Ecotourism in Dzanga Sangha National Park

10 Days and 09 Nights to the discovery of the wonders of Dzanga Sangha National Park

Le Bongo Dzanga-Sangha
le Bongo

Created in 1990, the Trinational of Sangha (TNS) is a special reserve of dense forest. It includes three national parks covering a total area of 746,309 hectares. The Lobéké National Park in Cameroon, the Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park in the Republic of Congo and the Dzanga-Ndoki National Park in the Central African Republic. The special reserve is divided into five zones, each with a specific purpose: hunting safari; community hunting; logging, rural development, and game farming area. It takes its name from the Sangha River, which is a tributary of the Congo River, it crosses, irrigates and offers the National Park a great wealth of aquatic ecosystems. The park is jointly managed by the Central African government and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). They set themselves the objective of preserving animal species in the forest; the conservation of representative ecosystems and the satisfaction of the needs of the local populations according to the conservation principles. A significant part of the funding and technical support is provided by international partners.
The National Park has been listed since 2012 as Unesco World Heritage, it protects the important part of the Congo Basin tropical rain forest. It also includes three sites classified by the Ramsar convention: The Cameroonian part of the Sangha river (6,200 ha) classified in 2008, the Sangha river located in the Central African Republic (275,000 ha) and the Sangha-Nouabalé-Ndoki in Congo (1,525,000 ha) both classified in 2009.
Diversity of ecosystems
The Trinational is made up of a mosaic of ecosystems, including rivers, streams, swamps, typical grassy clearings, marshes, diverse and important flora and fauna. The clearing of Dzanga Bai hosts around 103 mammal species, including 16 monkey species, 13 carnivore species, and the most represented group is that of rodents with 33 species.
Among the emblematic species, there are the largest forest elephants populations, Western lowland gorillas, Chimpanzees, Colobus Vellerosus locally called “Magistrates”, Bongos, large families of antelopes, African forest buffalos, river hogs, forest hogs, which are giant boars of African forests, several duikers species, the Cape Aardvark, two Pangolins species, white-cheeked otters, panthers and many other species. The clearings or “Baï” allow to easily observe the wonderful fauna.
Aquatic ecosystem
The Trinational is crossed by a dense hydrographic network whose central axis is the Sangha River, a tributary of the Congo River. It represents the second watershed in the world by its size and by the richness of its biodiversity. The aquatic ecosystem is home to Nile crocodiles, African Gharials and dwarf crocodiles. The Trinational is endowed with a large fish diversity, around 300 species have been identified. There are many fish species such as the Alestidae family, the goliath Tigerfish, the electric catfish, the Aplocheilidae, the Cichlidae including the genus Tilapia widely consumed worldwide, the Claroteidae including the genus Auchenoglanis, the Cyprinidae, which are carp such as the Labeo or the Barbus, the Mochokidae including the genus Synodontis and the Schilbeidae. You can also observe hippos on the banks of the river.
The forest environment (Forest)
The forest environment is made up of about 440 tree and shrub species on the Cameroon side, 208 tree species divided into 48 families on the Central African Republic side. About 1000 plants and tree species have been recorded in the Congolese part of the Trinational. The park is home to Euphorbiaceae, Meliaceae, Cesaplinaceae, Annonaceae, Ebenaceae Rubiaceae, Fabaceae and many other species.
Beautiful excursion by canoe
Canoe trip on the Mossapoula River, a tributary of the Sangha with a confluence located tens of meters upstream from the hotel. Embarked on a frail dugout carved from a single tree trunk, visitors must first get used to the instability of the boat. But Mossapoula is worth the visit because it allows an interesting view of an African forest. The visit to Mossapoula takes place in several stages, first crossing the swamp forest, then entering an open swamp towards the raffia canals. Interested visitors will have the opportunity to participate in the raffia wine harvest and taste it, it is really excellent. To better enjoy the day and the beauty of the landscape, this beautiful excursion begins either early in the morning or in the afternoon from 3 p.m.
Hiking to a waterfall
This hike begins with a navigation on the Sangha River. It is 500 m wide and you will observe the marvelous landscapes of the vegetation formed by the forest. A wonderful path through a magnificent tropical forest. The hike will then take you to a sumptuous waterfall for an unforgettable shower. It is possible to climb to the top of the waterfall and admire the canopy. With a little luck, you may encounter a rare bird, Grey-necked rockfowl also known as Grey-necked Picatharte.

Day 1: Europe – Yaounde

transport aerien

Reception at Yaoundé International Airport which is the political capital of Cameroon, commonly known as the City of Seven Hills. Transfer to the Mérina hotel, dinner and overnight stay.

