Day notes
Having flown to Nairobi from your origin country, we will fly to Bangui in the Central African Republic. This is an early morning flight, and you may need a night in Nairobi, which we can plan for you.
On landing in Bangui, the capital of the Central African Republic, your escorting guide, will with the help of our very experienced ground agent in Bangui, manage the immigration paperwork and arrange your entry visa's (this system can take some time). Having cleared immigration and customs, we will transfer to our charter flight to Bayanga. The flight gives you a real feel for the vastness of the Congo basin rainforest.
Having landed on the dirt strip at Bayanga Village, we will be met by a small crowd of interested onlookers and our hosts from Sangha Lodge. It is only a 25 min drive to Sanga lodge from the airstrip.
Our hosts, Rod and Tamar Cassidy, will welcome us to their home, and you will be quickly settled into your riverfront chalet.
Tamar Cassidy has become an expert at rescuing and rehabilitating Blackbellied Pangolins. If time allows, we may search for these fantastically rare creatures that remain living in the area of the camp. We plan to venture onto the Sanga river for a short afternoon sundowner cruise.
Our program will remain flexible as the logistics often dictate but should run closely along these lines:
Scheduled Flight from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport [NBO] to Bangui M'Poko International Airport [BGF]
Scheduled Flight
Jomo Kenyatta International Airport [NBO]
Bangui M'Poko International Airport [BGF]
Check-in to Sangha Lodge
Charter Flight from Bangui M'Poko International Airport [BGF] to Bayanga Airport
Charter Flight
Bangui M'Poko International Airport [BGF]
Bayanga Airport
Transfer from Bayanga Airport to Sangha Lodge
Sangha Lodge
Transfer
4x4
Bayanga Airport
Sangha Lodge
Expert tips:
These departures are timed to coincide with the direct Kenya Airways flights from Nairobi on Sunday mornings. The direct charter from Bangui means arrival at the lodge by Lunchtime on day 1.
We have introduced an evening sundowner cruise up river from the lodge taking you into the area of the hill where the river narrows considerably. Once there, the motor is turned off and we drift down slowly while drinking gin and tonics or beer as we watch the sunset over the forest.
Day notes
Gorilla tracking. Today we drive to a research base at Bai Hokou, where we will gather the latest intel on the location and movement of the 'Makumba' family of Western Lowland Gorillas, which we will set off with our Ba aka pygmy trackers. The intensity of the walk can vary, but all of our visitors manage. The sounds of bird calls and insects is mind-blowing. There is so much to see, but just, for now, the aim is to locate gorillas.
As we near an encounter, you will observe the trackers begin to make a clicking sound which the Gorillas have been habituated to recognise as the approach of harmless people. This group has been the centre of study in the region for several years and offer the best opportunity of encountering and observe these most wonderful inhabitants of the forest.
The walk can vary in duration and difficulty, but usually, the Gorillas can be found around 40 mins from the starting point of the trek.
Dzanga Sangha and its neighbours in Congo Nouabale-Ndoki National Park and Odzala are the only places in the world where you can find habituated Lowland Gorillas, and this is an extraordinary opportunity.
Expert tips:
Bai Hokou camp, the departure point for gorilla tracking, and some of the other forest activities, like the Bai Walk, Mangabey Tracking, and some bird watching opportunities, is an hour’s car-drive from Bayanga (35 km). All forest activities are accompanied by trained guides who speak French and some also English.
At present there are 2 groups of Habituated Gorillas in Dzanga Sangha that tourists may visit. Each Gorilla group has a maximum of 2 visits per day, and each visit has a maximum of 3 tourists making a total of 12 persons able to track gorillas in any one day.
Visitors are informed of the rules surrounding gorilla visits before leaving the camp, for example no one with diarrhea, a cold or other transmittable diseases is allowed to participate, as gorillas are susceptible to human diseases.
The walk to find gorillas can be fairly strenuous and a reasonable level of fitness is required. It is also preferred that groups divide themselves up according to their level of fitness so as to walk at around the same pace.
Contact with the gorillas can be very close, sometime closer than the recommended standard of 7 meters due to the dense vegetation in places. And the time allowed with each visit is strictly 1 hour.
Day notes
Visit to Dzanga Bai is possibly one of the most enthraling wildlife spectacles anywhere in Africa.
Dzanga Bai is a large clearing deep in the forest. Discovered by explorers on a flight across the congo 30 years ago almost by accident, but known to the Ba aka for millennia.
