For a close encounter with a gorilla, you must go deep into the heart of the Congo basin no pricey permit needed, just a healthy spirit of adventure, the ability to stand very still and buckets of mosquito repellent.
The Democratic Republic of Congo is unlikely to be on most people’s holiday wishlists. But for those with a sense of adventure and an interest in wildlife, a trip to this Central African Country and its neighbour Congo is a genuine opportunity to be a pioneer, to quietly discover the treasures of these lush countries. Treasures here are endangered species such as the western lowland gorilla, the western chimpanzee and the African forest elephant, which can all be found in the unspoilt setting of the Congo basin, the world’s second largest tropical rain forest after amazon.
The buzz began at the end of 2012 with the opening of the first two Safari camps, Ngaga and Lando. The development of these two camps represented an important investment in Congo tourism, a country that is just beginning to attract visitors and develop travel opportunities. But the DRC and Congo have always drawn the die-hard adventure, keen to explore the mighty Cong river by Kayaking or hiking along the Cong – Nile trail.
Odzala – Kokoua National park was established in the 11930s and extends for 13,500 km2. The park is now managed by the Odzala foundation, a joint adventure between African parks and the Congolese government. It was a smart move to hook up with wilderness Safaris. Tourism initiative s such as this can do much to counter the ravages of mining that invariably destroys whole sections of the Congo basin rain forest, thus threatening the ecosystem.
Before the joint adventure the park has also suffered from poaching, uncontrolled agriculture, and illegal trafficking of ivory and bush meat – the flesh of all dwelling animals, including gorillas. Small scale ecotourism initiatives in unknown places such as DRC and Congo bring income and opportunities for local inhabitants and scientists who come here to conduct their research.
One of them is the most famous Spanish anthropologist Magdalena Bermejo who, together with her husband, German and her team, has been studying the western lowland gorillas since 2000. She lost her first study troop in Lossi to the Ebola epidermic and had to start again from scratch. Now Bermejo works together with wilderness Safaris to take guests staying at Ngaga Lodge to observe gorillas in a safe, animal-friendly manner, while continuing her research.
At present there are around 20,000 gorillas in this area. A couple of troops are regularly tracked from Ngaga Lodge and can generally be located and observed. “this is a unique opportunity for guests to observe the only true gorilla gorilla sub-species in the early stages of becoming accustomed to humans,” says Bermejo.
“It is completely different experience from gorilla trekking in Uganda or Rwanda where mountain gorillas are accustomed to seeing groups of people every day. Currently you can expect to pay around US$1500 per person to see highland gorillas in the Virunga volcanoes of Rwanda. The treks also tend to be a little shorter.
In Congo, a permit is not required and you can go gorilla trekking every day from Ngaga Lodge, and often, you will find yourselves the only tourists. There’s also a strong chance you will also come across western chimpanzees, a welcome bonus. The Ngaga Lodge trackers all come from nearby Mbomo village, where local coexist harmoniously with the gorillas. The animals are not hunted and their habitat is respected. Western guides accompanying groups come from all over the world and Bermejo and her team train them all.
Ngaga Lodge lies deep in the Ndzehi Forest, in a clearing surrounded by almost impenetrable jungle where Marantaceae leaves create a green, metres high carpet. Guests sleep in one of six luxurious lodges built with local materials and inspired by traditions of the local B’Aka pygmie tribes. Each offers a comfortable bed topped by a large mosquito net private toilet and warm shower and a terrace with an incredible in your face jungle view. According to the camp manager, the gorillas may one day approach campbut only when they become more accustomed to humans.
At Ngaga Lodge, you quickly forget that you are sitting in the middle of one of the most impenetrable jungles in the world. After a thorough briefing on the dos and don’ts of tracking gorillas. Its time for a welcome G&T in the lounge and a gourmet meal prepared by the French chef Jerome and his wife
With a maximum 12 guests in the camp, every one gets to know each other quicly. Next morning its an early start with mouth masks on to prevent transmitting any disease to the gorillas, a double layer of mosquito repellent and a hairnet against sweat bees (black files that fly into your eyes but don’t bite). Thoroughly wrapped against all manner of creepy crawlies (red ants, bees, ticks) we are ready to start our jungle trek.
Our tracker Gabin and guide Etienne lead the way in search of the silverback Neptuno and his family, the trackers know more or less beforehand where the gorillatroop is likely to be, but the animals move around so fast you can some times spend hours hiking through the jungle before you experience a close encounter.
After several intense and humid hours in the vegetation, we come across part of Neptuno’s troop: the silver back and his wife Roma with her one year old baby, which she carries across her body like a bag. Wisdom dictates a distance of seven metres and observers are advised to stand still even when charged. Visitors must listen carefully to their trackers and guides when in the company of gorillas only recently accustomed to humans. This is not Rwanda, and the atmosphere is much more tense and un predictable.
Neptuno demonstrates his might with a nerve – shattering roar to warn us off. He is intrigued by blonde hair and feels threatened by tall people. We are apparently equally fascinating for the troop, and they observe us closely too. It is an incredible experience, this sizing up of each other, and if you can remain calm, alert under curious, it s a moment to savour and remember forever.
