桑加：大猩猩、森林象与巴阿卡原住民文化深度远征

Meet and greet at the Ombella M’Poko international Airport this day, followed by a 25min overland transfer to the hotel for check-in, briefing, dinner, and night.

Bangui Ledger Plaza Hotel (Accommodation)

Embark on an exciting morning excursion to the mighty Ubangi River in the Central African Republic. Begin by leaving your hotel after breakfast and driving to the wharf, which takes approximately 20 minutes. Then, board a wooden boat for a 1.5-hour river excursion where you will discover the unique highlights of the local people. This includes observing river traffic with farmers transporting agricultural products to Bangui markets, artisanal fishermen on duty, cargo boats to and from Zongo in the DRC, overcrowded boats to Brazzaville/Kinshasa, sand diggers diving in the river bed, and women and young girls busy with daily tasks such as laundry and preparing food.

The spontaneous blend of colors of the landscape along the banks of the Ubangi River, coupled with the cool breeze and the water background and color is a revelation in itself as we make our way back to the harbor just as the sun is about to rise fiercely.
From the pier, we will board our bus and leave for Boali at the North-western side of Bangui, traversing the city and the M’Poko River Bridge. The drive through this side of Bangui will give you the opportunity to soak in the local ambiance of the city as we make our way out of Bangui and head to Boali. The road to Boali is home to a series of village clusters, including Ndere (26 km) where the remains of the country’s 4th president, Felix Patassé, are located on an architecturally distinct tombstone on a large yard fringed with palm trees and decorated with white and blue painting and some quartz stone.

Start your journey early this morning by leaving the hotel and heading southwest towards the prefecture of Mbaiki, known as the Land of the Aaka Pygmies. The road to Mbaiki is dotted with Aka Pygmies encampments, the nearest of which is found in Bossongo, located 55km from Bangui.

Although paved, the road to Mbaiki is in poor condition, with many potholes and run-down portions, making the drive slower. It will take a couple of hours to reach Bossongo. Along the way, you will encounter many lorries carrying goods from Cameroon or going to Chad, derelict cars and motorbikes overloaded with firewood, charcoal, manioc, banana, plantains and the popular local alcoholic drink, ‘Kangouea’ or palm wine. This drink is accessible and enjoyed by many Central Africans, both men and women, young and old, villagers or urban dwellers.

Begin your day with breakfast and then leave the hotel to drive to the airport for a 1.5-hour chartered flight to the protected area of Dzanga Sangha in the village of Bayanga. Upon arriving at the airstrip, you will be welcomed and immediately transferred to Doli Lodge, which is conveniently located on the banks of the Sangha River. After lunch, embark on an exploration of the small town of Bayanga. 

You will take a walk to the nearby area and interact with the locals, experiencing their daily lives, stories, entertainment and joys. Take a stroll through the local market, visit some local palm wine spots, and other lively places that make Bayanga a vibrant and pleasant town. Return to the lodge in the afternoon on foot for relaxation at the bar/restaurant, with a view of the majestic Sangha River.

Begin your adventure by boarding a 4WD and driving on a bumpy track to Dzanga Baï. After approximately 30 minutes of driving on a forest track, you will reach the entry point of the Bai, where you will embark on a 20-minute forest walk crossing a shallow stream (water level can reach up to the knees) before reaching the stilt platform erected in the middle of the forest. 

From the elevated watchtower, you will spend the morning observing a large number of African Forest Elephants in the Dzanga clearing, as well as numerous other species such as the rare Bongo, Sitatunga, Dwarf Buffalo, and a variety of birds, all interacting in their natural social lifestyle. In the late afternoon, as wildlife activity decreases, you will leave the watchtower and trek for 20 minutes back to the car and then drive for half an hour to a comfortable lodge. Spend the rest of the afternoon relaxing at the lodge bar/restaurant, which offers a breath-taking view of the Sangha River and the surrounding forest. In the evening, you will be entertained by a series of spectacular Ba’aka Pygmies traditional dances and chants around a gigantic woodfire. Dinner and lunch will be served at the lodge restaurant.

Begin your day with an early breakfast and leave the Lodge for a one-hour forest drive to the research camp in the heart of the Dzanga Ndoki National Park until you reach Baï Hokou, where your Gorilla safari begins. Tracking the Lowland Gorillas is done exclusively by hiking in the dark rainforest, and the walk can last between 45 minutes and a couple of hours, depending on where the Gorillas nested the night before. Under the leadership of our Pygmy host and guide, you will trek through the jungle with the opportunity to encounter many other wildlife species such as Forest Elephants, Dwarf Buffaloes, Monkeys, Birds, Pangolins, Butterflies and more. Upon reaching the Lowland Gorilla group, you will be allowed to spend one hour observing the animals. 

The Baï Hokou Gorillas sometimes allow close contact with visitors, and the curious younger gorillas may even exceed closer contact. Later, you will trek back to the camp with additional chances to spot some wildlife along the way. From the camp, freshen up and go for a short walk close to the camp to watch a large flock of Agile Mangabey interacting in their natural habitat. In the afternoon, drive back to the Lodge. In the late afternoon, go for a pirogue ride over the Sangha River before dinner and overnight stay.

Begin your day by joining a net hunting expedition with the Ba’aka in the forest. During this hunting campaign, you will also learn about some medicinal plants that the Ba’aka use to treat various ailments. In the late morning, drive back to Bayanga and transfer to the airstrip in preparation for your private chartered flight to Bangui, which will take approximately one hour. The rest of the day is at leisure in the hotel.

Today, you will explore the city of Bangui before your onward flight.
Bangui is the capital city of the Central African Republic and has been nicknamed ‘Bangui La Coquette’ since the 1970s, when the city was at the peak of its past glory. It was once a charming and attractive city during the time when the Central African Republic was united with Chad to form the colony of Ubangi-Shari, and was considered one of the best cities among French Equatorial Africa, which also encompassed Gabon, Chad and Congo Brazzaville. However, the aftermath of multiple conflicts have had a negative impact on the country as a whole, and particularly on the capital.

Despite this, Bangui still retains some landmarks of its past glory, which you will be able to explore during this morning city tour. The sightseeing tour in Bangui offers a display of beautiful landscapes predominantly made up of greenery, hills and valleys, bustling suburbs, vibrant open-air markets, energetic people and more. The local people, most of whom are subsistence farmers/traders, are incredibly welcoming