MIGHTY Congo: 8 Nights from Oyo to Brazzaville

Day – 1 Arrival in Brazzaville

Arrival in Brazzaville and transfer to your hotel. Our guide will be waiting for you at the airport to transfer you to your hotel. Free time in the evening. 

➢ Night in a 5 star hotel

Day 2 – The gorillas of Lésio Louna

We leave early in the morning for a comfortable bus journey of 3 hours to the Lesio Louna reserve. 

Founded in 1999 the Aspinall Foundation, and part of the Congolese gorilla protection program (PPG) Lésio Louna  aims to rescue gorillas from wildlife trafficking or zoos which cannot tend to them and reintroduce them into their natural environment. On board a motorboat, we set off on the Louna River, which winds through the forest, with the keepers to reach the islands where the gorillas live during the period of adaptation to their new life. As soon as they are able to feed themselves, they will then be released into the Park. After a memorable time close to these fascinating primates, we drive for 4 hours to Oyo, where Princesse Ngalessa wait for us.

➢ Night on board

Day 3 – The traditional medicine

We navigate on the Alima River. This beautiful narrow winding river is surrounded by swamp forests. Passing the many bends of the river, along the banks we can see many charming raffia villages. In the morning, we reach a small tributary with black water where the locals call crocodiles to hunt them.  In the afternoon, we visit the village of Mondongo. This village, also made primarily using raffia, is home to Moye People. We met a local guide who explains the traditional pharmacopoeia and the preparation of remedies. The swamp forest is teeming with plants the villagers use for traditional medicine to treat diseases and injuries. 

➢ Night on board

Day 4 – The Alima river and the Moye people

In the morning, we navigate towards the Alima River. This beautiful narrow winding river is surrounded by swamp forests. We arrive  in the village of Bonda where we meet the Moye People. They are our guides to discover the flooded forest. Following the season, we discover the forest by canoe or on foot. In the evening, the Moye people perform a traditional dance on the bank of the river. At night, we will navigate in a 900 m loop to listen to the forest and perhaps, spot the shining eyes of the crocodiles.

➢ Night on board

Day 5 – The fishing village of Likendze and the Sangha River 

We reach the mighty Congo River! Around the area, the river widens considerably (more than 10 km) and a maze of islands forms. Fishing villages are established here during the dry season. In the afternoon, we reach the village of Likendze. We learn different fishing techniques such as cast net fishing, trap fishing, and net fishing. Those interested can even try their hand at line fishing. 

➢ Night on board

Day 6 – The city of Mossaka and its famous salted fish

In the morning, we leave on launch boats to observe the hippos who live a few kilometres north of the village and we’ll go for a birding in search of the emblematic birds of the region such as ospreys, palm-nut vultures, African fish eagles, hamerkops, cormorans, kingfishers, weavers, ibis, grey herons, storks, egrets, hornbills, pied crows, Brazza’s Martin and the elusive turaco. 

In the afternoon we set out to explore the city of Mossaka. Led by our local guide Jean de Dieu, we discover the remnants of the colonial era, we visit the bustling local market where we’ll immerse ourselves in the daily life of the local people. Our visit takes us through the alleys where salted fish dryers are installed. This traditional technique of preserving fish has made Mossaka famous throughout the region.

➢ Night on board

Day 7 – The thousands of islands of the Congo River and the “whaling ships”

From the observation deck, we watch the fascinating boats, whaleboats and long flat-bottomed transport barges that are pushed along the Congo River. Travelling for weeks at a time and measuring up to two hundred metres in length, these floating villages transport goods, people and livestock from town to town. They play a crucial role in the economy and life of the Congo River communities. Between the islands, we will go for birding (bee eaters, weavers, egrets, kites). If the weather permits, we will take the opportunity to bivouac on a sandbank in the middle of the myriad of islands.  

➢ Night on board

Day 8  – The Téké Kingdom and Kebe Kebe ritual

Early in the morning, we reach the estuary of the Lefini River, a popular spot for birds and hippos. We leave the ship on launch boats to observe the majestic mammals. 

We visit Ngabe, one of the ancient capitals of the Téké kingdom. We ascend through the village to visit the current queen. As the guardian of “Nkwembali,” the spiritual deity of the Batéké, she is the person authorised to transfer power to the new king, the Makoko. She holds significant influence in the Téké kingdom, one of the powerful kingdoms in the country. 

After our lunch on board we return to the village to witness a Kebe Kebe ritual. It refers to a dance and an initiatory society of the Congo. The ordinary form of the kebe-kebe resembles whirling dervishes, wrapped in raffia robes set with feathers of various birds, and manipulating a puppet which generally represents a painted Koyo head exhibiting the particular scarifications of the ethnic group.

➢ Night on board

Day 9 – Brazzaville

We arrive in the Capital city of Brazzaville In the morning and we set out to explore the city, The Congo Basin Museum, the Poto Poto School, the Cathedral and we end with a meeting with “La Sape” – Society of Ambiance-Makers and Elegant People.

Transfer to the airport and fly out.     

End of service      – 

You can extend the trip before embarkment in Oyo.

EXTENSIONS

• Head into the hills of the DRC to be one of the few people in the world to have the chance to track bonobos (chimpanzees that only live in the DRC) in their natural environment. A unique experience. (3 nights)
• Experience tracking a group of gorillas during habituation and participate in the habituation process with the trackers (4 nights)
• Explore Dzanga Sangha National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, to track gorillas and observe its bai with its dozens of elephants, bongos, and other animals. (5 nights)
• Discover Nouabalé Ndoki National Park and its unspoiled nature: sleep on the Wali Bai platform to observe elephants in the forest and spend two nights at Mondika Camp to track gorillas (4 nights)
• Discover Odzala-Kokoua National Park by staying at Camp Imbalanga, known for its gorilla Baï and forest excursions to discover wildlife. (3 nights)
• Discover the port city of Pointe-Noire and the Tchimpounga Chimpanzee Sanctuary on the Kouilou River (2 nights) and spend time by the sea on Indian Point at Bamboo Beach.