Odzala-Kokoua 6 Nights / 7 Days Safari
Join Wilderness Collection on a journey through the life-filled African rainforest – along with
the privilege and thrill of observing one of our closest relatives in the wild – the Western
Lowland Gorilla.
ITINERARY DETAILS
Thursday – Day 01:
In the early afternoon we depart by private charter from Brazzaville to M'boko Airstrip,
Odzala-Kokoua National Park. The charter flight takes approximately two hours and
includes a light packed lunch. On arrival at M'boko Airstrip, we are met by a Lango Camp
guide who will transfer us by vehicle to Lango Camp – our home for the next three nights.
The drive takes approximately 30 minutes through open savannah with views of the forest
fringe and interior. Once at camp, we are given an opportunity to freshen up and settle in
before embarking on our short afternoon activity which may consist of a walk around Lango
Bai and the forest fringe and stream or perhaps a game drive.
Friday - Day 02:
An early morning wake-up is followed by a light breakfast and coffee on the main deck, after
which we embark on our first activity for the day. This could be a walk from camp through
Lango Bai and down the clear, shallow waters of the Lango Stream to its confluence with the
Lekoli River. A motorised pirogue will then head upstream for two hours (stopping en route
for tea/coffee) until reaching the access point to Mbouebe Bai, where a short excursion on
foot reaches a concealed hide from which activities at the bai can be observed. The return
to camp includes a downstream portion of the river followed by a game drive through the
savannah.
Back in camp a hearty brunch and rest period awaits before we head out again
later for the afternoon activity. An example of this would be a return game drive to the
boat jetty followed by a pirogue trip downstream along the Lekoli River to its confluence
with the larger Mambili River for sundowners. A night drive back to camp offers intriguing
opportunities for seeing some of Odzala's more secretive nocturnal creatures.
Saturday - Day 03:
Wake up early for a light breakfast and coffee before setting off on the morning activity.
Today this may begin with a game drive to the boat jetty at the confluence of the Likeni
Stream and Lekoli River and then a pirogue trip down the Lekoli River in search of primates,
Forest Buffalo and other species, before returning to camp on foot through Lango Bai. The
trip along the river offers great opportunities for birding and mammals, while the walk can
provide excellent viewing of buffalo, Red River Hogs, a number of primate species and even
Bongo.
Our return to camp is greeted by an appetising brunch and some downtime before
heading out again in the afternoon. This afternoon we may head back to the boat jetty
and take a pirogue trip upstream along the Lekoli River enjoying sundowners and perhaps
some catch-and-release fishing before returning to camp on a night drive, searching for
species such as Spotted Hyaena, Golden Cat and even Water Chevrotain.
Sunday - Day 04:
This morning, after an early wake-up and breakfast we head away from the savannah in airconditioned
land cruisers to the south-western corner of the Park to spend time at Dzebe
Bai some two and half hours' drive from Lango. Having walked about a kilometre through
the forest to access the bai, we spend midday in the hide waiting for secretive forest
animals to appear in the clearing; there's a chance of viewing unhabituated gorillas here,
as well as species such as Black-fronted Duiker, Guereza Colobus monkey and perhaps
even Chimpanzee.
We enjoy a packed lunch in the hide at the bai and in the late afternoon,
as activity at the bai subsides, we will return north towards Ngaga Camp. On arrival at
Ngaga Camp, we will be met by the staff and given an opportunity to settle in. Before
dinner, the group will receive an extensive briefing on Western Lowland Gorillas, including
the research project in the area, conservation of the species, their biology and ecology and
of course what to expect when tracking the habituated groups of the area.
Monday – Day 05:
This morning, after an early wake-up and light breakfast we depart on foot with our guide
and tracker on our first gorilla tracking excursion. Using the expert skills of the trackers we
start at the point where the group chosen to be monitored for that day slept the night before
and follow their tracks as they move through the forest until we find them. While home
range sizes are relatively small, the gorillas can move quite quickly through thick forest
undergrowth and during a 2-5 hour tracking excursion (including time spent observing the
gorillas) we may cover between 5 and 8 kilometres.
After this exhilarating experience we return to camp to freshen up and enjoy a brunch
before spending the middle of the day at leisure. In the afternoon after a light tea we will
enjoy a guided forest walk in search of birds and primates as well as forest duiker and, if
time allows, visit the Gorilla Tracking Academy run by Dr Magda Bermejo and German Illera.
Here we will learn about the comprehensive training of local community trackers from all
over west-central Africa and how this plays a role in gorilla conservation.
Tuesday – Day 06:
This morning after another early wake-up and light breakfast we set out again on foot for
our second gorilla tracking excursion. Our expert trackers will again follow the obscure
tracks and sign of the group through the forest until we find the group and enjoy another
fascinating experience watching them resting and foraging. Returning to camp, we freshen
up and enjoy brunch and a siesta. The afternoon sees us out on the forest trails in search
of the birds and mammals of the area, returning to camp to enjoy a sundowner on the main
deck overlooking the forest canopy and Ngaga Stream.
Wednesday – Day 07:
We have a far more leisurely start this morning, leaving after breakfast for M'boko airstrip
(a drive of 2.5 hours) to meet our private charter flight back to Brazzaville. We will land in
Brazzaville in the afternoon in plenty of time for any onward flights.
Additional Information about Accommodation, Gorilla Tracking, Wildlife and Resources [pdf]
INCLUSIONS AND EXCLUSIONS
Package Includes:
- I nternal flights (Brazzaville to Lango Camp airstrip and return).
- Ground transportation (M'boko airstrip to Lango Camp and return; Lango Camp to Ngaga Camp and return).
- Accommodation (full board basis) as per itinerary:
3 nights Lango Camp, 3 nights Ngaga Camp
OR
1 night Lango Camp, 2 nights Ngaga Camp
- All meals
- All local drinks (excludes premium alcoholic brands)
- Laundry at camps
- Activities:
LANGO CAMP – guided walking/game drives/boat cruises/canoeing/park and forest visits
NGAGA CAMP – daily tracking of habituated gorilla groups/guided forest walks
Package Excludes:
- International air travel to/from Brazzaville
- Gratuities/Tipping
- Curios and personal purchases
- Visas
- Accommodation in Brazzaville where this is required
- Departure tax of US$30 from Brazzaville
DEPARTURE & SEASON DATES
Departing every Thursday starting from 3 May 2012.
(Closed between 27 September 2012 to 05 December 2012 and
26 September 2013 to 04 December 2013.)
INSURANCE COVER
Due to the remote location of Odzala it is a requirement for all travellers to ensure that they have a minimum of US $100,000 medical
evacuation cover in case of any emergencies. Additional cover above this figure will also be required for in-house hospital costs and for this
purpose we would recommend a minimum of US$50,000.
| 2012 rates |
Odzala-Kokoua 6 Nights / 7 Days Safari |
| RACK RATES |
$6,000 /per person double occupancy |
Single Supp: $3,600 |
(valid for travel 3 May 2012 until 9 January 2013)
|