Day 2: Yaounde – Yokadouma (617 km)

elephant de foret

Early wake up, breakfast, departure by 4×4 from Yaoundé to Yokadouma through a magnificent forest landscape that is a little dusty in the dry season, observation of the traditional architecture of the Bantu huts along the way, Lunch or picnic in Batouri, taking photos in the villages, arrival and installation at the Elephant Hotel, dinner and overnight stay.

Day 3: Yokadouma - Libongo - Lidjombo- Bayanga (300 km)

Buffle de foret Dzanga Sangha

Early wake up, breakfast followed by departure for BAYANGA via Libongo, welcome by your Central African correspondent in Libongo, lunch, exit and entry formalities respectively at the police and gendarmerie stations in Libongo in Cameroon and Lidjombo in the Central African Republic, arrival and installation at Doli Lodge or Sangha Lodge, Dinner and overnight.

Day 4: Ndoki –Bai (the bay of the elephants)

Elephant de forêt

Early wake up, breakfast, Park entry formalities, departure for NDOKI-BAI for a daily observation of elephants, Bongos etc, picnic and hikes of about 4km (2km outward and 2km return), after the observation of elephants and Bongos, return to the Lodge in the evening, dinner and overnight.

Day 5: Bai-Hokou (Gorillas and Mangabeys)

Dzanga-Sangha

Early wake up, breakfast, departure for the tracking and observation of chimpanzees, Gorillas and Mangabeys, this visit requires a whole day, picnic in the conservation huts, and return to the Lodge in the evening, dinner and overnight stay.

Day 6: Activities with the Ba'aka in the Reserve (Pygmy Peoples).

Les peuples Bakas

Breakfast and various activities with the Bayakas, it is a pygmy community in which Louis Sarno lived for 25 years. Louis Sarno was an American researcher who researched the haunting songs of the Baka pygmies. Louis Sarno lived among the Baka pygmies for over 25 years, he learned their language and he married a Baka woman with whom he had two sons. Fishing, net hunting, research for medicinal plants, tam-tam on the water, canoe trip on the Sangha river, organization of a cultural evening, dinner and overnight stay at the Lodge.

Day 7: Activities with the Ba'aka in the Reserve

Les peuples Bakas

Breakfast, various activities with the Bayakas (palm wine picking, visit of the giant pangolins around Sangha Lodge), free evening, dinner and overnight at the Lodge. NB: Those who would like to go to Bai-Hokou again will do so as an option and at their own expense since this is not included in the price.

Day 8: Bayanga – Batouri (487 km)

Gorille des plaines
Early wake up, breakfast, departure for Batouri, exit formalities at the border, lunch on the way, continuation of the trip, arrival and installation at the Sylviana hotel, dinner and overnight stay.
 

Day 9: Batouri - Yaounde

Le Bongo Dzanga-Sangha

Early wake up, Breakfast, visit of the Kambélé village where artisanal gold mining is practiced, road to Yaoundé via Bertoua, Lunch in Bertoua or Abong-Mbang, continuation to Yaoundé, arrival and installation at the hotel, dinner and overnight stay.

Day 10: Yaounde

Monument de la reunification

After breakfast, the day is devoted to visiting the city of Yaoundé (Reunification Monument, National Museum, a city market, historical places etc.), panoramic view of a top of the city, lunch in a restaurant in the city, shopping at the craft center, after dinner, transfer to the airport. END OF OUR SERVICES.

Price: 3.205 € / pers. (3 pax)
 
Price: 3.845 € / pers. (2 pax)

This tour includes :

► Reception and escort by our agent

► Transport 4×4 and professional driver

► Accommodation in a double room

► Full board meals

► Entrance fees into the attractions

► Toll fees

► Guided tours of all the sites and attractions indicated in the program

► Gorilla & Mangabeys permit

► Visit of Ndoki bay for Elephants

► Tracker

► Activities with pygmies


This tour does not include :

► International flight fees (Roundtrip)

► Costs related to travel formalities such as visa and immigration charges

► Costs related to travel insurance

► Additional expenses of the tourist such as the purchase of souvenirs

► Alcoholic drinks such as liqueurs, wines, and whiskeys

► Tips and gifts (freewill gestures)

► Coast related to the Camera 


Please specify : 

► The exact dates of visit (date of arrival and date of return)

► Flights and airports of arrival

► Group or tourist’s interests to permit tailored modifications of the tour

► Names and information of visitors for bookings

► Food exigencies; diabetes, vegetarian etc.

NB : This program can be modified by demand to suit the expectations of the tourist(s)