A Visitor's Guide of the Republic of Congo

In this blog, I share my personal experiences in the stunning Republic of Congo, debunk common travel misconceptions, and recount my recent gorilla trekking adventure.

The Republic of Congo (ROC) is located in Central Africa and is bordered by the Democratic Republic of Cong (DRC), Central African Republic (CAR), Cameroon, and Gabon as depicted in the below map.

• Ethiopian Airlines (Daily)
• Air France
• RwandAir (not daily)
• Royal Air Maroc (Casablanca)

The Republic of Congo, often referred to as Congo-Brazzaville to distinguish it from its neighbor, the Democratic Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire), has a rich and complex history.

• Pre-Colonial Era
  The region that is now the Republic of Congo has been inhabited for thousands of years by various ethnic groups, including the Bantu peoples. These groups established thriving societies, engaging in agriculture, fishing, and trade.
• Colonial Era
  European exploration of the Congo Basin began in the late 19th century, leading to the establishment of French control over the area that is now the Republic of Congo. France officially colonized the region in the late 19th century and integrated it into French Equatorial Africa.
• Pierre Savorgnan de Brazza, often referred to simply as Brazza, played a significant role in the history of the Republic of Congo, particularly in its early colonial period.
• Exploration and Colonization
  Brazza, an Italian-born French explorer, undertook several expeditions into Central Africa in the late 19th century, funded by the French government and private interests. His explorations focused on the Congo Basin, where he established friendly relations with local African leaders, including the Teke chief Makoko.
• Establishment of French Control
  Brazza’s diplomatic skills and ability to negotiate treaties with indigenous leaders helped France establish its control over the region. In 1880, Brazza signed a treaty with Makoko that granted France sovereignty over a vast territory in the Congo Basin, laying the groundwork for the establishment of French Equatorial Africa.
• 1881 – establishing Brazzaville
  In 1881, Brazza founded the city of Brazzaville on the Congo River, strategically located across from the existing settlement of Kinshasa (then known as Leopoldville) in what is now the Democratic Republic of Congo. Brazzaville served as the capital of French Equatorial Africa and played a crucial role in the colonial administration of the region.

Odzala-Kokoua National Park, located in the Republic of Congo, is a biodiverse wilderness area renowned for its pristine rainforests, diverse wildlife, and unique ecosystems. Here’s a short history of the park:

• The Formation – Odzala-Kokoua National Park was established in 1935 as a wildlife reserve by the French colonial administration. Initially covering a smaller area, the park was expanded over the years to protect more extensive tracts of rainforest and its inhabitants.
• The Biodiversity – The park is part of the Congo Basin, one of the world’s most significant tropical rainforest regions. Odzala-Kokoua is home to a remarkable array of flora and fauna, including forest elephants, western lowland gorillas, chimpanzees, forest buffalo, and a variety of bird species. The park’s ecosystems range from dense primary rainforest to swampy marshlands, providing habitats for a diverse range of species.
• Conservation Efforts – Since its establishment, Odzala-Kokoua has been the focus of various conservation efforts aimed at preserving its natural heritage. Conservation organizations, government agencies, and local communities work together to combat threats such as poaching, deforestation, and illegal logging, while also promoting sustainable tourism as a means of supporting conservation initiatives and local livelihoods.
• African Parks Partnership – In 2010, the Congolese government entered into a partnership with African Parks to improve the management and conservation of Odzala-Kokoua National Park. African Parks is renowned for its successful track record in rehabilitating and effectively managing protected areas across Africa.

Overall, the collaboration between African Parks and the Congolese government in Odzala-Kokoua National Park demonstrates the potential for public-private partnerships to achieve conservation goals, protect biodiversity, and promote sustainable development in Africa’s most critical wilderness areas.

Let’s address a few misconceptions around visiting Congo and at the same time answer the question – Why Visit the Republic of Congo?

This was the first reaction when I told family, friends and even work colleagues and industry friends that I was visiting the Congo. There is a clear distinction between The Republic of Congo (ROC) and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). While they share a border, they are worlds apart in terms of the tourist experience.

