Congo private fly in safari

Planet

Odzala-Kokoua is one of the best-run and most valuable areas for biodiversity in the entirety of the Congolese interior. We are acutely aware of the international importance of this wilderness area and are deeply familiar with the wildlife found here, as well as the difficulties that many of these species face, both in Odzala and in the region at large. In particular, Odzala is a stronghold for species including forest elephant, forest buffalo, sitatunga, bongo, giant pangolin and many others, all of which are deeply threatened by poaching and habitat destruction. With this in mind, we are unwaveringly committed to responsible tourism. We will never damage the environment in pursuit of a sighting, nor will we ever attend or remain at a sighting where we deem that the animal is acting unnaturally because of our presence, or has made a choice to move away from us. This itinerary includes several night walks, and we will never spotlight a diurnal animal. We will also never spotlight an animal that is young, injured or otherwise vulnerable.

Odzala-Kokoua, like all protected areas in this region, is deeply sensitive and ecotourism must ensure that it does not damage this national park. We therefore ask clients to be extremely mindful of the amount of water they use during their stay, as well as to limit the superfluous generation of refuse. Clients should aim to avoid single-use plastics as far as possible.

People

It is imperative that in any wildlife destination an effective partnership and understanding is formed between ecotourism ventures and local people. It is crucial that ecotourism delivers a net benefit to local people that is genuine and long-lasting as this helps to ensure that local people, and the communities of which they are a part, attach genuine value to wildlife and the ecosystems they call home. This, in turn, does a huge amount to secure the future of special wilderness areas and the wildlife they support. To this end, we insist that local suppliers in Odzala-Kokoua employ local people, and guests should expect that, throughout their tour, cooks, guides, drivers and housekeeping staff are all Congolese.

We ask that clients are respectful and polite in all interactions with local people. In particular, guests have the privilege to meet local people when staying at Ngaga Camp and have the honour to learn about their culture and traditions. Some aspects of their way of life do not map onto more delicate western sensibilities (e.g. the continued use of forest areas for hunting), but we ask clients to respect and understand this. We also ask that this extends to interaction with local staff - ecotourism is in its infancy in the Congo, and sometimes service standards fall slightly below that in more mainstream safari destinations elsewhere in the continent, but this should be no reason to interact with local people with anything other than respect and courtesy.