CAR & Kenya Wildlife Safari; Gorillas & Game

Central African Republic & Kenya, Gorillas & Game – From £6,595 Per Person, Excluding International Flights

Day 1
Upon arrival into Bangui Airport (scheduled to arrive at 17:30), the capital of the Central African Republic, you are met and transferred to your hotel for the night. Bangui lies on the northern banks of the Ubangi River opposite and over the river from the Congolese town of Zongo. South of Bangui and just south of the Equator near Brazzaville the Ubangi River connects to the Congo River. The river marks the border between the Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC)
Overnight: Residence JM – located 45mins from the airport. Simple but comfortable and clean accommodation

Day 2
After an early wake-up call, you are met by your driver/guide and private 4x4 vehicle. From here, you travel the long distance, by road, south to Bayanga and Dzanga-Sangha / Nouabale-Ndoki National Park in time for a late dinner where you will spend the next 5 nights (an approximate 12hr drive). Here, you will explore the northern section of the north-western Congo Basin. In the reserve are large populations of forest elephant, lowland gorillas, 16 of the country's primate species (such as De Brazza's monkey with its distinctive white beard), hundreds of bird species, reptiles, frogs etc. You will get the opportunity to visit a village of the Ba'aka pygmies and if you want, you can join them in a hunt for food into the forests. The woman will share some traditional knowledge of the plants and you learn about their lifestyle in the forest. The WWF works with the Ba'aka in establishing conservation, education and health programs in the area. The next few days, may be spent visiting Dzanga Bai, tracking lowland gorillas and hunting with the Ba'aka.
Overnight: Doli Lodge – is constructed of wooden buildings and platforms raised above the ground. Each room has a terrace with views of the river, and each is equipped with en-suite bathrooms, twin beds, fans, and mosquito nets, and all the comforts necessary to recuperate after your excursions into the rainforest. The kitchen, serving the restaurant that overlooks the river, prepares European and African dishes (L/D)

Day 3
This morning you travel into the rainforest (an approximate 1hr drive). Here, you set off along elephant paths for a leisurely 1hr hike through cool shallow sand streams and clouds of butterflies, until you reach the top of an observation platform that looks out over a natural clearing in the forest. The Dzangha Bai is a large mineral rich clearing in the middle of the rainforest. From the specially built wooden platform (mirador) one can observe scores of timid forest elephants as they venture out of the forest to feed on the mineral rich soil, to drink or engage with the rest of the herd, an experience usually reserved to and observed by a limited circle of researchers. One can often observe herds of between 50-100 elephants in the bai. These elephants have been studied by field biologist Andrea Turkalo, the world’s leading expert on forest elephants. Andrea has lived in Dzanga Sangha for 20 years, and works to decipher the elephants’ vocal communication as she compiles the world’s first “elephant dictionary” from her perch on the edge of the bai. The interaction between so many different groups of forest elephants ensures that no one can ever get bored at this place. As well as forest elephants a host of other mammals also come to the saline such as the forest buffalo, sitatunga, red river hog, giant forest hog, & the bongo, the largest antelope to be found in Africa’s rainforests. The bongo is a very striking antelope with is striped russet coat and beautifully shaped horns.
Overnight: Doli Lodge (B/L/D)

Day 4
After an early breakfast, at around 06:00, you depart early for the Bai Hokou or Mongambe research camps (an approximate 1½hr drive) where you spend time tracking a group of western lowland gorillas in their wild environment. Dzangha-Sangha and its neighbour in Congo Nouabale-Ndoki National Park are the only places in the world where you can find habituated lowland gorillas. With the park ranger/guides you depart the camp headquarters with information on where the gorillas slept the previous night, searching for their nests. As soon as the nest site is found, you follow their movements along elephant paths and narrow trails. The pursuit can be extensive as gorillas can sometimes cover significant distances before finding their food of choice. At times this can be a strenuous trek but your efforts will be rewarded as this is a marvelous and breathtaking encounter. These gorillas are completely wild but have been habituated by extensive research programs in the past. Very few people are fortunate enough to have the opportunity to track these remarkable primates. Tracking can take between 1-2hrs before establishing contact with them, and while encounters are always likely they cannot be guaranteed.

N.B: Gorilla trekking occurs twice daily (09:00 and 13:00) allowing x3 guests per trek with 1hr of viewing the gorilla group. Each trek begins and ends at Bai Hokou. Visitors must be fit as the gorillas wander extensively in search of food and your trek at times can be strenuous. Pygmy trackers assist in locating the group of gorillas each day. Encountering the gorillas cannot be guaranteed and their visibility will depend on the vegetation of the area where you meet them.

Before or after tracking the gorillas, you have the opportunity to track the agile mangabey monkeys. With the park ranger/guides you depart the camp headquarters and search for these medium sized monkeys. Mangabey monkeys are mostly ground-dwelling and feed on a diverse array of fruits, seeds, stems, eggs, insects and even certain mammals. The group followed at Bai Hokou is large in number, totaling more than 200 individuals whose range is focused around the bai system in dense vegetation. The group can be observed at distances of less than 30ft. There may also be opportunities to spot forest elephants, buffalos, sitatunga, and bongo antelopes.
Overnight: Doli Lodge (B/L/D) 

Day 5
After a leisurely breakfast, you board a dugout canoe (a pirogue) that will take you to a completely different landscape. Similar to paddy fields, part of the Sangha River meanders through a lush swampy area littered with raffia palm trees. The extraction is carried out from standing palms. As the sap flows for several hours into a container, it begins to naturally ferment, diminishing the sugar and forming a musty tasting wine. You continue by ‘pirogue’ to Bayanga village, where "buvettes" (small bars) sell the palm wine which is low in alcohol and contains supplementary calories, vitamins, calcium and other important nutritional elements and an important food source produced by the forest. Finally, in the village you may also witness a lively basketball game, the vegetable gardens and small craft shops.
Overnight: Doli Lodge (B/L/D)