From hiking through the dense rainforest in search of the tree-dwelling lowland Gorillas, wading through the bai’s (lagoons) in waist-deep rivers to witness the elusive forest elephants, buffalo, and abundant birdlife. It’s a slow boat ride along the waterways as the Pels fishing owl swoops above you or flocks of African Greys try to settle undisturbed for a morning of feeding.

It’s a night drive in the patches of savanna’s in search of the region’s apex predator, the hyena, or even the more elusive golden cat. It’s about spending half a day in the rainforest learning about the insects, fungi, plants that make up this magical biosphere. So yes, this is an active and participative safari, but throughout your stay, the fantastic guides are on hand to guide, support and help you as you hike, canoe, wade and amble your way through different parts of the forest.

It is very safe with few large predators (no crocs and large cats e.g. lion or leopard). The guides are extremely respectful of the environment and do their best to ensure guests have as minimal impact as possible on the local ecosystems. There are bugs, which goes hand-in-hand with any rainforest environment, but as long as you wear light-weight, long sleeved shirt and long trousers you can mitigate this inconvenience.

There are currently three lodges that make up a minimum 7-night itinerary. Ngaga (Gorillas), Lango (waterways) and Mboko (land safari and waterways). They are well appointed, with all the luxury elements that you would expect from an eco safari experience. This includes super comfortable bedding, spacious rooms, inviting public areas and exceptional cuisine throughout.

So, in my personal experience, this destination is accessible to a far wider range of visitors than I had originally thought.

The Kamba Rainforest Experience in Odzala region offers a truly unique nature and wildlife experience. This is not about ticking the “Big Five Box”, but for those looking for a deep dive experience that explores not only one of the world’s largest rainforests, but also how governments, NGO’s, eco-hospitality organisations and local communities have come together to develop this product.

It is an eco-experience in the true sense of the word. It will appeal to travellers who are active, who enjoy adventure, yet still are looking for a level of luxury throughout. Possibly, it may be too intense for a first-time visitor to Africa, but I would not rule this out. What a better first-time experience than visiting a region totally unspoilt and still undeveloped?

It is also a fantastic cultural immersion – it is fascinating to see how different organisations, governments and local communities have all come together to preserve this fragile environment.

The species of gorilla one finds in Odzala is the Western Lowland Gorilla different to the Mountain Gorillas found in Rwanda and Uganda. These are tree-dwelling apes, small in stature and certainly less habituated.

There are only three habituated families with the fourth currently being habituated. This is mostly due to the ground-breaking studies of Dr Magda Bermejo who has dedicated her life’s work to understanding the gorillas.

Gorilla sightings are reliable, but viewing is dependent on weather and tracking conditions. The range of tracking can be between 1 – 8km, depending on where the families are to be found. The undergrowth can be thick however and, including the time spent with the gorillas, excursions can last between 2 to 7 hours.

The apes follow a daily routine, with the group leaving their overnight tree nests in the cool of early morning and foraging on the move, until locating a productive feeding site for the day. This is the best place to view the family. For some sightings, the family will be on the move and for others will have them stationery at their habitual root mining sites.

The group size is a maximum of 4 guests plus a ranger and a tracker allowing for an extremely intimate experience. The trek departs directly from the lodge, mostly on foot, in the early morning. Guests get to spend a maximum of 1 hour with the gorillas at a maximum proximity to the gorillas of 7 metres (22 feet). Generally, one hikes in silence so as not to disturb the wildlife and to allow the tracker the opportunity to listen for the signs and no food is permitted. Currently, masks are required when guests are in close proximity to the animals.

On our first hike, we trekked for around 6 hours and in the end did not get a sighting, but on the second day, we were rewarded with a fantastic sighting of the family just 30 minutes from the lodge.

This is a summary of what my recent 7-night itinerary to the Republic of Congo encompassed, the stay was across three lodges.

Important to know: You are required to arrive the day before, so your actual first night is in Brazzaville, to be ready for the after-breakfast departure. You will also have a COVID test taken at the hotel the day before.

My 7-night itinerary to the Republic of Congo: