Dzanga Sangha - An Extraordinary Journey

Day notes

Gorilla Tracking – Bai Hokou

Today you’ll travel to Bai Hokou, home to a long-term research base dedicated to the study of the Makumba family of Western Lowland Gorillas. This group has undergone big changes following the passing of Makumba, the iconic silverback who led the family for many years. A new silverback has now taken over leadership and has only recently begun to accept the presence of researchers and carefully managed visits—making encounters feel even more authentic and raw, as you witness a family still adjusting to a new chapter in their social life.

Before heading into the forest, we’ll gather the latest updates on the gorillas’ movements and location, then set off with expert Ba’Aka pygmy trackers whose deep connection to the rainforest gives them an almost instinctive ability to locate wildlife.

The trek itself varies in intensity, but it’s manageable for all reasonably fit visitors. The rainforest hums with life—bird calls, insects, and the occasional rustle of unseen primates overhead. The goal today is simple but extraordinary: to locate and spend time with one of Earth’s rarest and most charismatic primates.

As you near an encounter, you may hear the trackers making their soft clicking call, a sound the gorillas recognise as harmless human visitors. Spending time quietly observing them, especially during this transition to a new silverback, offers an unmatched opportunity to witness the dynamic life of these gentle giants in their natural home.

The trek’s length and difficulty can vary, but gorillas are often located within about 40 minutes of starting out.

The Dzanga-Sangha Reserve, together with neighbouring Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park in Congo and Odzala National Park, is the only place in the world where habituated Western Lowland Gorillas can be tracked—a rare privilege and an unforgettable wildlife experience.

Day notes

A visit to Dzanga Bai is one of the most enthralling wildlife spectacles anywhere in Africa.

Hidden deep in the dense rainforest of the Congo Basin, this natural clearing has been known to the Ba’Aka people for millennia, but was only revealed to the wider world about 30 years ago when explorers spotted it by chance from the air. The sandy soils and mineral-rich springs that bubble up here create an irresistible draw for wildlife—most famously, the Forest Elephants.

Dozens, sometimes more than a hundred, of these remarkable elephants converge on the bai, bathing in its golden mud, drinking the mineral-rich waters, and interacting with one another in fascinating ways. These elephants, dusted with ochre-coloured mud, take on a unique appearance you won’t see anywhere else. Watching different herds meet, greet, and sometimes challenge each other creates a wildlife theatre like no other.

But it’s not just elephants. The bai is also visited by normally elusive species—Bongo antelope with their chestnut coats and white stripes, Sitatunga wading through shallow pools, sturdy Forest Buffalo, Giant Forest Hog, and their striking cousins, the Red River Hog. Overhead, flocks of Grey Parrots wheel and scream, joined by Great Blue Turacos, African Grey Hornbills, and the occasional flash of a Black-and-White Casqued Hornbill gliding across the clearing. Even African Fish Eagles are sometimes seen, their haunting calls echoing above the constant background chorus of insects and tree frogs.

The forest surrounding the bai is itself extraordinary, dominated by towering sapele, iroko, and tropical mahogany trees draped with lianas, and ancient strangler figs that seem to tell their own stories. The air hums with life—cicadas, crickets, and the rhythmic beat of unseen wings overhead—while monkeys like Crested Mangabeys and Putty-nosed Monkeys chatter from the canopy edge.

We observe all this from a raised viewing platform that overlooks the entire bai, providing an exceptional vantage point for photography and quiet observation. Sometimes researchers join us here, continuing their long-term studies of elephant behaviour and the delicate dynamics of this unique ecosystem.

Visiting Dzanga Bai is more than wildlife watching—it’s an immersion into one of the most pristine and lively natural clearings in Africa, where every sight, sound, and scent tells you that you are in the heart of a truly wild rainforest.

Day notes

Today offers a rare and authentic opportunity to spend time with the Ba’Aka, one of Central Africa’s most iconic forest peoples. After meeting members of the community, we travel together deeper into the forest—into a world they know as home, a place where every tree, every call, and every track has meaning.

As we walk, the Ba’Aka often sing and chant to the forest—not as a performance for visitors, but as part of their deep spiritual connection to the land that sustains them. Their voices blend with the sounds of insects, distant bird calls, and the occasional thump of a fruit falling from the canopy, creating an almost otherworldly atmosphere.

The Ba’Aka live a traditional hunter-gatherer lifestyle, using techniques passed down through countless generations. We watch as they expertly set up nets woven from tree bark and vines, used to catch forest Duiker or Porcupine, animals that provide essential protein for the community. Any successful hunt is marked by a joyful celebration and the fair sharing of meat, reinforcing the strong sense of community and cooperation that defines Ba’Aka life.

Along the way, they reveal the medicinal plants they rely on—bark that soothes pain, leaves that fight fever, vines that provide water on the move—illustrating a deep knowledge of the rainforest’s resources.