Day 6
This morning, you visit the Ba’Aka villages where a group of Ba’Aka pygmy men & women (approximately 30 in number) will accompany you into the rainforest to go net hunting in the forest. Normally each family will carry hand woven nets made from strips of liana bark and gathering baskets and head into this rich environment searching for food – edible plants and roots, medicinal barks. The departure is preceded by lengthy decisions as to which direction they will be heading off in, singing and chanting with anticipation. In the decision making – everyone’s opinion counts. The Ba’Aka will guide you through the forest in search of shy forest duikers, mangabey monkeys and other prey. This can be a brutal experience. For those who don’t wish to see the hunt you can follow along and learn about the Ba’Aka’s forest ways and their traditional way of life. This is an amazing experience and benefits the Ba’Aka community as well.
Overnight: Doli Lodge (B/L/D)

Day 7
Today, you journey the long distance, by road with your professional private English speaking driver/guide and your private 4x4 vehicle, back to Bangui enjoying a picnic lunch en-route. You are driven back to the Residence JM for your final night in the Central African Republic.
Overnight: Residence JM (B/L)

Day 8
Today is yours to spend at leisure before finally being transferred back to Bangui Airport in order to meet your International Flight to Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (13:20 – 18:30; N.B. International Flight NOT included in the safari quote). Upon your arrival you are met and transferred to your accommodation in Nairobi.
Overnight: Fairview Hotel – is a leafy oasis on Nairobi Hill a world away from the bustle of the city with a swimming pool and a tropical garden. All rooms are en-suite and house an electronic safe. Wi-Fi access is also available (B)

Day 9
This morning, you are collected from your hotel and transferred to Nairobi Wilson Airport to catch your internal flight to the Masai Mara (10:00 – 11:00). Upon arrival you are met and transferred to Naboisho Camp. The camp itself is set in the east of the Naboisho Conservancy surrounded by beautiful plains and waterholes full of wildlife. The conservancy is home to a fantastic array of flora and fauna.
Overnight: Naibosho Camp – This small bush camp comprises of beautifully designed, spacious, en-suite tents set under trees overlooking the grassy plains. (B/D)

Day 10
Spend the whole day in the Naboisho Conservancy on both morning and afternoon game drives. Covered in savannah grassland, acacia plains and rocky hills, this diverse habitat supports a whole host of wildlife including giraffe, elephant, 35 lions with another 30 split between different prides who venture in and out of the Conservancy, leopard and cheetah, as well as hippos and huge crocodiles lazing in the river. As well as the game drives, bush walks are also available which are a fantastic way to see Africa. On foot you are able to see and experience the smaller aspects of the bush which you would usually miss whilst in a vehicle.
Overnight: Naibosho Camp (B/L/D)

Day 11
After a delicious breakfast you will all be met and transferred to the wonderful Rekero Camp on the Mara River. Rekero is an intimate camp with a personal service and owned and run by people who are extremely passionate about what they do. Rekero is a seasonal Camp set up between the months of June and March and provides some first class game viewing during that time period. Run by Gerard Beaton and Jackson of Big Cat Diary fame, this Camp is renowned for its rustic charm, first class service and unbeatable guiding. Professional Masai guides will lead you on your safari. Being situated in the Masai Mara Game Reserve, in nearby proximity to the Mara and Talek Rivers, makes for first class game viewing at this time of year as the migration begins to cross the river. Following your arrival at camp, you settle in and prepare for your first shared game drive.
Overnight: Rekero Camp, Tent – each spacious tent has a view over the Talek River and its noisy hippos as well as consisting of en-suite bathrooms with flush toilets and safari showers (B/L/D)

Day 12, 13
You enjoy two full days on morning and afternoon shared game drives in the National Park as well as relaxing evenings watching the animals along the river in front of the camp. The Serengeti-Mara ecosystem supports the most diverse variety of grazing mammals in the world and the Masai Mara is crucial in sustaining these herds. Its rich grasslands are able to support these vast herds of migrating animals from Tanzania during critical points in the dry season. Their arrival spells a bonanza for the Mara’s big cats and it is no wonder that BBC film crews have based themselves here for several years filming their Big Cat Diaries. 

The rolling grasslands of the Mara Reserve are dominated by the red oat grass that form an endless sea of waving long grass dotted with solitary Balanites, the Desert Date Tree. There are also picturesque areas of savannah woodland dominated by numerous acacia species which are a favourite haunt of the Masai giraffe. The Mara’s famed rivers are lined by lush riverine forest areas and are home to numerous pods of hippos. The grassland plains are the stomping grounds for wildebeest, zebra and Thomson’s gazelle as well as Grant’s gazelle, topi, eland, impala and large herds of buffalo. The cats are never far away from the plains game and lion and cheetah are mostly seen on the rolling savannah plains of the Mara reserve and Masai community lands, whilst leopard prefer the riverine forests along the Mara and Talek rivers making for an exciting wildlife safari. Other alternatives aside from shared game drives include visiting one of the guide’s local villages or walking safaris at a location outside the Reserve, as well as hot air balloon safaris (by own arrangement in advance at an additional cost).
Overnight: Rekero Camp, Tent (B/L/D)

Day 14
There may be a chance for a final morning game drive before you transfer back to the airstrip in order to meet your internal flight back to Nairobi Wilson Airport (11:00 – 12:15). Upon arrival, you are met and transferred to the House of Waine. Here, you enjoy lunch and a day room where you can shower and relax after your safari. After check-out (18:00), you enjoy dinner before transferring back to Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in order to meet your International Flight back home (scheduled to depart at 23:45) (B)