Activities

ACTIVITIES

Explore. Experience. Discover.


"And into the forest I go, to lose my mind and find my soul." 

It was pioneering Victorian naturalist and conservationist John Muir who captured the essence of what it means to be enveloped by trees in this classic quote.


There is something special about the rainforest around us at Sangha Lodge. It exudes its own unique spirit and teems with life in all forms, shapes and sizes, from the tiniest fungus to the charismatic megafauna that have made Africa renowned across the world. Staying here is both humbling and exciting, filled with adventure and the chance to sit back, relax and reflect.


Our activities are all geared towards immersing you in our incredible environment, connecting you to the planet beneath your feet and opening your minds, and souls, to the magic of one of the last, great wilderness areas on Earth. Whenever you head out into the forest, or on to the river, you do so in an unhurried, calm and respectful way, absorbing every aspect of your surroundings with ease and no small sense of wonder.


So, whether you're trekking to find western lowland gorillas and observe them at close quarters; sitting on a raised platform above the magnificence that is Dzanga Bai watching herds of forest elephants below you; or following the local Ba’aka people on a thrilling net hunt, venturing into the forest is going to change the way you look at life and create lifetime memories in the process.


Here are the activities you can look forward to at Sangha Lodge...


"And into the forest I go, to lose my mind and find my soul." 

It was pioneering Victorian naturalist and conservationist John Muir who captured the essence of what it means to be enveloped by trees in this classic quote.


There is something special about the rainforest around us at Sangha Lodge. It exudes its own unique spirit and teems with life in all forms, shapes and sizes, from the tiniest fungus to the charismatic megafauna that have made Africa renowned across the world. Staying here is both humbling and exciting, filled with adventure and the chance to sit back, relax and reflect.


Our activities are all geared towards immersing you in our incredible environment, connecting you to the planet beneath your feet and opening your minds, and souls, to the magic of one of the last, great wilderness areas on Earth. Whenever you head out into the forest, or on to the river, you do so in an unhurried, calm and respectful way, absorbing every aspect of your surroundings with ease and no small sense of wonder.


So, whether you're trekking to find western lowland gorillas and observe them at close quarters; sitting on a raised platform above the magnificence that is Dzanga Bai watching herds of forest elephants below you; or following the local Ba’aka people on a thrilling net hunt, venturing into the forest is going to change the way you look at life and create lifetime memories in the process.


Here are the activities you can look forward to at Sangha Lodge...


Gorilla tracking


Meet the western lowland gorillas

Take a 90-minute drive to Bai Hokou Camp, the departure point for the gorilla tracking experiences as well as some of the other forest activities, and join trained guides as they take you into Dzanga-Sangha Special Reserve to find a habituated families of western lowland gorillas.


Each Gorilla group has a maximum of two one-hour long visits per day, and each visit consists of a maximum of three tourists, making a total of 12 people able to track gorillas in any one day.


There are various rules in place for gorilla visits and no one with an upset stomach, cold, flu or other transmittable illness is allowed to participate as gorillas are susceptible to human diseases. 


The walk to find the gorillas can be fairly strenuous and a reasonable level of fitness is required. It is also preferred that groups divide themselves up according to their level of fitness to walk at around the same pace.


Contact with the gorillas can sometimes be very close, due to the density of the vegetation in some places.


Gorilla tracking


Meet the western lowland gorillas

Take a 90-minute drive to Bai Hokou Camp, the departure point for the gorilla tracking experiences as well as some of the other forest activities, and join trained guides as they take you into Dzanga-Sangha Special Reserve to find a habituated families of western lowland gorillas.


Each Gorilla group has a maximum of two one-hour long visits per day, and each visit consists of a maximum of three tourists, making a total of 12 people able to track gorillas in any one day.


There are various rules in place for gorilla visits and no one with an upset stomach, cold, flu or other transmittable illness is allowed to participate as gorillas are susceptible to human diseases. 


