BE FIRST TO TRACK RARE WESTERN LOWLAND GORILLAS… FABULOUS 9 DAY GORILLAS & WILDLIFE ITINERARY
Fabulous new 9 Day Gorillas & Wildlife Itinerary Odzala National Park
Rep of CONGO (BRAZZAVILLE) - A truly unforgettable experience
From £6000 per person, including flights, based on 2 persons sharing OFFER: £200 discount per person for bookings made in February
Departures from May-December Perfect as a unique, one-off itinerary or as a tailor-made add-on to your safari in East or Southern Africa Price includes: • International air travel to/from Brazzaville on Air France or Kenya Airways from London • Internal flights (Brazzaville to M’boko airstrip and return) • Transportation from M’boko airstrip to Lango Camp and return transfer, plus Lango Camp to Ngaga Camp and return transfer • Accommodation on full-board basis with 3 nights at Lango Camp and 3 nights at Ngaga Camp • All local drinks not including premium imported brands or champagne • Laundry at camps • Pre and post trip accommodation in Brazzaville, breakfast and return airport transfers Photo courtesy of Odzala Wilderness Camps
DISCOVER A RIVER BASIN STEEPED IN HISTORY AND INTRIGUE... “Going up that river was like travelling back to the earliest beginnings of the world, when vegetation rioted on the earth and the big trees were kings” – Joseph Conrad, 1898
STANLEY, LIVINGSTONE & BRAZZA
Pierre Savorgnan de Brazza in his version of “native” dress
From lowly beginnings in Denbigh, Wales, Sir Henry Morton Stanley would go on to lead an extraordinary life of discovery and adventure, often not in the best taste. The illegitimate son of John Rowlands Snr and Elizabeth Parry, Stanley was actually named John Rowlands, born in a cottage outside Denbigh Castle. Brought up in St Asaph’s workhouse from the age of six, he left in 1859 to seek his fortune at sea, becoming a cabin-boy on a ship bound for New Orleans. Here he was befriended by American Henry Hope Stanley, from whom he adopted his name. Whilst in America Stanley fought for both sides in the civil war, finally joining the navy in an attempt to avoid the terrible conditions of the prison camps. He then became a journalist, joining the ‘New York Herald’ in 1867. Travelling widely in Asia, Africa and Europe, in 1869 he was commissioned by his editor to locate the missing explorer Doctor David Livingstone in “the dark continent”. David Livingstone’s explorations, carried on by Henry Morton Stanley, excited imaginations. But at first, Stanley’s grandiose ideas for colonisation found little support owing to the problems and scale of action required, except from Leopold II of Belgium, who in 1876 had organised the International African Association.
Livingstone’s route across Africa
Sir Henry Morton Stanley
Photo courtesy of Mike Myers, Wilderness Safaris
From 1869 to 1874, Stanley was secretly sent by Leopold II to the Congo region, where he made treaties with several African chiefs along the Congo River and by 1882 had sufficient territory to form the basis of the Congo Free State. Leopold II personally owned the colony from 1885 and used it as a source of ivory and rubber. While Stanley was exploring Congo on behalf of Léopold II of Belgium, the Franco-Italian marine officer Pierre de Brazza travelled into the western Congo basin and raised the French flag over the newly founded Brazzaville in 1881, thus occupying today's Republic of the Congo. Portugal, which also claimed the area due to old treaties with the native Kongo Empire, made a treaty with Britain on 26 February 1884 to block off the Congo Society’s access to the Atlantic.
YOUR JOURNEY
Congo (Brazzaville) is accessed from Paris, Nairobi and Johannesburg on certain days. Call +44 (0) 203 355 4472 or email enquiry@jpsluxurysafaris.com for more information
RECOMMENDED READING BEFORE YOUR TRIP Into Africa” – by Martin Dugard, depicts the Stanley/ Livingstone story like never before, beautifully written and entirely gripping.
retelling which reads like an epic adventure story, tracing the journeys of the two men in alternate chapters until they meet up.
Even if you are au fait with the story of how the journalist Henry Morton Stanley was sent to find the ‘missing’ British explorer David Livingstone in the unmapped interior of Africa, you will enjoy this
Based on thorough research of this golden age of exploration, it tells the Livingstone/Stanley saga without getting bogged down in unnecessary detail.
