15 nights safari cruise: THE GREAT DESCENT OF THE SANGHA AND CONGO RIVERS

DAY 1

Arrival in Brazzaville in the Republic of Congo (Air France flight). We have dinner and spend the night in a 5-star hotel. 

DAY 2

In the morning, we have a 1-hour flight in a 19-seat jet, plus a 5-hours drive to Ouesso. Through the portholes, we can see all the primary forest. Such view of one of the largest primary forest of the world enthralls us and will stay in our memory forever. The embarkment is during the afternoon. Then, we ascend the Sangha River, slaloming between the sandbanks with caution to Bomassa. The depth decreases. Finally, we attend a conference about Congo Basin Ecosystem.

DAYS 3-4-5-6-7

Immersion in the Sangha trinational. Listed as a World Heritage Site since 2012, it is situated in the north-western Congo Basin, where Cameroon, Central African Republic and Congo meet. The site encompasses 3 contiguous national parks totaling around 750,000 ha. 

Much of the site is unaffected by human activity and features a wide range of humid tropical forest ecosystems with rich flora and fauna, including Nile crocodiles and goliath tigerfish, who are large predators. Forest clearings support herbaceous species and Sangha is home to considerable populations of forest elephants, critically endangered western lowland gorilla, and endangered chimpanzee. 

To be as discreet as possible, our group will be divided into three subgroups. Three groups of 9-10 people will explore the Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park and the Dzanga Sangha National Park. Each group will carry out the excursions below but in a different order. 

• Departure in the morning to reach the Mondika scientific camp in the Djéké Triangle (1 hour by car, 2 hours on foot) in order to track, in groups of 4, groups of lowland gorillas followed by the scientists (3 groups habituated). On the trail, we can see many other animals. Accompanied by Baaka trackers, we follow the signs of the groups passing through. Arrived near them, we observe them about ten meters away, and they observe us. The young bicker, the females feed, others rest. The silverback is watching. The largest measure up to 1.70 meters.  So as not to disturb them, after an hour we will leave, with images in our heads. In the evening, we will spend the night in the camp with the scientists and we will have plenty of time to ask countless questions. We spend the night in a safari tent with bed, shower and individual dry toilets.

• Departure at dawn for a 6-hour expedition to the Baï de Mbeli (40 mins by car, 1 hour by dugout canoe, 40 mins walk). This clearing is the gathering place for hundreds of animals, attracted by the mineral-rich waters. We discover from the top of a watchtower used by scientists the breathtaking spectacle of fauna: lowland gorillas, forest elephants, chimpanzees, bush pigs, bongos, sitatungas and forest buffaloes. We will spend the morning there to observe the animals. The most adventurous could arrive the day before to spend a night on the platform.

• Dzanga Sangha NP in CAR: departure early in the morning by motorboat for 3 hours of ascending the Sangha, followed by 40 minutes by car and 40 minutes on foot. We reach Dzanga Baï, a clearing where one of the largest intact populations of forest elephants gathers, as well as bongos, forest buffaloes, forest hogs, bush pigs, sitatungas, six species of duikers and gorillas. From the top of a platform, we observe the wild life unfolding before our eyes. Along the way, we see monkeys, birds. In the evening, we spend the night in a lodge on the banks of the Sangha (Doli Lodge). No additional visa needed, we will obtain a Sangha trinational pass.

DAY 8

We descend the Sangha River towards Pokola where we meet representatives of a forestry company, who explain to us the sustainable management of forests. At the end of the day, our ship reaches the Ndoki river, we observe hippos. Not far away is located a pygmy village. We learn more about them with the conference on pygmy populations facing modernity. 

DAY 9

In the morning, we go up a tributary of the Sangha for about fifteen kilometres: the
Mangui. We follow the northern border of the Ntokou Pikounda park. This place is
frequented by an endemic species that was thought to be extinct, Bouvier’s red colobus, a small monkey with orange fur. Along the way, we observe birds.

DAY 10

We pass the village of Pikounda towards a pygmy village. The Pygmies are one of
the two peoples living in this region. They are among the last groups of hunter-gatherers in the world. In the forest, in small groups, we share their daily life harvesting plant products, collecting medicinal plants and fishing. We share their millennial way of life and discover their incredible symbiosis with the forest. We have dinner and spend the evening in a clearing. The Pygmies are with us. They tell the stories of their people and the stories born during their time with us. With the help of mimes and songs, the stories live and the evening is anchored forever in our memories. The oral tradition of the Pygmies is one of the finest riches of this people.

DAY 11

We descend the Sangha River slaloming through green and impenetrable swamp forest. We are entering very sparsely populated and wildest territories. The
sounds of the forest punctuate our progress. We meet fishermen, the Sangha
Sangha people. We take the tributaries, either by canoe or by motorboat. It is said that in the distance a dinosaur was seen: the Mokele Mbembe. In the tropical
forest, we discover the plants of pharmacology. With those who wish, we go fishing. During the day, we cross the equator. This is the baptism of the Line!

DAY 12

The Sangha River empties into the Congo River. We reach the fishing village of Mossaka known throughout the country for its smoked fish. We discover vestiges
of the colonial era. We look for the colonial house of Mr Trechot. We gradually
leave the forest for hills covered with grass. A conference on the Savorgnan de
Brazza expedition and the Stanley expedition is held.

DAY 13

The Congo River widens considerably (more than 10 km) and a group of islands is formed. Fishing villages settle there during the dry season. At the end of the day, we reach the Lefini estuary which borders the Téké kingdom. Hippos bask.

DAY 14

Bonobos tracking in Tshumbiri in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Bonobos are a DRC endemic and rare breed of chimpanzee. It is the animal genetically closest to humans, genotypes are 98.7% similar. Early in the morning, we leave the Houseboat, drive one hour and start walking at 5am in the forest to attend to the awakening of the habituated Bonobos. We return in the afternoon on the boat. (Visa for DRC required and multiple entry visa for Congo Republic)

DAY 15

Few miles further, we discover the village of Ngabe, one of the ancient capitals of the Téké kingdom. We go up the village and will visit the current Queen Ngalifourou. In her capacity as guardian of the “Nkwembali”, spiritual god of the Batéké, she is the person authorized to transmit power to the new king, the Makoko. He is a very influential person in the Téké kingdom, one of the powerful kingdoms of the country. We attend a traditional Téké dance. We observe. A conference on the Téké kingdom and on the history of the Congo is planned.

DAY 16

Arrival in Brazzaville and disembarkment. We spend the afternoon in the capital. We visit the Plateau market (traditional objects and handicrafts) and meet with La SAPE which means in English Society of Ambiance-Makers and Elegant People. Lunch Box. Departure in the evening by Air France flight.

The daily program may change depending on the climate. Everything announced will be done but in a different order.