The walk to find the gorillas can be fairly strenuous and a reasonable level of fitness is required. It is also preferred that groups divide themselves up according to their level of fitness to walk at around the same pace.


Contact with the gorillas can sometimes be very close, due to the density of the vegetation in some places.


Dzanga Bai experience


Visit the village of elephants

One of the best elephant experiences in the world, no visit to Sangha Lodge is complete without taking in the wonder of Dzanga Bai - a large, mineral-rich clearing in the middle of the rainforest where forest elephants gather in large numbers to indulge in drinking the mineral rich waters that bubble up from the ground. 


The interaction between so many different groups of forest elephants ensures constant action, while the possibility of seeing some of the other, normally shy forest creatures like bongos, giant forest hogs, red river hogs, sitatunga and forest buffalos visiting the Bai keep the excitement going.


The birding at Dzanga Bai is excellent and your vantage point on the 9m high observation platform allows for exceptional photographic and viewing opportunities.

Dzanga Bai experience


Visit the village of elephants

One of the best elephant experiences in the world, no visit to Sangha Lodge is complete without taking in the wonder of Dzanga Bai - a large, mineral-rich clearing in the middle of the rainforest where forest elephants gather in large numbers to indulge in drinking the mineral rich waters that bubble up from the ground. 


The interaction between so many different groups of forest elephants ensures constant action, while the possibility of seeing some of the other, normally shy forest creatures like bongos, giant forest hogs, red river hogs, sitatunga and forest buffalos visiting the Bai keep the excitement going.



The birding at Dzanga Bai is excellent and your vantage point on the 9m high observation platform allows for exceptional photographic and viewing opportunities.

Waterfall trekking &

the Valley of the Giants


An exploration of the rainforest

Head upriver by boat and hike to a series of breathtakingly beautiful waterfalls, enjoying the experience of being immersed in one of the best example of prime rainforest in the world. Explore the Valley of the Giants, whose gargantuan trees tower upwards towards the sunlight beyond the canopy. Climbing to the top of the waterfalls offers spectacular vistas over the forest canopy and offers the chance to see the extremely rare Red-Headed Picathartes (also known as the Grey-Headed Rock Fowl) - a bucket list "tick" for any keen birder!

Waterfall trekking &

the Valley of the Giants


An exploration of the rainforest

Head upriver by boat and hike to a series of breathtakingly beautiful waterfalls, enjoying the experience of being immersed in one of the best example of prime rainforest in the world. Explore the Valley of the Giants, whose gargantuan trees tower upwards towards the sunlight beyond the canopy. Climbing to the top of the waterfalls offers spectacular vistas over the forest canopy and offers the chance to see the extremely rare Red-Headed Picathartes (also known as the Grey-Headed Rock Fowl) - a bucket list "tick" for any keen birder!

Boat-based activities


Explore the rivers of Dzanga Sangha

We offer boat trips and kayaking opportunities on both the Sangha and Yobe Rivers, giving you the chance to observe the forest and its wild fauna and flora from the water. 


We also offer an evening sundowner cruise up the Sangha River from the lodge, taking you close to a nearby hill where the river narrows considerably. Once there, the motor is turned off and we drift down slowly while enjoying a choice of drinks as we watch the sun set over the forest.


Boat-based activities


Explore the rivers of Dzanga Sangha

We offer boat trips and kayaking opportunities on both the Sangha and Yobe Rivers, giving you the chance to observe the forest and its wild fauna and flora from the water. 


We also offer an evening sundowner cruise up the Sangha River from the lodge, taking you close to a nearby hill where the river narrows considerably. Once there, the motor is turned off and we drift down slowly while enjoying a choice of drinks as we watch the sun set over the forest.


Forest walks


Discover Sangha Lodge's surroundings on foot

We've created a series of forest trails throughout the forest close to the lodge which are perfect for exploring during the day and at night. 


Night walks and spotlighting around camp are popular and give you the chance to see some of the more unusual nocturnal species including four species of galago, potto, white-bellied pangolin, servaline genet, palm civet, brush-tailed porcupine, hammer bat and a number of owls. Spotlighting can also be done from a boat on the river.


