Central Africa
Central Africa, home to the Congo Basin, is an exceptionally biodiverse part of the African continent. Dense jungles prevent the mind from wandering off too far, but your heart will soar in tune to the musical sounds of birds, monkeys and insects that echo all around. Fascinating creatures, sometimes ghostlike, sometimes dragonlike, sometimes vibrant and colourful, inhabit the heart of the exceptional forests, jungles and savannahs of the Congo Basin. But the pangolins, forest elephants, gorillas, mandrills and red-river forest hogs are far from being the only forest-dwelling beings, and incredible indigenous tribes populate the central African forests, with traditions dating back millennia. Central Africa is a destination for the bold, the curious, the respectful, and those keen to explore the origins of mankind as much as incredible ecological havens.
A few of our favourite places in Central Africa...
Virunga Mountains
'Mufumbiro'
Mufumbiro. Swahili for ‘The Mountains that Cook’, a string of East African volcanoes tracing what is today known as the border between the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda and Uganda. Formed by the Albertine (or Western) Rift, eight volcanoes rise above the misty jungles of the Virunga Massif, two of which are still very active – Mt Nyiragongo and Mt Nyamuragira, located in the DRC. The Virunga Mountains are exceptionally biodiverse, and home to the critically endangered mountain gorilla population. Considered to be the second lungs of the world after the Amazon, the Virunga forest is an enchanting, lush, green and somewhat mysterious place to go searching for great apes. At night, it is sometimes possible to observe orange smoke puffing out from Mt Nyiragongo crater – though why look at it from a distance when you can see the entrance to Hades yourself? Hike Mt Nyiragongo, a scenic and intense hike that promises the most jaw-dropping of rewards as its summit is reached. Red hot and bubbling, the volcano’s lava lake will enrapture your senses and hypnotise you with its sensual dance, oozing red and orange in the depths of its pit. This volcano is one of the most active in Africa, continuously undergoing micro-explosions (or sometimes less micro). And should you look away from the crater, the immensity of the Virunga massif and Lake Kivu around you will satisfy your desires for grand vistas.
Gabon's hidden secrets
Mystical Jungles and Endless Beaches
Gabon is a unique destination that takes the mind and senses on a wonderful adventure across its incredibly diverse landscapes (and perhaps the body too, as you trek for habituated Lowland Gorilla, Mandrills and Chimpanzees). Jungles of all kinds, rivers, waterfalls, forest wildlife and a cultural heritage that retraces the origins of mankind will leave you enthralled – but so too will Gabon’s beaches. In the dry season (June – November), outstanding sightings of humpback whales and dolphins migrating towards warmer waters can be observed. And from November to April, sea turtles come to lay eggs on the beaches of Pongara, with hatching occurring a few months later. But what makes Gabon truly unique is the chances to find forest buffalo and elephants grazing the Atlantic beaches, and hippos enjoying the ocean’s cool and strong surf. Gabon will never cease to enchant you, bringing something a little different everywhere you look.
Baïs of CAR
Where Elephants bathe in Mud the Colour of Gold
One of the Congo Basin’s most biodiverse areas, the Dzanga-Sangha ecosystem is a puzzle of many landscapes. Rivers, marshlands, deep jungle and streams, Dzanag-Sangha is particularly famous for its Baïs, typical swampy forest clearings holding key nutritional advantages for local species. The Dzanga Bai is perhaps the most famous of all the bais, attracting large herds of forest elephants – sometimes counting hundreds of pachyderms, happily wallowing in the mineral and pigment-rich clay and soil. Western lowland gorillas and chimpanzees are also a big favourite, as are the very rare and beautiful bongos, sitatunga and an array of unique forest-dwelling herbivores. The spectacular Sangha river runs past the only two lodges of the park. Dzangha-Sangha is a part of the world that remains truly pristine, untouched, wild and filled with astounding levels of biodiversity.
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