Travel to Congo

Our trips take us to the Republic of the Congo—also known as Congo-Brazzaville—not to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Although the two countries share a border, they are separate nations. The inventia expeditions focus on the rainforest regions of the Congo Basin and the Odzala-Kokoua National Park.

From Brazzaville, you can take a small plane to remote lodges in the interior or travel along the Congo and Alima Rivers through regions that are accessible only by water. Gorilla trekking, river safaris, and wildlife viewing in the rainforest are the highlights of a vacation in the Republic of the Congo.

Why travel to the Republic of the Congo?

• Experience Western lowland gorillas —in habituated groups in Odzala-Kokoua National Park
• The second-largest rainforest on Earth —the Congo Basin is one of the most biodiverse ecosystems on our planet
• Forest elephants, chimpanzees, and forest buffalo —wildlife sightings in the rainforests of Central Africa
• River Safaris on the Congo and Alima Rivers – Journeys Through the Untouched River Landscapes of the Congo Basin
• Small-plane safari flights – Access to remote regions and lodges
• Baïs in the rainforest —natural forest clearings offering excellent opportunities for wildlife viewing

The Congo Basin—the world's second-largest rainforest

The Congo Basin spans several countries in Central Africa and, after the Amazon, is the second-largest contiguous rainforest on Earth. A significant portion of it lies in the Republic of the Congo—and is one of the least-visited regions on the continent.

You can’t explore the Congo Basin in a single day. You’ll travel along rivers, through primary forest, and into regions far removed from any tourist infrastructure. River systems shape the landscape and also serve as travel routes. Swamplands and savanna islands alternate within just a few kilometers.

In many parts of the Congo Basin, there are still very few roads, settlements, or tourist infrastructure. That is precisely what makes the region so appealing: trips take you through landscapes that have largely retained their original character.

Unlike in the safari regions of East Africa, the Congo Basin is not dominated by open savanna but by rainforest. Because of the dense vegetation, the landscape often only reveals itself at close range—whether on foot along forest trails or from a boat.

Western lowland gorillas in Odzala-Kokoua National Park

Gorilla trekking in the Republic of the Congo means encounters with western lowland gorillas—a different subspecies from the mountain gorillas that live in the mountainous regions of Uganda and Rwanda. Western lowland gorillas are somewhat smaller and live deep within the rainforest of the Congo Basin. The trek winds through dense undergrowth, along riverbeds, and through primary forest, where visibility is sometimes less than a hundred meters. You often don’t encounter a group until it is already in your immediate vicinity.

The most important habitat for gorilla trekking with inventia-Reisen is the Odzala-Kokoua National Park in the northwest of the country. Founded in 1935, the national park is one of the oldest protected areas in Central Africa; it has been a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve since 1977 and lies entirely within the Congo Basin. The protected area encompasses various ecosystems—primary forest, gallery forests, savanna islands, wetlands, and the characteristic baïs—and is home to several habituated gorilla groups. This means that these groups are accustomed to the presence of humans and can therefore be observed at close range under the guidance of experienced guides.

The lodges in Odzala—including Ngaga Camp, Lango Camp, and Mboko Camp—operate with very few guests. Each lodge is located in its own distinct ecosystem within the park and provides access to different landscapes, trekking routes, and wildlife viewing areas. By combining stays at multiple camps, you’ll experience the full breadth of Odzala—from the gorilla group in the forest to the Baï, where herds of elephants gather to salt lick.

Diverse Wildlife in the Congo Basin

The Congo Basin is home to an extraordinary variety of animal species that you may encounter during your trip:

• Western lowland gorillas – the highlight of many trips to Odzala-Kokoua National Park
• Forest elephants —smaller than their savanna relatives, often seen at baïs
• Chimpanzees —found in several regions of the Congo Basin
• Forest buffalo —more shy than steppe buffalo, typical of dense rainforest
• Bongo antelopes —one of Africa’s rarest antelope species, reddish-brown with white stripes, native to the dense rainforest
• Birdlife – the Congo Basin is one of the continent’s most bird-rich regions, home to numerous endemic and rare species
• Bonobos – available only as an additional experience on select trips

Wildlife Sightings at the Baïs

Baïs are natural forest clearings with mineral-rich soils that regularly attract wild animals to lick and scratch at the ground. They form in areas where the soil has high concentrations of salt—and are regularly visited by forest elephants, buffalo, primates, and various species of antelope, sometimes in large groups and sometimes for many hours at a time.

The animals come of their own accord, at predictable times, and are hardly disturbed by observers on the lodges’ viewing platforms. Instead of active game drives, you’ll experience a different kind of encounter here—focused, quiet observation that sometimes reveals more than any guided walk.

River Safaris on the Congo and the Alima

A Congo safari is an expedition on the water rather than a jeep ride through the savanna. These trips differ significantly from a traditional river cruise: Instead of large ships, you’ll travel aboard the boutique vessel Princesse Ngalessa through remote regions of the Congo Basin—with a maximum of 28 guests on board, on routes that no regular cruise ship can reach. The Congo is the deepest river in the world and one of the most water-rich rivers of all. It separates the Republic of the Congo from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and shapes the entire ecosystem of the basin.

Several of our trips consistently focus on the river. The “Mighty Congo” expedition travels approximately 800 kilometers along the Congo and Alima Rivers—aboard the boutique ship Princesse Ngalessa through river landscapes that lie far from any road. Access to remote stretches of forested riverbanks, tranquil side channels, and spots where the primary forest reaches right down to the water’s edge is possible only by water. Boat trips at sunrise, kayaking on quiet side channels, and wildlife viewing from the deck—these are experiences that a lodge-based trip simply cannot replicate.

How to Travel in the Republic of the Congo

In addition to river safaris on the Congo and Alima rivers, inventia offers other ways to explore the Republic of the Congo. Many tours begin and end in Brazzaville and combine several regions, lodges, or travel options into a single, cohesive itinerary.

Flight Safaris: By small plane, you can reach the lodges in Odzala-Kokoua in just a few hours, saving yourself days of travel on rough roads. From the air, you’ll also get your first glimpse of the vastness of the Congo Basin, which is hard to fathom from the ground.

Lodge-to-Lodge Trips: Ngaga Camp, Lango Camp, and Mboko Camp in Odzala-Kokoua can be combined into a single, continuous lodge-to-lodge trip. Each camp is located in a different ecosystem: Ngaga focuses on gorilla trekking in the primary forest; Lango offers access to one of the park’s largest baïs; and Mboko is situated on the banks of the Lekoli River, at the boundary between the primary forest and the savanna, featuring outstanding birdlife and direct access to a large baï. By combining several camps, you’ll gain a multidimensional view of the rainforest—a Congo tour through Odzala’s diverse ecosystems that a single lodge cannot offer.

Combinations of river cruises and gorilla trekking: a river cruise to a remote forest area, gorilla trekking from there, and continuing the journey by river. Combined with bonobo trekking and cultural interactions with local communities, this creates an expedition that goes far beyond the traditional safari experience.