CAR-Congo Tour: Multi-country Tour of Central African Republic and Congo

Welcome to the Central African Republic! 

We carry a low price guarantee on these itineraries, and can extend your trip or transport you to and from the park.

The set departures for CTT Sangha Lodge Group trips this year (to and from Bangui, we arrange your visa) are:

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SPECIAL TRIP : Dates for CAR Special Group Sangha Lodge departures - LIMITED SLOTS AT THIS PRICE

2017

October 15-22

December 17-24

2018

February 25 – March 4

April 22- 29

June 10- June 17

The price for 1 person for this including the charter aircraft is $6,299 for 1 ; $5,999 for 2 ; $5699 for 3 ; $5,499 for 4+

prices all subject to 5.5% taxes and fees. Single supplement is $599 per person. The above are on sharing basis.

The cost for the trip includes the following according to your itinerary for:

• 7 night’s accommodation at sangha lodge on full board.
• All vehicle hire and landed costs while at sangha lodge.
• 1 gorilla tracking permit per person.
• 1 Mangabey tracking permit
• 1 Bai walk
• 1 Visit to Dzanga Bai 
• 1 day’s net hunting and pygmy activities 
• 1 Boat trip to the waterfall /Picathartes site
• 1 night walk
• Charter flights to and from Bangui. 
• Meet and Greet and Airport assistance.

ALTERNATIVE LONGER, DEEPER, AND CHEAPER CAR TRIPS ARE BELOW:

Combine these itineraries with our Odzala, Louna, Conkouati, Mayombe, or Nouabale Ndoki Tour for a Wilderness and Wildlife-Packed Ultimate Jungle Safari!

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**WE ALSO CAN BRING YOU TO DOLI LODGE OR SANGHA LODGE FROM 

• YAOUNDE, CAMEROON (BY PRIVATE PLANE)
• ODZALA, CONGO (BY PRIVATE PLANE)
• BANGUI, CAR (BY PRIVATE PLANE)
• DOLI LODGE, CAR (BY GROUND CREW)

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Central African Republic Gorilla trip

Dzanga-Sangha National Park.

INTRODUCTION

If the mysterious tropical forests of Africa fascinate you then this is the expedition for you, a journey into the untouched rainforests of Central Africa. This vast region, spanning three countries sparsely populated with Bantu tribes and nomadic groups of Pygmies will not disappoint the adventurer and wildlife lover.

You will be travelling in four by four wheel drive vehicles, in motorised pirogues, in small Pirogues powered by Pygmy and Bantu tribesmen, and on foot into the remotest parts of the jungle, and yet surprisingly the accommodation will be comfortable with private bathroom facilities and cold drinks throughout the time. You will enter a pristine region full of wildlife, including Gorillas, Chimpanzees, Elephants, and many of the smaller primates, small mammals, forest birds, and a wealth of flora.

We spend time watching elephants and other animals from the comfort of a mirador [A large covered viewing platform] at the famous Dzanga Bai.

We trek to see Gorillas on foot with Pygmy trackers. We have an opportunity to  spend a day with the Pygmies starting early in the morning with a net hunt, followed by a lesson in medicinal and food plants of the forest, hut building and perhaps food preparation by some fascinating Pygmy woman.

ITINERARY

Day 1:  The tour begins in with our charter flight down to Dzanga Sangha for the first night at Sangha Lodge. [D] 

Dzanga-Sangha is the northern section of the north-western Congo Basin. In the reserve are large populations of Forest Elephant, Lowland gorillas, 16 of the country’s primate species (such as De Brazza’s Monkey with its distinctive white beard), hundreds of bird species, reptiles, frogs etc. you visit a village of the Ba’aka pygmies and if you want, you can join them in a hunt for food into the forests. The woman will share some traditional knowledge of the plants and you learn about their lifestyle in the forest. The WWF works with the Ba’aka in establishing conservation, education and health programs in the area. The next few days, may be spent visiting Dzanga Bai, tracking lowland gorillas and hunting with the Ba’aka. 

Our program will remain flexible as the logistics often dictate but should run closely along these lines:

Day 2: Gorilla tracking. Today you head down to Bai Hokou where you will spend time tracking a group of Western Lowland Gorillas. Dzanga Sangha and its neighbor in Congo Nouabale-Ndoki National Park are the only places in the world where you can find habituated Lowland Gorillas. [B,L,D]

Day 3: Visit to Dzanga Bai. Dzanga Bai is large mineral rich clearing in the middle of the rainforest where forest elephants gather in large numbers to indulge in drinking the mineral rich waters that bubble up in places in this Bai. The interaction between so many different groups of Forest elephants ensure that no one can ever get bored at this place, while the possibility of some of the other normally shy forest creature like Bongo, Giant Forest Hog, Red River Hog, Sitatunga and Forest Buffalos visiting the Bai keep us alert. [B,L,D]

Day 4. Today you head out with a group of Ba’aka net hunters as they go about their daily hunter-gatherer lifestyle. It is fascinating and a joy in itself to see how well adapted and comfortable the Ba’aka are in the forest while you may find it overwhelming and almost intimidating. You will be shown several of their medicinal plants while the hunt goes along in the background, and the excited cheers will alert us if they do catch something.  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. [B,L,D]

Day 5. River activities and trekking. 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.  Apart from the amazingly beautiful waterfalls, you will see some of the most spectacular trees imaginable. Climbing to the top of the falls will provide vistas over the canopy of the forest while the possibility of seeing the extremely rare and endangered Grey-necked Rock fowl will excite any birders. [B,L,D]

In the evening you may do a night walk near the lodge 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.

