Congo and Central African Republic - Main Attractions
Dzanga - Sangha National Park is home to the local BaAka (pygmy) tribe and also the famous Dzanga Bai approximately 250 metres by 500 metres. This Bai, or forest clearing, consists of a sandy salt lick and is traversed in the middle by a stream. Even though there are other clearings in the vicinity Dzanga Bai is a favourite of the forest fauna! Elephants, sitatungas, giant forest hogs, red river hogs, forest buffalos and duikers all make Dzanga Bai an exceptional site! All of these animals are predominantly attracted to the Bai because of the mineral salts and clay and access it by digging deep into the soil. These excavations can often be up to 4 metres in diameter! Dzanga Bai is roughly translated to "village of the elephants" and this becomes evident as on your approach you become aware of the various grunts, trumpeting and water blowing of the resident elephants...An absolutely stunning location with less than 2,000 westerners having visited the area. Tricky to get to but worht every minute.
Bai Hokou is home to the lowland gorilla habituation and research project. Over a number of years researchers have successfully habituated lowland gorilla groups in this area. Through this success it is now possible for tourists to track lowland gorillas through the Congo Basin forests; more importantly however it is also possible for researchers to study the gorillas in 
close proximity resulting in us understanding their nature better and maybe in turn helping us to preserve them.
This is a fantastic experience and a real privilege to be one of the few to visit this remote area and track some of the only western lowland habituated gorillas. Tracking the gorillas can take anything from 3-8hrs depending on where they are at the time of tracking. For ease of tracking, pygmy trackers and a researcher set off in the early hours of the morning to locate the gorillas from the previous day; clients then track the gorillas from Bai Hokou Research Camp. Spending an hour with the gorillas is a breathtaking experience and one that will not be easily forgotten; with 14 members in the gorilla group you can either spend your hour moving with them through the forest or sitting down amongst the group whilst they are eating and grooming.
Mbeli Bai part of the Nouabale Ndoki National Park is home to Mbeli Bai Camp. One of the most remote areas to reach however definitely worth the time and effort! Accessing Mbeli Bai Camp by local pirogue through the swamps is a real highlight as you weave your way through buttress roots and lillies. Arriving at the boardwalk you have a short 10 minute walk into Mbeli Bai Camp from where you are based for the next few days. Mbeli Bai Camp is often itself home to a range of wildlife including a resident elephant and Vincent a lone silverback gorilla who can be seen in the trees surrounding the camp!
A 45 minute walk through the forest brings you to the stunning Mbeli Bai. A breathtaking moment as you enter the Bai and climb the mirador (viewing platform) which acts as your base throughout the day. With a mosquito netted area, two levels, spotting scopes, binoculars and a picnic lunch this is an amazing location to observe the forest life that wonders in and out of the Bai throughout the day! Over the course of 3 or 4 days one can expect to see lowland gorillas, forest elephants bathing, sitatunga, buffalo, red river hog, otters, crocodiles and a variety of birdlife!! Mbeli Bai has approximately 150 lowland gorillas in the local vicinity which regularly pay it a visit which gives one approximately a 75% chance of seeing the gorillas each day. Evenings can be spent in the company of researchers who will be happy to take you through their work and the purpose of their projects.