To get you into the mood before your departure, we will send you a hardback copy of “Into Africa” to read in advance
TROPICAL MOIST BROADLEAF FOREST ECOSYSTEM HABITAT OF THE WESTERN LOWLAND GORILLA
CONGO (BRAZZAVILLE)
YOUR ROUTE TO ODZALA-KOKOUA NATIONAL PARK
ODZALA-KOKOUA NATIONAL PARK, CONGO (BRAZZAVILLE) Area: 13,500km2 Odzala-Kokoua National Park lies in the north western section of Congo, bordering Gabon. The park falls within the heart of the world’s second largest tropical rainforest, the Congo Basin. It was established in 1935 during the French colonial period but was extended in 2001 in consultation with local communities. Odzala is one of three signature areas forming part of the 191,541km2 trans-boundary mosaic known as the Tridom Project. It consists of vast stretches of frontier forest, with sections of savanna-forest mosaic and Marantaceae forest, as well as unique clearings called bais in which animals often congregate. The biological diversity of the region is exceptional with 114 mammals, of which 16 are primate species, more than 400 bird species and in excess of 4,400 varieties of plants. Forest elephant, a recently recognised full species, are also frequently observed both in savannah areas and forest fringe as well as along the Lekoli River. Charismatic forest buffalo are also abundant. Antelope diversity is equally exciting and includes bongo, sitatunga and black-fronted duiker.
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Red river hog, harnessed bushbuck, grey duiker and Peters' duiker are regularly seen in the M'boko and Lango areas while a number of other difficult-to-observe forest duiker species are occasionally encountered. Hippo occur in the Lekoli River but are secretive and rare. Night drives can deliver spotted hyaena, golden cat and water chevrotain.
The Park has the highest number (11) of diurnal primates for any forest block in central Africa. Apart from Africa's highest concentration of western lowland gorilla and central Africa's highest density of chimpanzees, other fairly visible species include guereza colobus and greycheeked mangabey. Agile mangabey, De Brazza's monkey, Northern talapoin, crowned monkey, black and white colobus and putty-nosed monkey are all regularly seen in their preferred habitats. Odzala also harbours 430 bird species including many specials such as Black Guineafowl, White-crested Tiger-heron, Congo Serpent-eagle, Vermiculated FishingOwl, Grey-headed Broadbill, Grey Parrot and White-throated blue swallow.
Photo: Courtesy of Odzala Wilderness Camps
Forest birding can be frustrating but persistence will be rewarded with jewels such as black-casqued wattled hornbill, bare-cheeked trogon, Lyretailed Honeyguide, Gabon Woodpecker, Chestnut Wattle-eye and several understorey skulkers such as greenbuls, alethes and akalats.
ODZALA-KOKOUA NATIONAL PARK, CONGO (BRAZZAVILLE) Conservation Initiatives in the Congo, Serengeti-Mara and Seychelles The presence of high value camps in each ecosystem is one of the most effective tools for preserving pristine environments and the lands on which they operate. By way of employing and training local people to work in each operation, a strong value is given to the protection of the areas and the wildlife within the respective habitats. In the Congo basin the primary rainforest found elsewhere in the region is under threat from logging and poaching, in the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem the tourism dollars generated by high value tourism secure the future of the land over which the migration passes, and on Seychelles' North Island a complete tropical island ecosystem is safe for the reintroduction of threatened local species of flora and fauna, such as providing a safe haven for green turtle nesting. All camps support research and conservation activities, providing a supportive base for biologists and conservationists. Keeping a watchful eye over these delicate and intact ecosystems is of paramount importance in the world today and we only select properties and operations which have a major positive impact in the protection of the lands in which they operate, and those that focus on responsible tourism experiences. Conservation through high value, low impact tourism is one of the most important contributors to global conservation and habitat preservation today, as well as the spreading of first hand awareness to guests and local communities.
