“One of Africa’s least known and most extraordinary tropical forest ecosystems”

One of the most isolated areas in Central Africa: a dense rainforest canopy shelters the steamy jungle underneath, occasionally giving way to island-like clearings called ‘bais’, also known as ‘salines’ - a vision of wildlife paradise.

Odzala National Park is located in the heart of the great Congo basin rainforest in the Republic of Congo. One of the unique features of the Park is the presence of many forest clearings, offering marvellous game viewing opportunities.

These clearings appear to be created and maintained by the high number of large mammals that are attracted to them by the mineral salts in the soils, and by particular plant species that grow here. Gorilla, bongo and elephant, giant forest hog, bush pig and sitatunga are all regular visitors to these clearings. The area has been relatively well protected until now, as a result of its isolation and a low human population density.

Venture into these oases for a rare opportunity to witness this unusual sharing of space, and unique interaction between species.

Oxpeckers, cattle egrets and other birds are in abundance here, their co-existence with the forest elephants and gorillas unseen anywhere else.
This is a place that time and Africa’s wild pace of development have forgotten.

Journey the meandering rivers, amidst a sea of trees.... to open your eyes upon a rarely seen ecosystem.