Day 6.   Back into the park today to return to Dzanga Bai, and a repeat of Day 3 Activities.  [B,L,D]

Day 7: Today we take a charter back to Yaoundé or Bangui where the tour ends. 

Price of this is about $3999 to 4999 per person for 2 people sharing.

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ITINERARY B (This should have a lot of flexibility)

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THIS IS OVERLAND BY GROUND VEHICLE AND SUBJECT TO ROAD DELAYS AND SLOW-GOING.

Day 2 - Yakadouma

Day 3 - Nola to Bayanga and C.A.R. orientation 

Day 4 - Doli Lodge

Day 5 - Doli Lodge

Day 6 - Doli Lodge

Day 7 - Doli Lodge

Day 8 - Doli Lodge

Day 9 - Leave to Yakadouma 

Day 10 - Head to Bertoua and from here tour is finished (you can return to Yaounde)

END OF SERVICES

This option is for backpackers, is with a star guide, does not include food outside Doli Lodge, uses slow ground transport, and is about $2999 per person for 2 people. You need to bring travel and cancellation and insurance and expect and bring funds for the delays. This is a rough trip. 

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Tuesday Day 1: 

Arrival in Brazzaville, meeting and briefing with the, guide and check-in - depending on time you will enjoy our Brazza city tour today (or on the last day)

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Wednesday Day 2: 

Flight to Ouesso this morning with airport assistance.
You will be picked up by our personnel and will sleep in the Park Camp in Bomassa/Kabo. 
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Thursday Day 3: 

Morning: Boat to Bayanga, lunch at Sangha Lodge. 
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Friday day 4: 

Wildlife watching on the mirador in Dzanga Sangha park.
Let the show and the masterpiece theater of nature begin!!
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Saturday Day 5: 

Net hunting activity with Ba'ka pygmies in the morning, dance and music in the evening!

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Sunday Day 6: 

Gorilla Tracking (Lowland Gorillas)
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Monday Day 7 : 

Gorilla tracking in the morning. Mangabee tracking in the afternoon.
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Tuesday day 8: 

Return to Ouesso/Kabo. Ovenight at the gorgeously appointed and scenic Sapeli River Lodge on the Sangha River.
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Wednesday day 9: 

Return to Brazzaville via morning flight (or for some more siteseeing en route, we can substitute a comfy air conditioned coach.
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Thursday Day 10:

 Buffer day in Brazzaville and a Congo river cruise complete with picnic lunch on your own private island, overlooking the dual river cities of Kinshasa and Brazzaville!
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Friday Day 11: 

 Buffer day in Brazzaville and possible city tour, if it did not get done on arrival on the first day.

END OF SERVICES

Total price: From $6,999 per person (On the Basis of 2-3 Guests)

for groups of 4 or more, please contact us for rates.

Includes:

- all the activities in the parks according to the itinerary, including 2 gorilla tracking full days!!
- all of the transportation (boats, cars, local flights, and overlanding all terrain vehicles in case the flight is cancelled)
- Congo river cruise(!) , Brazzaville total city tour 
- visa invitation and support documentation to get you into the Congo, Visa to CAR as well. 
- comprehensive travel insurance 
- all food and accommodation in the parks 
- accommodation in the cities (brazza, and ouesso/bomassa en route to and over the Sangha River)
- guide and driver and all gratuities, *he speaks french and several local languages. 

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WHICH ONE TO PICK?

Our guide for the C.A.R. trip in A, B, and C: He is one of the best and most reliable people you could possibly find and know in that region. A veteran of an older Congolese generation long gone, he (Badji) knows his way around government officials and he is an indispensable part for any tour, as he ensures that everything goes smoothly and the travelers are not harassed by the more rowdy locals. So enjoy the company!

As for the domestic flights in Congo: Even though we are aiming within our power to ensure that the tour goes as precisely as possible as is planned, flights do occasionally (we are just stating this in the program as a matter of course and routine)...get cancelled/delayed and sometimes do not even fly until the next day. In such an unlikely situation wherever possible we will be able to substitute the flights with either an comfortable air conditioned professional coach. The coach is spacious and comfy, but considering the circumstances, only the guide can decide in the event which is faster, safer and more reliable to ensure your ideal trip according to respecting as much as possible your valuable time (and timetable) and not incurring any extra fees that you ever have to worry about.

ENJOY THE LATEST FRONTIER OF CENTRAL AFRICA, NOW OPEN FOR BUSINESS...THE DZANGA SANGHA PARK AND C.A.R.!!

Note: On request this tour CAN be arranged starting from Bangui (arrival in the C.A.R. capital) -though we do not use the 4x4's to drive to Bayanga anymore. We use the small aircraft in this case and the price is slightly different but similar.

Note: you absolutely must prove and show travel and cancellation insurance to under take any of these tours. You are responsible and will be the charge and in charge of paying for delays as a result of flight or road, not CTT. 100% no exceptions.