The recent discovery of clearings (known as Bais) far away from areas ever explored by white men has proved to be one of, if not the greatest, wild discoveries for decades. Here in the marshy clearings where sunlight has been able to reach the forest floor and where grasses and Papyrus can grow, forest Elephants gather to feed and socialize and in doing so keep these oasis of light open as lush feeding grounds for previously unstudied groups of remarkable Lowland Gorillas.

This trip includes Nouabale-Ndoki and Dzanga-Sangha National Parks at the famous Mbeli and Dzanga bais. We enter a pristine region full of wildlife. Here we spend time watching Lowland Gorillas and forest Elephants amongst a myriad of other rarely seen and quite beautiful forest wildlife and birds from the comfort of miradors [Large covered viewing platforms]. We also spend time tracking gorillas on foot with Ba-aka Pygmy trackers. A highlight of the trip is an uncontrived day spent with the Ba-aka, joining them on a traditional net hunt, and gaining an insight into the medicinal and food plants of the forest and perhaps food preparation and shelter building.

This is an adventurous safari and a basic level of fitness is required as you will be climbing in and out of Pirogues (dugout canoes) and walking in forest trails, you will at times be hot, uncomfortable (numb bums in canoes) and probably wet, you will also probably be bitten by the odd mozi, but this is the Congo. We will travel in 4 x 4 wheel drive vehicles, motorised pirogues, small pirogues powered by Pygmy and Bantu tribesmen, and on foot into the remotest parts of the jungle, and yet your accommodation will be surprisingly comfortable with private bathroom facilities and cold drinks. This kind of safari brings together like minded people and friends are easily made. This is simply a unique safari to a unique place, we hope you can make it .

 Day 1: The tour begins in Bangui, where we will be met at the airport and transferred to our hotel.  

About your tour leader: 
Rod Cassidy is an experienced bird watcher and wildlife tour leader. He has been leading tours for over 20 years and has been to many places from the Antarctic to the tropical forests of the Congo.

Rods specific interests are in Africa - birds, small mammals (especially bats) and large primates (chimpanzees and gorillas). But forests anywhere in the world fascinate him. His love for wildlife started at a very young age. At school he was already an avid birdwatcher and with this interest and focus on birds he started his career at the Fitzpatrick Institute for Ornithology, University of Cape Town. He worked on various research projects, which took him to the Antarctic, Subantarctic islands (Marion Island) and the Cape Province. Later he joined the Transvaal Museum in Pretoria where he worked with researchers in birds and small mammals, particularly bats. At that time (1982) he also started teaching bird identification courses and leading bird trips.