African Parks
African Parks is a non-profit organisation that takes responsibility for the rehabilitation and long-term management of national parks, in partnership with governments and local communities. By adopting a business approach to conservation, supported by donor funding, they aim to make each park sustainable in the long-term, thereby contributing to economic development and poverty alleviation. They currently manage seven parks in six countries – Chad, Congo, DRC, Malawi, Rwanda and Zambia – with a combined area of 4.1 million hectares. Get involved with African parks If you are inspired by the work that African Parks (visit www.african-parks.org) is doing, they invite you to get involved. There are many ways to assist their conservation activities and welcome a discussion on how you may like to contribute to the parks that they manage and the local communities who surround them. You can choose to contribute in a number of different ways via one of the charitable entities they have set up in the USA, United Kingdom and the Netherlands. Get involved as a strategic partner African Parks strategic partners are institutions, corporations and individuals who have the ability and desire to make a long term impact on wildlife conservation in Africa. These partners represent its core group of funders who fundamentally support its management model and whose contributions ensure the sustainability of its parks. Funding contributions typically exceed US$25,000 per year. If you would like to learn more about how to get involved, please contact: Peter Fearnhead, Chief Executive Officer: peterf@african-parks.org Jane Edge, Director Marketing and Philanthropy: janee@african-parks.org
www.african-parks.org Photos: Courtesy of Odzala Wilderness Camps
Healthy populations of bongo antelope can be found in Odzala– Craig McIntosh
Photo courtesy of African parks
Photo courtesy of Dana Allen, Wilderness Safaris
Photo courtesy of Mike Myers, Wilderness Safaris
Night drives can reveal elusive leopards
6 NIGHT PROGRAMME - COMBINING LANGO & NGAGA CAMPS
Photo courtesy of Andrew Howard, Wilderness Safaris
LANGO CAMP, ODZALA-KOKOUA NATIONAL PARK 3 NIGHTS
Lango Camp’s design was inspired B’Aka Pygmy groups, with a special location on the edge of the savannah, and boat access to the Lekoli and Mambili Rivers. All materials for the building of the camp were sourced sustainably and it is wonderful to have the privilege of such a comfortable retreat in the heart of this remarkable ecotone (transition from thick rainforest to more open tropical wet savannah).
Photo courtesy of Andrew Howard, Wilderness Safaris
LANGO CAMP, ODZALA-KOKOUA NATIONAL PARK CAMP DESCRIPTION • Nestled in dense gallery forest with each room overlooking the productive Lango Bai • Activities - access Lango Bai and adjacent forests, as well as the nearby savannah and Lekoli River • Dining room, lounge and bar area are all on raised decks overlooking the bai with roofing of traditional woven raffia palm panels • Walkways connect the rooms to the public areas • A star deck and fire pit sit on a dropped deck overlooking the bai for after dinner drinks
GAME VIEWING Forest Elephant, Forest Buffalo, Western Sitatunga and Spotted Hyena are regular visitors to the bai and can be seen at any time of the day. Nocturnal visitors to the bai include the rare Bongo, Leopard and Red River Hog. Harnessed Bushbuck and various forest duiker species can be encountered nearby and Guereza Colobus monkeys are resident in camp.
Big tusker forest elephants are commonly seen in the area
Other primates such as Grey-cheeked, Mangabey and Moustached Monkey are commonly seen nearby, while Chimpanzees are regularly heard from camp. Hippo occur in the Lekoli River and Serval cats are regularly seen in the savannah.
ACTIVITIES
Photographing forest buffalo on a walking safari
The focus of activities at Lango is on the bais, salines, rivers and savannahs with most of the activities being a combination of walking and boating, together with some driving. • Walking through the forests and streams, bais and salines • Day and night game drives • Boating on the Lekoli River in motorised pirogues • Birding • Fishing on a catch-and-release basis
Boating on the Lekoli River in motorised pirogues
All Photos courtesy of Odzala Wilderness Camps
LANGO CAMP, ODZALA-KOKOUA NATIONAL PARK
Raised walkway snaking through forest to guest room
Superb views over rich forest, right from your bed
Photos: courtesy of Andrew Howard, Wilderness Safaris
LANGO CAMP, ODZALA-KOKOUA NATIONAL PARK
Relax in comfort
Fine dining in a fabulous setting
Leave for two hour road transfer to Ngaga Camp through savannah, forest and Mbomo Village
Photos: Courtesy of Odzala Wilderness Camps
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NGAGA CAMP, ODZALA-KOKOUA NATIONAL PARK
Photo courtesy of Odzala Wilderness Camps
NGAGA CAMP, Heart of the Congo Basin 3 Nights Located on the Western boundary of Odzala-Kokoua National Park
CAMP DESCRIPTION Ngaga Camp is in the heart of a marantaceae forest, and consists of six creatively designed guest rooms, taking inspiration from the designs of the local B’Aka Pygmy groups. Naturally sourced materials are used extensively in the construction of the camps, sustainably harvested hardwoods, bamboo and raffia palm matting.
