Deep in the far-away rainforests of Africa in the middle of the Congo Basin we find two pristine parks: Dzanga Sangha and Odzala. These two parks offer some of the most unique experiences which can be had in all of Africa as they are not quite like your ordinary safari. Instead of driving in a 4×4 on the savanna while being on the lookout for large game you’ll be making your way through thick forest, wading through shallow streams and tracking wildlife such as gorillas and elephants from up close on foot or by kayak. They are also home to the only high end lodges, making it possible to travel in style.
The Congo Basin offers millions of hectares of little explored terrain and a lifetime of exploration, because once you get a taste of this magical world you’ll be hooked for the rest of your life! Traveling in this part of the world is still challenging and there is still little infrastructure in Congo and the Central African Republic. Luckily Odzala National Park and Dzanga Sangha, the most pristine parks in the region have two top high-end lodges which offer maximum comfort in style in the middle of the jungle.
Odzala National Park is one of the most known national parks in the Republic of Congo. It got its status of national park in 2001 and is managed by the WWF, WCS, African Parks and the Congolese government. While most of the park consists of rainforest with some clearings, there is also some savanna. There are over 20.000 western lowland gorillas in the park and a great variety of other mammals such as chimpanzees, mangabeys, pangolins, buffaloes, forest elephants, duikers, leopards and many others. It is a wonderful place with a top lodge and a top team and excellent gorilla tracking. If offers up close encounters with animals, often from the deck of your chalet or from one of the viewing platforms.
Dzanga Sangha is a park in the extreme southwest of the Central African Republic. It was founded in 1990 and covers an area of 495 km2. It is connected to the Ndoki-Section and all together it covers an area of 3.359 sq km forming the Dzanga-Sangha Complex of Protected Areas. The area is known for the relatively high density of forest elephants and western lowland gorillas.
Dzanga Sangha borders the Lobéké National Park in Cameroon to the west and the Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park in Congo-Brazzaville to the east. The three parks are located in the Sangha Trinational, a vast forest area that was designated a World Heritage Site in 2012. At the center of the Dzanga sector is Dzanga Bai, an open salt-rich plain with a viewing platform from where you can watch the forest elephants do their thing, together with bongo, sitatunga, forest buffaloes and more. There can be up to 200 elephants visiting the bai in one day and it is truly one of the most magical places to visit in all of Africa. Just like in Odzala you can have excellent gorilla tracking here. There are three habituated gorilla families at Dzanga Sangha.
Flights between Odzala and Brazzaville currently are on Mondays and Thursdays, so adjust your schedule. Make sure you have enough time in Brazzaville to do your PCR-test in case you need one. We are not responsible for you missing your flights if you make your schedule too tight!
Have a look at some of our videos of our Dzanga Sangha trips!