For us, the forest can feel overwhelming, almost intimidating. But in the company of the Ba’Aka, it becomes a place of harmony and balance, where survival, culture, and spirituality are inseparable. This is not a staged display, but a genuine glimpse into the lives of people who have coexisted with the Congo Basin rainforest for millennia.

Day notes

Today we set out along the wide, winding Sanga River, gliding between ancient overhanging trees where the calls of hornbills echo and butterflies skim low over the water’s surface. This peaceful journey brings us to a trailhead that cuts deep into the forest, leading through cathedral-like groves of colossal iroko, sapele, and strangler figs—trees that feel as if they have been guardians of this rainforest for centuries.

The trail eventually brings us to a series of waterfalls, their cool mist rising above a tangle of emerald leaves and lianas. Climbing to the top, we are rewarded with panoramic views across the endless forest canopy—a mosaic of greens and silvers alive with bird calls and distant primate chatter. This area is also one of the few places on Earth where it’s possible to see the elusive Grey-necked Picathartes (Rockfowl), an extraordinarily rare and endangered species known for its striking bare head and unusual nesting habits on rock faces.

Back at the lodge in the evening, you may choose to take a night walk, exploring the rainforest when its secretive residents emerge. Here we hope to glimpse some of the forest’s most elusive nocturnal creatures: the slow-moving Potto, agile Thomas’s Galago, secretive Tree Pangolin, stealthy African Palm Civet, and, if luck is on our side, even Frazer’s Eagle Owl or a Vermiculated Fishing Owl perched silently over a river pool.

The combination of river, forest, waterfalls, rare birds, and mysterious night life makes this day a perfect example of why the Congo Basin is one of Earth’s last truly wild frontiers.

Day notes

Today’s exploration heads deep into the forest to a series of remote forest clearings, places where light penetrates the canopy and wildlife often congregates. There is a good chance of encountering Forest Buffalo, smaller groups of Forest Elephants, and several species of monkeys, each adding movement and life to the green stillness.

A highlight of the day is a visit to a habituated troop of Agile Mangabeys, a remarkable group of over 150 individuals that has been the focus of long-term behavioural research in this region. Observing their complex social interactions, playful antics, and surprisingly loud vocal exchanges is both fascinating and rewarding for photographers and wildlife enthusiasts alike.

These clearings are also alive with birdlife. Flocks of African Grey Parrots wheel overhead, their harsh calls carrying across the forest. Rising, flute-like notes of the Yellow-billed Turaco, the liquid whistles of White-throated Bee-eaters, and the echoing duets of Great Blue Turacos drift across the trees. The brilliant scarlet flash of a Congo Sunbird or the deep wingbeats of a Black-and-White Casqued Hornbill sailing above the canopy add moments of colour and drama. Even when birds are hidden, their calls and songs create a rich, layered soundtrack unique to this remote wilderness.

Evenings back at Sangha Lodge are often restful, with lively conversations around the dinner table reflecting on the day’s sightings and the extraordinary wildlife of the Congo Basin.

Day notes

Today’s exploration heads deep into the forest to a series of remote forest clearings, where sunlight breaks through the canopy and wildlife often congregates. There is a good chance of encountering Forest Buffalo, smaller groups of Forest Elephants, and several species of monkeys, each adding movement and life to the green stillness.

A highlight of the day is visiting a habituated troop of Agile Mangabeys—a remarkable group of over 150 individuals that has been the focus of long-term behavioural research in this region. Watching their complex social interactions, playful antics, and surprisingly loud vocal exchanges is both fascinating and rewarding for photographers and wildlife enthusiasts alike.

The clearings are also alive with birdlife. Flocks of African Grey Parrots wheel overhead, their harsh calls echoing across the forest. The rising, flute-like notes of the Yellow-billed Turaco, the liquid whistles of White-throated Bee-eaters, and the echoing duets of Great Blue Turacos drift through the trees. The brilliant scarlet flash of a Congo Sunbird or the slow, deep wingbeats of a Black-and-White Casqued Hornbill gliding over the canopy add unforgettable moments of colour and drama. Even when birds are out of sight, their calls and songs create a layered, almost orchestral soundtrack unique to this remote wilderness.

For those seeking something truly exceptional, it is sometimes possible to arrange an overnight sleep-out at Dzanga Bai itself. Spending the night on the raised platform, listening to the nocturnal calls of forest elephants and the hum of the forest after dark, is a rare and completely immersive experience in the heart of one of Africa’s wildest places. If this idea appeals, it can be built into the itinerary to create a truly once-in-a-lifetime memory.

There’s also flexibility for optional activities at this stage of the journey. Guests often choose to repeat experiences such as gorilla tracking or a return visit to Dzanga Bai to see how the dynamic wildlife scene changes day to day. Others take time to explore the lodge’s network of forest trails, enjoy birdwatching, photography, or simply relax at the lodge and soak in the tranquillity of the Congo Basin.

Evenings back at Sangha Lodge are often restful, with lively conversations around the dinner table reflecting on the day’s sightings and the extraordinary wildlife of this unique region.