An Incredible Cruise Experience in the Heart of the Congo

Day 1 : Brazzaville
You arrive in Brazzaville and get to know your ship, crew and fellow passengers.

Day 2 : Brazzaville
Your first day begins with a short tour of the city of Brazzaville, during which you can admire the cathedral or visit the Congo Basin Museum. Later, you join the boat to begin the journey up the Congo River towards the forest. During this time, get to know your guides and discover the history of the Congo through a short animation.

Day 3: Ngabe
You dock near the village of Ngabe in the morning, one of the ancient capitals of the Téké kingdom. You visit the current Queen Ngalifourou, a highly influential figure in the kingdom considered to be the guardian of the spiritual god of the Betéké. You will then be treated to a traditional dance performance. At the end of the day, you arrive at the Lefini estuary, where hippos rest peacefully. In the evening, you will attend a presentation on the Téké kingdom and ask any questions you may have.

Day 4: Mossaka
Continue your journey along the Congo River, admiring the many small islands before you. Watch the birds and contemplate the captivating scenery as you make your way to Mossaka, a fishing village popular for its smoked fish. Step back in time on a tour of colonial remains before continuing along the Sangha River. You will enter a wild and isolated territory, progressing into the heart of the impenetrable swamp forest where you will meet the indigenous Sangha-sangha people. At the end of the day, your guides will give you a talk on the Congo ecosystem.

Day 5: In the heart of the Sangha
Your navigation continues along the river as you travel along small streams by kayak or motorboat. Not far from your path is Lake Télé, a place steeped in mystery and legend, in which a dinosaur is said to have been spotted: the Mokele Mbembe. The vegetation is omnipresent, drawing your attention, and you will discover, among other things, plants used in pharmacology. If you want, you can also go fishing here.

Day 6: Pikounda
Set course for the village of Pikounda, where you arrive in the late afternoon after a day's sailing in total forest immersion. In small groups, you will meet the Pygmies, one of the two peoples living in this region, and have the chance to experience their daily life and better understand their culture and customs through the harvesting of vegetable products, the collection of plants, and fishing. Dinner and an evening in a clearing in the company of the Pygmies, who will share with you the stories of their people, using mime and song to bring these tales to life. A truly unforgettable evening.

Day 7: Ntokou-Pikounda Park
You will travel up a tributary of the Sangha River for around fifteen kilometres, skirting the northern border of the Ntokou-Pikounda Park. Here you can try to spot a rare species: Bouvier's red colobus, a small monkey with orange fur. Later in the afternoon, you will reach the Ndoki River, where you will see hippos in their natural habitat. You can then liven up your evening with a presentation on the pygmy populations in the face of modernity.

Day 8: Pokola - Bomassa
Today you will arrive in Pokola where you will share a moment with representatives of a forestry company who will talk to you about sustainable forest management in the Congo, before continuing your journey along the Sangha River. The depth varies and sometimes becomes very shallow, so you will have to slalom between the sandbanks to avoid them. You finally arrive at Bomassa to get as close as possible to the Sangha Trinational, a natural site comprising 3 national parks covering a total area of 750,000 hectares, relatively unspoiled by human activity. The site is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and forms a meeting point between Cameroon, Congo and the Central African Republic.

Day 9: Shanga Trinational
You will explore one of the three national parks, the Nouabalé-Ndoki Park. To ensure the best possible experience, you are divided into small groups of no more than 9 people, and you'll begin your immersion in a region with little human impact, where flora and fauna thrive in complete freedom.

Day 10: Mondika (Shanga Trinational)
Wake up early to head to a scientific camp (Mondika) to track a group of lowland gorillas. Accompanied by your guides, you will track them by observing and analysing the traces they leave behind. This tracking work will lead you right to them! You'll have the chance to study them for almost an hour from less than 10 metres away. The gorillas, unperturbed, continue their usual activities: squabbling, feeding or napping. On the way back, you'll come across other wild animals. For total immersion, you will spend the night in a safari tent (with individual shower and dry toilet). You will sit back and debrief the day's activities in this relaxed atmosphere.

Day 11: Bai de Mbeli (Shanga Trinational)
Depart at dawn to reach the Baï de Mbeli (40 min by car, 1 h by pirogue and 40 min walk) where you will undertake a 6-hour expedition. You will find yourself in a clearing inhabited by many animals, all attracted by the mineral-rich waters. Perched at the top of a viewpoint, you'll witness an incredible wildlife spectacle observing gorillas, elephants, bushpigs, sitatungas and forest buffalo. If you're lucky, you might even cross paths with a pangolin.

Day 12 : Bomassa - Ouesso
You leave Bomassa in the late afternoon and sail towards Ouesso. Take a seat on the observation deck and enjoy your last few moments of peace and quiet, taking in the extraordinary flora and fauna as you return to civilisation.

Day 13: Ouesso
Disembark in the morning, then a 5-hour drive and an hour's plane ride back to your point of departure: Brazzaville. You'll fly over the jungle canopy, comprising one of the largest forests in the world. Once you arrive in Brazzaville, you can visit the market for traditional objects and crafts and meet the locals for the last time. The tour ends in the evening.

Please note: This cruise is also possible for the reverse trip: Ouesso / Brazzaville (10 nights on the boat, 1 night in a hotel in Brazzaville, and 1 night in safari tent). In this case, you will spend the first night in a hotel in Brazzaville. The next day, you will make it to Ouesso after 1 hour's flight (a plane with 19 places) and 5 hours driving.

Important: Gorilla tracking is suspended until further notice due to a large number of recent deaths. This excursion will be replaced by mangabey monkey tracking (or another activity, depending on local circumstances). Vaccinations are still compulsory (yellow fever, polio, meningitis, measles).