Hotspots

The best birding is in the months of lowest rainfall, December to March.

Manovo-Gounda-St Floris National Park is a World Heritage site. Some 320 species have been identified with at least 25 species of raptor including Bateleur Terathopius ecaudatus and African Fish Eagle Haliaaetus vocifer. There are large seasonal populations of Great White Pelican Pelecanus onocrotalus, Pink-backed Pelican P. rufescens and Marabou Stork Leptoptilos crumeniferus, and the park may be fairly important for both waterbirds and shorebirds, particularly the flood plains to the north. Ostrich Struthio camelus seem fairly common on the plains, moving to woodland areas to lay their eggs. Several species of bee-eater and kingfisher are present along the rivers. The best way to reach the parks is by chartered plane from Bangui, as driving the 800 km north-east from Bangui usually takes a day and a half in good weather, and that will be on rough roads where you won't be assured of finding petrol.

Dzanga-Sangha Dense Forest Reserve is the newest of Central African Republic's parks and is in the far south-west corner of the country. It is also possibly the most interesting park as it contains the last remnants of Central African Republic's virgin rainforests, and has some of the highest densities of lowland gorillas and forest elephants anywhere in Africa.

In the dry season, this reserve can be reached overland in two days from Yaounde in Cameroon (overnight accommodation is available in Bertoua or Batouri [note spelling]), crossing the frontier at Kenzou / Gamboula then taking RN10 south from Berberati towards Nola and Salo. Just before reaching Salo, take a logging track on the left for about another 50 km to Bayanga, where the reserve headquarters are based. There is also a good dry season road to the reserve along the fourth parallel from Bangui - driveable in a day with a 4x4.

Camping and simple hotel facilities are available at Bayanga, and in the past the reserve visitor centre has been able to arrange local guides. The main attraction is a big, flooded, forest clearing, where an elevated viewing hide allows good views of the forest elephants which come to the clearing for minerals, and the many other birds and animals which come to drink.

Bangui area The capital, Bangui, is situated on the right bank of the Oubangui river and at the dividing line between the Sudan-Guinea savanna zone in the north and the Guinea-Congo rainforest in the south-west and it is possible to see a good variety of species from both habitat types on day trips from the city, as well as a good selection of waterbirds on the river itself. For savanna species, take RN1 north-west from Bangui - the Boali Falls about 50 km from the capital is a good place to head for. For forest species, go south-west towards Mbaiki on RN6 and for waterbirds try renting a dug-out pirogue on the river at Bangui itself .