Forest walks


Discover Sangha Lodge's

surroundings on foot

We've created a series of forest trails throughout the forest close to the lodge which are perfect for exploring during the day and at night. 


Night walks and spotlighting around camp are popular and give you the chance to see some of the more unusual nocturnal species including four species of galago, potto, white-bellied pangolin, servaline genet, palm civet, brush-tailed porcupine, hammer bat and a number of owls. Spotlighting can also be done from a boat on the river.


Wildlife and birdwatching


Spot rare and endemic species

The forest around Sangha Lodge is filled with an incredible diversity of mammal and bird species and creates wonderful opportunities for walking with a pair of binoculars and a camera to see what can be found.


The birding at Sangha Lodge is simply spectacular with more than 400 species recorded in Dzanga-Sangha, 300 of those in and around the camp and along our 3km access road and the forest trails we have created. 


Download our bird list here:

DOWNLOAD

Download our mammal list here:

DOWNLOAD

The forest around Sangha Lodge is filled with an incredible diversity of mammal and bird species and creates wonderful opportunities for walking with a pair of binoculars and a camera to see what can be found.


The birding at Sangha Lodge is simply spectacular with more than 400 species recorded in Dzanga-Sangha, 300 of those in and around the camp and along our 3km access road and the forest trails we have created. 


Download our bird list here:

DOWNLOAD

Download our mammal list here:

DOWNLOAD

Ba'aka cultural interactions


Meet our local community

During your stay at Sangha Lodge you will have the chance to visit our local Ba’aka village and learn all about this ancient tribe of forest people and their connection to the forest. 


You also have the possibility to accompany a group of Ba’aka net hunters as they go into the forest in pursuit of small mammals for food. As you go you will be shown several of their medicinal plants while the hunt goes along in the background, and the excited cheers will alert you if they do catch something. Please note that this is not a contrived activity as the hunters are actually gathering food for their community, so some animals may be killed. 

If you would like another exceptional cultural experience, it is possible to spend a night with the Ba'aka people in a forest camp. The dimension of music and dance that you experience here is something that few westerners will ever see. All monies from this activity go directly to the Ba’aka to help with education and health services.

Ba'aka cultural interactions


Meet our local community

During your stay at Sangha Lodge you will have the chance to visit our local Ba’aka village and learn all about this ancient tribe of forest people and their connection to the forest. 


You also have the possibility to accompany a group of Ba’aka net hunters as they go into the forest in pursuit of small mammals for food. As you go you will be shown several of their medicinal plants while the hunt goes along in the background, and the excited cheers will alert you if they do catch something. Please note that this is not a contrived activity as the hunters are actually gathering food for their community, so some animals may be killed. 

If you would like another exceptional cultural experience, it is possible to spend a night with the Ba'aka people in a forest camp. The dimension of music and dance that you experience here is something that few westerners will ever see. All monies from this activity go directly to the Ba’aka to help with education and health services.

Speciality tours


Custom activities for enthusiasts

We are happy to put together tours and activities for groups with special interests such as birding, butterflies, herpetology, botany and entomology. Please let us know if you would like a specialised activity or are interested in a specific area of knowledge and we will try to accommodate you where we can.


We also offer privately guided activities on request, at an additional cost.

Speciality tours


Custom activities for enthusiasts

We are happy to put together tours and activities for groups with special interests such as birding, butterflies, herpetology, botany and entomology. Please let us know if you would like a specialised activity or are interested in a specific area of knowledge and we will try to accommodate you where we can.



We also offer privately guided activities on request, at an additional cost.

Speciality tours


Custom activities for enthusiasts

We are happy to put together tours and activities for groups with special interests such as birding, butterflies, herpetology, botany and entomology. Please let us know if you would like a specialised activity or are interested in a specific area of knowledge and we will try to accommodate you where we can.


We also offer privately guided activities on request, at an additional cost.

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