Each room has a 360° wraparound viewing walkway
Each of the guest rooms is raised 3-4m above the ground with a wraparound walkway allowing full appreciation of the forest canopy. The same use of natural materials is a feature of large comfortable hides at the bais where guests spend time waiting for and watching forest wildlife. This is the world’s second largest expanse of tropical rainforest. It holds Africa’s densest population of western lowland gorillas and significant populations of forest elephant. It is also renowned as the richest forest block in central Africa for primates, with eleven diurnal species recorded and more than 100 mammal species - of which around 50 are classified as medium- or large-sized. Activities consist of gorilla tracking (habituated groups) and time spent walking at the mystical forest bais (natural forest clearings).
Dining room, lounge and bar area are all on raised decks overlooking the bai with roofing of traditional woven raffia palm panels Middle and bottom photos courtesy of Andrew Howard, Wilderness Safaris
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NGAGA CAMP, ODZALA-KOKOUA NATIONAL PARK
GAME VIEWING
ACTIVITIES
Ngaga Camp is at the epicentre of a population of western lowland gorillas and three different groups of this great ape are tracked and viewed here. While tracking gorillas, other primates are encountered, with Putty-nosed Monkey and Crowned Monkey being the most common.
The focus at Ngaga is on tracking and observing western lowland gorillas as well as on the tropical lowland rainforest experience. As a result of the work done by gorilla researchers Dr Magda Bermejo and German Illera, three habituated groups of gorillas (Neptuno, Jupiter, Mercurio) can be tracked and observed in the area around Ngaga Camp.
Chimpanzee also occur in the area and are occasionally encountered when on foot, but are more often heard than seen. However, their leaf nests are obvious in the canopy. Night walks are also undertaken from camp with the intention of seeing nocturnal primates such as the Central Potto and various galago species. The Hammer Bat, Africa’s largest fruit bat, is also regularly encountered roosting in the trees above.
• Gorilla tracking and observation • Forest trail walks during the day in search of primates and birds • Forest trail walks after dark in search of nocturnal mammals • Birding
A fire pit and deck sit on the banks of the pristine Ngaga Stream below camp Photos: Courtesy of Odzala Wilderness Camps
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NGAGA CAMP, ODZALA-KOKOUA NATIONAL PARK
Photo: Courtesy of Odzala Wilderness Camps
Photo: Courtesy of Andrew Howard, Wilderness Safaris
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Relax in style
Listen to the sounds of the jungle
NGAGA CAMP, ODZALA-KOKOUA NATIONAL PARK
The focus at Ngaga is on tracking and observing western lowland gorillas
Ngaga Camp is at the epicentre of a population of western lowland gorillas and three different groups of this great ape are tracked and viewed here All photos courtesy of Odzala Wilderness Camps
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The Western Lowland Gorilla Different to their distant highland relatives in the forests of Rwanda, Uganda and DRC, the Western Lowland Gorilla inhabits an ethereal, lowland rainforest environment, alternating between the thick jungle and the open bais. In Odzala, the experience of tracking this species of gorilla is heightened by the fact that they have had very little exposure to tourism. This means that one often feels as if one is being observed, rather than vice versa. Adding to the excitement and authenticity of the gorilla interactions, observing western lowland gorillas in Odzala is a truly wild experience, tracking through deep lowland rainforest and often encountering the primates in the trees as well as on the ground.
SPECIAL OFFER: ÂŁ200 discount per person for bookings made in February
Speak to one of our Africa Experts on 0203 355 4472 or enquiry@jpsluxurysafaris.com
Jonathan Peach - MD
JONATHAN PEACH LUXURY SAFARIS JPS LUXURY SAFARIS part of the JPS Global Group
+44 (0)203 355 4472 enquiry@jpsluxurysafaris.com
www.jpsluxurysafaris.com 389 City Road, London, EC1V 1NA
Jonathan Peach Luxury Safaris