Dzanga Sanga is rich in minerals that leech from the sandy soils and springs. Vast numbers of forest elephants gather here, drinking the mineral-rich waters that bubble up, and take advantage of the properties to bath in the golden mud giving them a unique colour.
The interaction between so many different groups of Forest elephants ensures that no one can ever get bored at this place. The bai provides a chance to see many other ordinarily shy forest creatures. Bongo, Giant Forest Hog, Red River Hog, Sitatunga and Forest Buffalos all visit the bai. Early in the day and in the afternoon, noisy flocks of Grey Parrots gather in and near the bai. There are soo many birds species that listing here is pointless. The sounds of birds and insects again keep the sense alert and inquisitive.
During the visit to the Bai, we will use a raised viewing platform that overlooks the whole area and gives a perfect vantage point. Sometimes we are joined by researchers who carry out ongoing observations of the elephants at Sanga Bai.
Expert tips:
WITHOUT ANY DOUBT, DZANGA BAI IS THE BEST ELEPHANT EXPERIENCE IN THE WORLD.
Day notes
Today you head out to the local communities to meet with the Ba'aka pygmies, who we join and transport further into the forest. Patiently and almost always chanting and singing to the forest (not for our entertainment), these beautiful people go about their hunter-gatherer lifestyle.
While we may find the forest almost intimidating, it is fascinating and a joy to see how well adapted and comfortable the Ba'aka are in the forest.
Nets woven from tree bark and vines are used to catch Duiker and Porcupine, which will be dispatched, and amongst celebration divided between the hunters.
We will be shown several of their medicinal plants and harvesting methods.
This is an authentic look into the life of the Ba'aka.
Expert tips:
THIS ACTIVITY IS NOT CONTRIVED AND THE HUNTERS ARE THERE TO CATCH THEIR FOOD SO PLEASE BE AWARE THAT SOME ANIMALS MAY BE KILLED DURING THIS TIME.
Day notes
Today is devoted mostly to river activities and trekking, guided first along the wide Sanga River to a point where a trail allows access deep into the forest amongst some of the most magnificent trees imaginable. The trail leads eventually to waterfalls. Climbing to the top of the falls gives fantastic views over the forest's canopy. This is where it is possible to see the extremely rare and endangered Picathartes Grey-necked Rock fowl. In the evening, back at the lodge, you may like to do a night walk with the hope of finding some of the more elusive nocturnal animals such as Potto, Thomas's Galago, Tree Pangolin, African Palm Civet, Frazer's Eagle Owl, Vermiculated Fishing Owl and several more.
Expert tips:
Heading upriver by boat you will hike to a series of waterfalls in the area. These will take us through the best examples of prime rainforest that you would ever see.
Day notes
Back into the forest today, this time with picnic lunches. Your guide will take you on a walk around a series of clearings in the forest. The chance of finding buffalos, elephants and various monkey species on this trek is good. You will also visit a group of habituated Agile Mangabey and spend some time photographing their interesting antics. This group of habituated monkeys has over 150 members and their fascinating behaviour is part of a long term study in the region. Later possibly a restful evening and the inevitable fascinating conversations that emanate around the dinner table at Sanga
Day notes
Leisure day for optional activities, you have these days for optional activities....These can range from repeating any of the earlier activities done at Sangha lodge such as Gorilla tracking, or visits to the Dzanga Bai, or alternatively just relaxing or walking on the several hikes laid out in the forest around the lodge.
Expert tips:
We can plan the way you want to use this day either before you go or when you are at Sangha, there may be some planning needed in advance and local conditions miight make plans change NO OPTIONAL EXTRA ACTIVITIES ARE INCLUDED IN THE TOUR COSTS so these will be at an extra cost.
Day notes
Today after breakfast at Sangha Lodge , you will double check you have everything and set of back to Bayanga .
A charter flight has been arranged to take you to Bangui, (exact timings can vary due to local conditions ). At Bangui our agent will again meet you and assist you to check in for your 'Kenya Airways' flights to Nairobi , and onwards home.
Check-out from Sangha Lodge
Transfer from Sangha Lodge to Bayanga Airport
Transfer
Sangha Lodge
Bayanga Airport
Charter Flight from Bayanga Airport to Bangui M'Poko International Airport [BGF]
Charter Flight
Bayanga Airport
Bangui M'Poko International Airport [BGF]
Scheduled Flight from Bangui M'Poko International Airport [BGF] to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport [NBO]
Scheduled Flight
Bangui M'Poko International Airport [BGF]
Jomo Kenyatta International Airport [NBO]
