Meeting Gorillas, Elephants and a Dinosaur in Central Africa

If you’re looking for adventure in a true wilderness then come with Native Eye to meet gorillas, elephants and – just maybe – a dinosaur in the rainforests of Central Africa.

It’s said that somewhere out there, in the remotest and swampiest corners of the jungle, far from any human settlements, sauropodo dinosaurs (the family which includes diplodocus and brontosaurus) can still be found. Known locally as the mokele-mbembe, several dinosaur hunting expeditions have set out over the past century deep into the furthest corners of the Congo Basin in search of these mythical creatures. But, for the moment at least, the mokele-mbembe remains as elusive as its Scottish cousin.

While we probably won’t find the mokele-mbembe during our immersion into Africa’s Congo Basin rainforests we are likely to stumble upon other megafauna that’s almost as legendary.

Covering 3.7 million square kilometres and stretching across six Central African countries, the Congo rainforest is second only in size to the Amazon. Like so many of the planet’s rainforests, the Congo is threatened by deforestation, a growing human population and a changing climate, yet by and large it remains one of the worlds wildest corners. A place of enigma and the unknown. A place where prehistoric monsters could hide in distant lakes. And this means that across much of the Congo, wildlife flourishes (except perhaps the mokele-mbembe). According to the World Wildlife Fund at least one in five of the planet’s species call the Congo home, including 400 mammal species, a thousand kinds of bird, 10,000 plants and at least 700 different fish. Among these are chimpanzees, forest elephants, forest buffalo, grey parrots and the okapi, which is a rare and strange creature that looks like a giraffe, zebra and camel were put in a blender to create something completely new. There’s also one other creature that, until the mid-19^th Century, was considered as mythological as the mokele-mbembe. Critically endangered, the western lowland gorilla (there’s also an eastern lowland gorilla) is the King of the Congo. The difficult to access areas that the gorillas live in makes assessing their population notoriously difficult (estimates put the population in the range of 316,000-360,000) but even so it’s estimated that the population has declined by an astonishing sixty percent over the past twenty-five years.

Low numbers and a suitable scepticism of human beings, means that getting to meet a western lowland gorilla in the wild is very unlikely. Unless that is, you know exactly where to look. And at Native Eye we do!

The Central African Republic

In the very heart of Africa, the Central African Republic (often abbreviated to just CAR) is not a standard holiday destination. This is a land that’s about as untamed as it gets. There’s very little infrastructure, few large towns, and getting around can be challenging. But, if it’s adventure you want then in the Central African Republic it’s adventure you will get. The southwestern part of this little-known nation largely comprises of dense rainforest through which wide, muddy rivers meander and where wildlife abounds. It’s this part of the country that is the focus of our exciting Gorilla Adventure tour.

Meeting the Locals

Much of the Central African Republic’s rainforest are protected within the Dzanga-Sangha Reserve, which is the focus of our Gorilla Adventure tour. The forest here is home to numerous groups of western lowland gorillas and over the years scientists and park rangers have worked patiently to habituate some of these groups to a human presence. This means that instead of scarpering at the first scent of a person these gorillas act all blasé around us and simply continue with what they were doing. The gorilla’s familiarity around their less hairy cousins can lead to precious moments – such as when a giant silverback male locks eyes with you and you get the sense that it’s staring into the depths of your soul. On the flip side, this familiarity can also mean that if you happen to be standing in the way of a particularly tasty leaf or other morsal that Mr or Mrs Gorilla wants to snack on then they will just barge right past you to get at it. Without any doubt though the day we spend in the company of these mesmerising creatures will be etched into your mind for the rest of your life.

Dzanga Bai

This corner of the Congo Basin isn’t just a never-ending expanse of trees. In a few, very special, places large clearings have formed in the forest called bais (which literally means ‘bays’ and you’ll understand why when you visit one). Some of these bais contain swampy marshlands and others are open spaces where natural salts have seeped to the surface. In either case, these bais attract an enormous amount of varied wildlife. Dzanga Bai, where we spend a day on raised wooden platforms quietly observing the daily life of arriving wildlife, is famed for its elephants. It’s not at all unusual to have herds of elephant fifty to a hundred strong digging through the soil with their tusks to get at the salts and minerals buried within the ground. And elephants aren’t the only ones to come a knockin, bongo (a type of shy and beautiful forest antelope), buffalo, gorilla and even chimpanzees can all be seen with regularity in the bai.

The Human Element

Of course, people have been a part of the Congo Basin almost since the dawn of humanity and so no visit to the forests of the Central African Republic would be complete without the human element. The original inhabitants of these forests are the Ba’Aka, a semi-nomadic hunter gatherer group, who continue to maintain certain aspects of their traditional lifestyle. For many of our guests an unexpected highlight of our Gorilla Adventure tour is the day we spend with the Ba’Aka helping them to gather wild forest honey or medicinal herbs all while learning about their lifestyle and the issues they face.

A Wild Adventure (plus a touch of comfort)

Travelling through the rainforests of the Congo Basin is likely to be one of the biggest adventures of your life. Our Gorilla Adventure tour begins in Cameroon from where we make the long and exciting overland trip to the Central African Republic and the Dzanga-Sangha Reserve. Along the way we pass through small towns and villages with only the most basic of tourist facilities. But, once we arrive in Dzanga-Sangha Reserve, a surprise awaits in the form of one of Africa’s most one-of-a-kind lodges. Overlooking the chocolate brown Sangha River, our base while we explore the forests here offers luxury rooms, quality food and a deeply passionate and conservation minded staff and managers.

Gorilla Adventure

Our 10-day Gorilla Adventure tour, which departs twice a year (February and November) is one of the most exciting and popular tours we offer. Starting in the Cameroonian capital of Yaounde we take rough roads to the east and cross into the Central African Republic. Continuing to Dzanga-Ndoki we discover a world untained by man, where nature rules. We visit the heart of this primeval jungle at Dzanga Bai. This beautiful forest clearing attracts spectacular wildlife, including large herds of forest elephants.

We also have an unforgettable experience tracking lowland gorillas. Getting close to an habituated family, we see how they make the forest their home. Immersed in the jungle, we discover the complex biodiversity of this fragile ecosystem.

We spend a night in the company of Ba’Aka pygmies, learning about their daily lives in the rainforest.

This uncompromising trip travels through one of the last wildernesses on Earth. Searching  for some of the planet’s most enigmatic wildlife, we tread where few have ever set foot before.

What our travellers say

Our Gorilla Adventure tour is one of Native Eye’s most popular tours. Here’s what some of our previous travellers have said about our Central African Republic tours.

“It was a great trip, the guide kept everything running seamlessly. Hearing his stories about protecting the local environment and combatting poachers was eye-opening. We had enough flexibility to visit the gorillas a 2nd time, while still doing all other planned activities, which was nice.”

“An absolutely epic trip to the Central African Republic. Doli Lodge is an amazing location and the local guides’ knowledge is exceptional. The time spent with the gorillas and the Ba’Aka will stay with me forever!”

How to visit

Want to create Congo memories that you’ll be recounting to your grandchildren? Then get in and we’d be delighted to help. Ring us on 01473 793683 or use our contact form.

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