Visiting

Birding tours

Rockjumper organise birding tours to CAR.

Guides

There are birding guides at Sangha Lodge - see the Hotspots page for further information about this site.

Trip reports

We have received a list of key species at Sangha Lodge - see the Hotspots page for further information about this site.

Logistics

There are direct flights to Bangui from Paris and from other cities in Africa. If travelling by road from a neighbouring country, it is worth checking in advance to see if the borders are open. The only place with regular internal flights scheduled to Bangui is Berbérati, but you can charter passenger planes in Bangui.

Update October 2010 - "getting here from the UK- Air France, Kenya Airways and KLM are in the same stable now so this should not be a problem... that is KQ was owned by KLM which is now owned in turn by Air France."

Roads are poor throughout the country and the only sealed ones lead out from Bangui. Dirt roads can be closed for hours or days during the wet season. Buses, trucks and minibuses are the normal means of getting around. Transport costs, both car hire and fuel are prohibitive in CAR.

You can make some trips by dugout canoe, such as down river from Bangassou to Bangui on the Oubangui River.

For further details, see Lonely Planet.

Safety

Safety and health issues are no different from those in many African countries. Guidebooks, travel companies and websites provide much of the advice one needs, but key points warrant repetition here: (1) be aware of the risk of malaria and seek current advice, sleep in a sealed tent or under a net and take prophylaxis as recommended; (2) always ensure you have sufficient water and some method of purification (even if this comprises a pot and a campfire for boiling); (3) do not underestimate the danger of being in the sun for too long, ensure you use sun-block, drink plenty of water and wear a hat; (4) be aware of the risk of AIDS; (5) ensure that you take a reasonably-equipped first-aid pack with you including supplies of hypodermic and suturing needles. See the following 2 websites for the latest safety and travel information: US Travel and UK FCO.

Update from Rod Cassidy, Sangha Lodge October 2010. "The region around here has never had any incidents of banditry etc nor has the road between here and Bangui. However there are huge concerns for the eastern parts of the country bordering Sudan, and the north bordering Chad, but foreign offices around the world blanket the whole country."

Last page update 19th December 2011