congo lowland gorilla adventure

Itinerary

Day 1 – Brazzaville, Republic of Congo: Welcome to Africa! Upon arriving at Maya-Maya Airport in Brazzaville, Congo, after clearing immigration and customs, you will exit the arrivals hall and be met by a local representative and transferred to your hotel. Dinner and overnight at Radisson Blu M’bamou Palace Hotel Brazzaville.

Radisson Blu M’bamou Palace Hotel Brazzaville offers a prime location on the banks of the famous Congo River in Brazzaville’s central business district. The hotel has 178 guest rooms, several on-site dining options, sauna, fitness facilities, shops, nightclub, beauty salon and marina.

Day 2 – Brazzaville/Odzala-Kokoua National Park: Enjoy breakfast followed by a half day tour of Brazzaville, including lunch. Later, you will be transferred to Maya Maya Airport in time for your shared charter flight to Mboko Airstrip, followed by a road transfer (approximately 3 hours) from Mboko airstrip to Ngaga Camp. Upon arrival at camp meet the gorilla research team followed by dinner. Overnight at Ngaga Camp.

Ngaga Camp is surrounded by towering trees, dense jungle, dappled sunlight, the scent of fresh rain and delicate sounds of an equatorial African rainforest. The camp is situated within the overlapping home ranges of several groups of western lowland gorillas, three of which are habituated. Six double chalets are found on stilts in the dense forest overlooking the Ndezhi Forest. The dining room, lounge and bar area are raised and gaze into the rainforest. A star deck and fire pit are found on a deck below the main living area, perfect for pre-dinner drinks while watching the sun set over the forest. Chalets are raised and boast a 360° wraparound walkway. Each room has an en-suite bathroom with hot shower and flush toilet, mosquito net and fans. 

Day 3 – Odzala-Kokoua National Park: Ngaga Camp is situated right next to the gorilla research center pioneering Western Lowland Gorilla research. This morning you will enjoy a gorilla tracking experience. Explore the Ndzehi Forest on a network of well-maintained trails – a very different experience to the swampy terrain that you will experience later at Lango. You will then return to Ngaga Camp in time for lunch. This afternoon enjoy time to relax before a forest walk and forest sundowners. Meals and overnight at Ngaga Camp.

Day 4 – Odzala-Kokoua National Park: Enjoy breakfast before heading out on your second gorilla trek in the region. You will then return to Ngaga Camp in time for lunch. This afternoon enjoy time to relax before a forest walk and a night walk to view nocturnal forest life. Meals and overnight at Ngaga Camp.

Day 5 – Odzala-Kokoua National Park: Today you will transfer by road through Mbomo village to learn more about the sustainable forest lifestyle and how people make the most of all that nature provides in such a remote location. Enjoy lunch en route and then switch to a kayak. Take in the beauty of the forest and wildlife on either side of you as your drift down it’s winding waterways and walk the last part directly into camp for a truly one-of-a-kind arrival. After arriving at Lango Camp, settle in and enjoy the afternoon at camp or on a bai walk and sundowners. Dinner and overnight at Lango Camp.

Lango Camp has six guest chalets that have been strategically placed on the edge of Lango Baï with beautiful views out onto the open baï. The chalets are constructed from natural materials such as locally woven raffia palm panels and stand on stilts above the ground. Complete with mosquito nets and en-suite bathrooms with hot shower and flush toilet, the chalets boast an elevated 360° wraparound walkway with views of the forest and sprawling baï.

Day 6 – Odzala-Kokoua National Park: Spend your day enjoying the beautiful area near camp. Start with a walk through the bai in search of various primates, birds, forest elephants, bongo and forest buffalo. Prepare to get wet as you explore in the footsteps of great explorers and unearth the history and heritage of the area. Walks can get muddy, wet and extremely fun. End you day with a sundowner and a drink as forest buffalo and harnessed bushbuck walk by. Other regular visitors to camp include forest elephants, guereza colobus monkeys and a variety of birds. Meals and overnight at Lango Camp.

Day 7 – Odzala-Kokoua National Park: Enjoy breakfast and a morning guided walk through the forest or simply take time to relax and enjoy the savanna views. You will then head towards your next destination, Mkobo Camp. Getting back to Mboko from Lango Camp is equally fun; a game drive transfer followed by raised wooden path walk through the swamp to arrive at Mboko. In the afternoon enjoy a forest walk and an afternoon river cruise on the Lekoli River. Dinner and overnight at Mkobo Camp.

Mkobo Camp has ten guest chalets which extend along the banks of a free-flowing tributary of the Lekoli River. Breath-taking views abound of the interface between tropical rainforest, waterways and grassland savanna, where hundreds of towering termite mounds create an otherworldly experience. The spacious cabins are are dotted along the Lekoli River in the tree line offering a private deck with seating and a view of either the forest or river, en-suite bathroom with hot shower and flush toilet and mosquito net. The dining room, lounge and bar area look out into the wide-open grasslands with the star deck and fire pit an extension of these living areas. 

Day 8 – Odzala-Kokoua National Park: Enjoy your day exploring the forest, swimming in the Likeni River and an afternoon river cruise. Meals and overnight at Mkobo Camp.

Day 9 – Depart: Enjoy breakfast before your transfer to Mkobo airstrip in time for your shared charter flight to Brazzaville and then connect to your international departure flights.