Congo River Safari Cruise Ouesso to Brazzaville

Arrive in the city of Brazzaville in Republic of Congo in the afternoon.  Night in a 5 star hotel,dinner at the hotel.

1 hour and 45 minutes of flight in the morning in a 70-seater private plane to Ouesso. Through the portholes we can see the entire primary forest. This view of one of the largest primary forests in the world will remain forever in our memories. Boarding in the afternoon. Navigation on the Sangha.

Tri-national de la Sangha

Located in the north-west of the Congo Basin, at the junction of Cameroon, the Central African Republic and the Congo, the site encompasses three contiguous national parks totalling approximately 750,000 hectares. Much of the site is untouched by human activity and has a vast diversity of tropical rainforest ecosystems with rich flora and fauna, including Nile crocodiles and goliath tiger fish, a large predator. Forest clearings support herbaceous species, and Sangha is home to considerable populations of forest elephants, critically endangered western lowland gorillas, and endangered chimpanzees. To be as discreet as possible, our group will be divided into three subgroups.

We head towards Bayanga. Along the way, we observe the many birds in the area and the fishing camps along the river. We arrive in the afternoon at our lodge to enjoy a pleasant sunset with a view of the Sangha.

Night in lodge.

Early in the morning, we will visit the famous Dzangha Bai. Known as the Elephant Village, up to 150 elephants can be seen in a day. Perched high up in the trees, we will have the opportunity to see many animals, including buffaloes, bongos, sitatungas, duikers, etc. We will take the time to observe the animals from the platform before returning to our lodge.

Night in lodge.

Departure in the morning for the seven baïs called baïs de Hokous. During these walks, we will have the chance to see a variety of animals, including elephants, gorillas, duikers, hylows, and many birds. During our walk, our BaAka trackers track the groups of Agile Mangabeys followed by the scientists. These silver-gray monkeys show remarkable grace when navigating the forest canopy with ease, using their long limbs and prehensile tails. Agile Mangabeys are very social creatures, often engaging in games such as chasing each other, jumping from tree to tree, and simulating fights. They communicate through a diverse range of vocalizations, including chirps, squeals, and growls, which play a crucial role in maintaining social connections and coordinating group activities.

Night in lodge.

We return to Princess Ngalessa by motorboat. Depending on the weather conditions and the weather, we will visit the war memorial in Mbiru where the French and Germans fought for the colonization of the Congo during the Franco-Prussian War. We will then drive through the intact primary forest with its cathedral canopy, discover a variety of ecosystems and regenerated forests.

In the early hours of the day, sail on the dark waters of the Ndoki and watch the majestic birds. Later, we will meet the indigenous peoples (Pygmies). They are among the last hunter-gatherer groups in the world. In the forest, in small groups, we share their daily lives: picking fruit and plants, harvesting medicinal plants, building a hut, making mats or baskets, and learning to sing polyphonically. We discover their thousand-year-old way of life and their incredible symbiosis with the forest. Our tour ends with a Ndzengi ceremony, where the Pygmies sing and dance.

Sail to Pikounda. The village was once a trading post that prospered thanks to the activities of the Truchot brothers. We explore the different neighborhoods, the old colonial buildings, and the process of processing cocoa, from pod to cocoa butter, as well as the corn wine that is highly prized in the region. In the evening, at the edge of the woods, we meet the Chief of the Lands, the traditional leader of the Bongili people, who shares stories about the land with us.

In the early morning, we go up the Mangui River by motorboat. The Mangui River forms the northern border of Ntokou Pikounda National Park, made famous in 2008 when WWF rediscovered a small red monkey called the Bouvier's red colobus, which was considered extinct. Although difficult to observe, other small monkeys can be spotted, such as the talapoin. Stories are also told of a distant sighting of a dinosaur: the Mokele Mbembe. In the afternoon, we stop at a fishing camp. Here we learn about different fishing techniques, the fish from the river and the process of smoking the fish. During the afternoon, we cross the equator. We find ourselves in the heart of the vast rainforest. It was the baptism of the Line!

We leave the rainforest behind. In the morning, we reach the Likounda-Aux-Herbes estuary on motorboats to observe some of the most iconic birds of the Congo Basin. The Congo Basin is home to more than 350 species of birds, including the black-chinned weaver and the Congo wheatear. We also find large, enigmatic species such as the chestnut-bellied bustard and the Senegal bustard, as well as species typical of tropical forests such as the grey parrot and various species of hornbills, turacos and kingfishers. Further on, we observe hippopotamuses.

he Congo River widens considerably (more than 10 km) and a mishmash of islands is formed. Fishing villages are set up there during the dry season. We arrive at the tributary of 5 rivers, in a vast marshy area. Dozens of species of birds are visible. Further on, we observe hippopotamuses. We reach the fishing village of Mossaka, known throughout the country for its smoked fish. We discover vestiges of the colonial era.

In the morning, we reach the estuary of the Lefini which borders the kingdom. Hippos are lounging. We observe. In the afternoon, we arrive at the village of Ngabe, one of the ancient capitals of the Téké kingdom. We go up the village to visit the current queen Ngalifourou. As the guardian of the "Nkwembali", the spiritual god of the Batéké, she is the person authorized to transmit power to the new king, the Makoko. He is a very influential person in the Téké kingdom, one of the powerful kingdoms of the country. We are witnessing a kebé kébé ritual.

Arrival in Brazzaville. Disembarkation. We go on a tour of the city. Meeting with the Sape – Society of Ambients and Elegant People. Departure in the evening by an Air France flight to Paris.

• Lunch not included