dimonika Biosphere Reserve
We will go by private car to Dimonika Biosphere Reserve, where we will camp for two nights and will explore the forest by hiking. We will also visit the gold extraction sites where you can see how people are trying to get gold out of the soil.
Day 4 and 5: Jungle exploration in the Mayombe Forest
Two full days in the Mayombe Forest in which we’ll explore the jungle by hiking and also descending the river by rubber bands. We will be staying in a tree hut with magnificent views over the Mayombe Forest.
Day 6: Back to Pointe-Noire by car
We’ll be picked up by car and drive back to Pointe-Noire where we’ll drop you off at your hotel in Pointe-Noire.
Includes:
- Accommodation in Mayombe Forest with meals included
- Train ride through the Mayombe Forest
- Transportation by private car for the other days
- Professional local guide
Doesn’t include:
- Accommodation in Pointe-Noire
- Meals outside the Mayombe Forest
- Drinks
- Tips and gratuities
- Visa
- Flights
"Hi Chris,
It was great! The airport hospitality is wonderful and was very appreciated. Waiting with us for hours to get our luggage on the entry, and taking us into the Vodacom place at the airport for a SIM card, and then giving us a drink and letting us wait in their office at the airport on the exit. They were great about getting our luggage through/on board, buying the go pass, and walking us over, and getting through. Thank you for arranging for the ease and stress-free part of that. Very professional and no funny business.Our guide Jeremie Ben was great. He graduated from academie des beaux arts so he made our visit there especially meaningful. It started to rain so we couldn't do the walking tour I hoped for. He also recommended and took us to the best Congolese restaurant in town, Chez Flor. Koen's recommendation for the best Lebanese restaurant was on the mark! We loved Le Palais. Niccolo said it was the highlight meal for him.The Bonobo Sanctuary was perfect - lucky for us the rainy season hadn't kicked in yet - there were deep trenches in the roads that only the expert driver and high 4-wheel drive could do. Our driver was great. We went to Lac de ma vallee too ! We were later told that it is packed on the week-ends, so we lucked out there too and had a lovely lunch and the place to ourselves with fun conversation.It rained on Wednesday, so traffic in Gombe was not so nice. The prime minister was in town so we didn't get to do the river walk I wanted to show Niccolo. But we still managed to buy fabric and have chocolate fondue at Nice Cream. I appreciated that later that afternoon they drove me to Ngiri Ngiri to see the young singers' rehearsal and the Opera Fellows we have been working with, and also the music school building developments. The driver and guide waited for me and got me back to MPH safely. That was very kind of them, I know it was not easy.Thank you again for wonderful trip arrangements !Best wishes,"- Joy Bechtler, Operanauts Princeton University and Orchestra Symphonic of Kinshasa Tour, Kinshasa and Princeton Orchestra Operanauts Tour
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