Dzanga-Sangha Special Reserve

Dzanga-Sangha Special Reserve is a protected area in the southwest of the Central African Republic, within the Mambéré-Kadéï administrative region, created to conserve lowland rainforest and associated wildlife. It forms part of the larger Dzanga-Sangha protected-area complex.

The reserve is notable for populations of western lowland gorillas and forest elephants and for the presence of large forest clearings where animals congregate. It supports research, conservation and controlled ecotourism activities such as guided wildlife viewing and gorilla tracking.

The reserve was established to protect biodiversity in the Sangha River basin and has been managed with the involvement of national authorities and international conservation partners. Over time it has become one of the better known Central African sites for observing forest megafauna in a relatively intact rainforest setting.

Dzanga-Sangha lies in the tri-border region of southwestern Central African Republic, near the borders with Cameroon and the Republic of the Congo, and consists of tropical rainforest, river corridors and seasonal clearings.

• Best wildlife spot: Best wildlife viewing can be at Dzanga Bai, where forest elephants and other mammals gather to access mineral-rich soils; visits are usually from a raised viewing platform.
• Access and permits: Visiting and gorilla tracking are facilitated through park-authorized guides and lodges operating in the reserve; permits and guided support are normally required.

What to See #

• Dzanga Bai: Dzanga Bai - a large natural forest clearing known for regular congregations of forest elephants and other wildlife at a mineral-rich clearing.
• Gorilla tracking sites: Gorilla habituation and research sites where guided tracking allows visitors to observe western lowland gorillas with trained rangers and researchers.
• River and forest corridors: Sangha River corridors and forest trails used for guided walks, boat trips and wildlife viewing within the reserve.