Sangha Trinational Nature Reserve

Sangha Trinational is a transboundary conservation complex in the central African rainforest that links protected areas in the Republic of the Congo, the Central African Republic and Cameroon. It conserves large areas of intact Congo Basin lowland forest and associated wildlife.

The protected landscapes include dense rainforest, riverine habitats and patches of savannah that support populations of western lowland gorilla, chimpanzee, forest elephant and numerous other species. Low‑impact ecotourism, guided forest walks and research stations operate in parts of the complex under conservation management.

The tri‑national arrangement was established to coordinate conservation and protected‑area management across national borders and to protect biodiversity in a contiguous forest block. Individual parks and reserves in each country were designated over recent decades and cooperation increased to manage the shared ecosystem.

The complex lies within the central Congo Basin across three adjacent countries in central Africa, including the Sangha Department in the Republic of the Congo and contiguous protected areas in Cameroon and the Central African Republic.

• Tri‑national protected area: The property is a tri‑national complex spanning protected areas in Cameroon, the Central African Republic and the Republic of the Congo, forming one of the largest intact blocks of Congo Basin rainforest.

What to See#

• Nouabalé‑Ndoki National Park: Nouabalé‑Ndoki National Park in the Republic of the Congo, a large area of intact lowland rainforest important for forest elephants and great apes.
• Dzanga‑Sangha (Central African Republic): Dzanga‑Sangha Special Reserve and the Dzanga‑Ndoki National Park sector, located in the Central African Republic, noted for forest elephants and lowland gorillas.
• Lobéké National Park: Lobéké National Park in Cameroon, a protected forest block that completes the transboundary ecological unit across the three countries.

Access depends on which national park or reserve is being visited. Major entry points include villages with river access in the three countries; visits typically involve arranged river transport and require coordination with park authorities or conservation NGOs.

• Travel with a conservation organization or authorized guide-entry rules vary across the three countries involved in the Sangha Trinational.
• Pack insect repellent and be prepared for very basic field conditions in some conservation zones.
• If possible, plan visits to community-based ecotourism camps to learn about local conservation efforts and livelihoods.