Gorilla Tracking in congo, Nouabalé Ndoki national park
SECURITY
Nouabalé Ndoki National Park lies at the northernmost tip of the Republic of Congo, on the banks of the Sangha River. The area is sparsely populated and very safe. Depending on the season, the park can be reached by boat on the Sangha or by car.
Activities may be delayed or, in the worst case, cancelled in the event of rain, as trackers are then unable to hear the movement of elephants, the main threat during forest walks. Any tracking not carried out will be refunded. October and November are the months most affected by the rains.
LEVEL
Gorilla tracking in Congo needs to be able to walk for 3 hours in the forest on flat ground.
Gorilla tracking in congo, Nouabalé Ndoki National Park
6 DAYS Country: Republic of Congo
Gorilla Tracking in Congo
Nouabalé Ndoki National Park is an extremely wild and isolated park, with an abundance of wildlife. In the heart of the primary forest, you will discover the western lowland gorillas, a species found mainly in Central Africa.
Day 1: Flight to Ouesso
After breakfast at your hotel, we return to the airport for a 1 hour 45 minute flight to Ouesso. Through the windows, we catch a glimpse of the canopy. Such a view of one of the world’s largest forests will stay with us forever.
Weather permitting, we’ll head straight for Bomassa, otherwise an overnight stay in Ouesso.
- Lunch and dinner on your own
- Overnight in a local hotel.
Day 2: Wali Baï, in the heart of the Nouabalé Ndoki National Park
We set off in the morning by 4×4 and cross the Sangha by ferry. 3 hours on tracks through the jungle await us. Along the way, we may spot gorillas, elephants or even pangolins.
Arriving in Bomassa, we meet our BaAka trackers who will guide us to the magnificent Baï de Wali. To fully experience the wildlife, we spend the night on the platform on camp beds, under a roof, protected by mosquito netting. This flooded, intimate clearing is a gathering place for buffalo and elephant. All night long, we’ll hear the barking of the elephants and spend a unique night in the heart of the forest.
- Overnight on a camp bed on the platform above the bai, with a cold meal on the platform.
Day 3: Transfer to Gorilla camp
We return to Bomassa, then hit the road again for a final stretch of track to the Djéké Triangle, from where we head back into the forest to reach the remote Mondika camp. After a 2-hour walk with our guide, we reach the camp in the middle of the forest. Mondika camp is the base camp for researchers working on gorilla habituation. It’s a simple camp in the heart of a completely wild forest. Along the way, we discover the flora of the tropical forest.
- Overnight at Mondika camp in a platform tent (shower with bucket, dry toilet).
Day 4: Gorilla tracking in Congo
Early in the morning, accompanied by the Baaka trackers, we set off on our first track. Arriving close to the group of Lowland Gorillas, we observe them from ten metres away, and they observe us. The young are squabbling, the females are feeding, others are resting. The silverbacks are watching us. The largest are up to 1.70 metres long. So as not to disturb them, we leave after an hour, our heads full of images. On the way back to camp, we can cool off in the clear river that runs through the camp.
- Overnight at Mondika camp in a platform tent (shower with bucket, dry toilet).
Day 5: Return to Ouesso
We’ll do another tracking session on the morning of the second day, before leaving the camp. After this unforgettable experience, we set off again for Ouesso, arriving at the end of the day.
- Overnight in a local hotel, dinner on your own.
Day 6: Transfer
Fly back to Brazzaville or return by road to :
-Continue with a cruise on the Alima and Congo rivers.
Gorilla tracking in Nouabalé Ndoki National Park: 6-day/5-night extension
6 DAYS Country: Republic of Congo
Nouabalé Ndoki National Park is an extremely wild and isolated park, with an abundance of wildlife. Activities may be delayed or, in the worst case, cancelled in the event of rain, as trackers are then unable to hear the movement of elephants, the main threat during forest walks. Any tracking not carried out will be refunded. October and November are the months most affected by the rains.
Day 1: Flight to Ouesso
After breakfast at your hotel, we return to the airport for a 1 hour 45 minute flight to Ouesso. Through the windows, we catch a glimpse of the canopy. Such a view of one of the world’s largest forests will stay with us forever.
Weather permitting, we’ll head straight for Bomassa, otherwise an overnight stay in Ouesso.
- Lunch and dinner on your own
- Overnight in a local hotel.
Day 2: Wali Baï, in the heart of the Nouabalé Ndoki National Park
We set off in the morning by 4×4 and cross the Sangha by ferry. 3 hours on tracks through the jungle await us. Along the way, we may spot gorillas, elephants or even pangolins.
Arriving in Bomassa, we meet our BaAka trackers who will guide us to the magnificent Baï de Wali. To fully experience the wildlife, we spend the night on the platform on camp beds, under a roof, protected by mosquito netting. This flooded, intimate clearing is a gathering place for buffalo and elephant. All night long, we’ll hear the barking of the elephants and spend a unique night in the heart of the forest.
- Overnight on a camp bed on the platform above the bai, with a cold meal on the platform.
Day 3: Transfer to Mondika camp
We return to Bomassa, then hit the road again for a final stretch of track to the Djéké Triangle, from where we head back into the forest to reach the remote Mondika camp. After a 2-hour walk with our guide, we reach the camp in the middle of the forest. Mondika camp is the base camp for researchers working on gorilla habituation. It’s a simple camp in the heart of a completely wild forest. Along the way, we discover the flora of the tropical forest.
- Overnight at Mondika camp in a platform tent (shower with bucket, dry toilet).
Day 4: Gorilla tracking
Early in the morning, accompanied by the Baaka trackers, we set off on our first track. Arriving close to the group, we observe them from ten metres away, and they observe us. The young are squabbling, the females are feeding, others are resting. The silverbacks are watching us. The largest are up to 1.70 metres long. So as not to disturb them, we leave after an hour, our heads full of images. On the way back to camp, we can cool off in the clear river that runs through the camp.
- Overnight at Mondika camp in a platform tent (shower with bucket, dry toilet).
Day 5: Return to Ouesso
We’ll do another tracking session on the morning of the second day, before leaving the camp. After this unforgettable experience, we set off again for Ouesso, arriving at the end of the day.
- Overnight in a local hotel, dinner on your own.
Day 6: Transfer
Fly back to Brazzaville or return by road to :
-Continue with a cruise on the Alima and Congo rivers.
LEVEL
To track gorillas you need to be able to walk for 3 hours in the forest on flat ground.
SECURITY
Nouabalé Ndoki National Park lies at the northernmost tip of the Republic of Congo, on the banks of the Sangha River. The area is sparsely populated and very safe. Depending on the season, the park can be reached by boat on the Sangha or by car.
