Adventurer Congo's Gorillas & Forest Experience

8 days
4.9 /5
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Based on over 1000 Verified Reviews.

Highlights

  • Unique forest wildlife & amazing bird watching
  • Two gorilla treks plus water-based activities & nature walks
  • Expert local guides & wildlife specialists
  • Eco-friendly chalet accommodation
  • Fly-in, all-inclusive convenience

Overview

This fly-in journey delivers you straight into the heart of the Congo rainforest for a unique safari experience. Your destination is Odzala-Kokoua National Park, a swathe of majestic primary forest famed for its biodiversity. Once virtually inaccessible, the forest teems with wildlife ranging from western lowland gorillas, elephants and forest buffalo to dazzling clouds of butterflies and a vast array of birds. A few eco-sensitive lodges are now scattered throughout the forest, carefully built into the landscape and each reflecting a different aspect of it such as rainforest, wetlands and savannah.

Spending a minimum of two nights in three different lodges, you can expect an unforgettable introduction to Odzala-Kokoua. Gorilla trekking, river cruises, kayaking adventures and guided walks are all part of your tour and you can look forward to comfortable en suite accommodation. The local guides are knowledgeable and passionate about their work and happy to accommodate interests such as bird watching or photography.

This 8-day itinerary is an unforgettable way to discover the emerald heart of Africa and see a sizable portion of the world’s remaining gorilla population. Your stay will contribute to protecting these critically endangered species. Local communities are also benefitting through revenue-sharing schemes from trekking permits, new infrastructure and new business opportunities in tourism.

Summary

  • Tour Duration: 8 Days

Destinations Visited

Accommodations Visited

The Congo Rainforest is about as offbeat as you can currently get in Africa; we've partnered with a reliable and professional company to bring you not just another safari, but an opportunity to discover and delight in the smalls that make up this fast disappearing ecosystem. Must have: patience, no expectations & an enquiring mind! Encounter the lowland Gorillas, and keep an eye out in the forest canopy for other primates and birdlife whilst at Ngaga. The shy gentle giants of the forest Elephant and if lucky, forest hog around the Lango area balance your wildlife experiences beautifully. I personally loved the swamp walk taking in the butterflies, and wildlife you are able to encounter on foot.
Emma Hill

Emma Hill

African Safari Expert

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Itinerary

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Days 1-4: Trekking for Gorillas from Ngaga

Odzala National Park, Congo
Detailed breakdown

Days 1-4: Trekking for Gorillas from Ngaga | 3 Nights

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Odzala National Park, Congo

Your Congo adventure begins at Brazzaville’s Maya Maya International Airport where you enjoy assistance from a tour representative as you transfer to a scheduled light aircraft flight. After a flight time of around two hours, you land at the local airstrip and can sit back on a 4X4 game drive into the Odzala-Kokoua National Park. Your destination is Ngaga Camp on the park’s boundary, lying in a sun-dappled glade and surrounded by untouched primary rainforest. After freshening up, you sit down and take in the forest view from your suite before meeting the gorilla research team and your guides to plan the next two days. Ngaga Camp is perfectly located to find western lowland gorillas: several groups live in the area, two of which are habituated to visits by humans. Expert guides lead the way on two treks, enabling you to spend time with a gorilla family, before introducing you to other aspects of the environment at Ngaga. You will also enjoy bird watching and guided nocturnal walks for sightings of the forest’s most elusive creatures.

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Days 4-6: Explore Lango’s ‘Bai’ | 2 Nights

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Odzala National Park, Congo

Your final morning at Ngaga can be spent relaxing at camp before a road transfer to Mboko Camp where you will stop for lunch. Leaving Mboko, you kayak along the Lekoli River to Lango Camp, a journey that takes you back into pristine equatorial rainforest – this time at the heart of the Odzala-Kokoua National Park. Your cottage is built into the gallery forest and overlooks a ‘bai’, a local word for an area of open marshy ground surrounded by forest. These bais are often laden with salts and minerals and are visited regularly by elephants and buffalos, as well as flocks of parrots and herds of antelope. The surrounding rainforest is good habitat for primates and several species may be seen here during your nature walks, night drives, 4x4 and boating excursions.

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Days 6-8: Discover Shy Forest Creatures | 2 Nights

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Odzala National Park, Congo

On your last morning at Lango Camp, you will go on a guided walk through the bai – hopefully you will spot some beautiful African grey parrots – and have breakfast in a stunning location. Next is a walk over a wooden pathway built over a swamp (excellent for birding), followed by a game drive back to Mboko Camp in time for lunch. The afternoon can be spent on a nature walk or a river cruise. Showcasing a different aspect of the park, Mboko lies in a savannah landscape and next to the Lekoli River, its waters flowing to the Congo River. Here the emphasis is on experiencing the forest’s larger animals – such as shy forest elephants, spotted hyena and forest buffalo – as they emerge from the forest and onto the open savannah grasslands.

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Day 8: The Journey Ends

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Bid farewell to Congo and the gorillas you have met as you head back to Brazzaville for your onward journey home. After breakfast at Mboko Camp you are transferred to the local airstrip for a scheduled charter flight back to Maya-Maya Airport in Brazzaville. Here you will connect with your onward flight or transfer to your Brazzaville accommodation.

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Inclusions tick icon

Inclusions

  • 2 Gorilla permits
  • Airport assistance on arrival
  • Boat cruise at Mboko Camp
  • Community and Park fees
  • Daily guided forest walks
  • Daily guided forest walks
  • Guided bai walks
  • Guided forest night walk
  • Kayak safari from Mboko to Lango
  • Letter of invitation for Rep. of Congo
  • Medical Evacuation fees
  • Road transfers between airport & camps; camps and camp activities
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Exclusions

  • International flights
  • Airport taxes
  • All meals and drinks not specified
  • Tips and gratuities
  • Items of a personal nature

Rates

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Dates Price
2023-01-01 — 2023-12-31 $13,785
Our rates are per person sharing unless we note differently. Please treat all pricing as a guide only: All rates are subject to availability and may change without notice Single supplements may apply Request a quote or speak to one of our African Safari Experts for the best, most current rates available.