Wildlife world firsts in the Republic of Congo

First-of-their-kind gorilla trekking, wildlife reintroduction & species discovery

With half the world’s lowland gorillas and 25 times the number of Rwanda, the Republic of Congo is one of Africa’s last wild reaches. Each year, just 500 visitors arrive at its old-growth rainforests and wildlife-rich savannah.

In amongst it all, we’ve got a series of truly once-in-a-lifetime experiences. Get involved with reintroducing lions and wild dogs to the country. Join scientists in searching for new species in the remote western escarpment. And, we have the exclusive chance for our clients to be the first to visit a newly habituated gorilla family.

Featuring media taken on Cookson Adventures trips

If I was allowed just one last adventure in my life, I’d call Henry Cookson. Because compared with every other travel designer out there, Cookson is unique, magical even, with his capacity for out-of-the-box thinking. He searches for the dark spots on the map, sniffs out a piece of history yet to be unearthed, discovers a conservation story needing a benefactor…

The Australian's Wish Magazine, Feb 2024

Conservation projects involvement

Wherever your interests are, we can involve you with causes that matter most to you, from anti-poaching walks with rangers using tags to track forest elephants to setting up camera traps to monitor wildlife behaviour, with footage sent on to you after your trip. You can even lend a hand in collaring hyena and elephant populations to gather data on their movements, or head out on anti-poaching heli flights with local conservationists.

Be the first to visit a gorilla family

With our relationship with the region’s top primatologists, we have the exclusive opportunity for guests to be the first outside of researchers and rangers to visit a gorilla family. That’s after it has been habituated to the presence of humans by years of conservationist visits. You’ll also be able to observe behaviour not found anywhere else in the world, with gorillas digging up and eating mineral-rich roots in forest clearings – an incredible chance to witness them clearly.

River safari

Kayak or tender out along rivers to spot the likes of putty-nosed monkeys, forest buffalo and colourful kingfishers. Paddling out or turning the engine off, it’s a pleasure to immerse yourself in the sounds of the forest.

Re-introduce large mammals

We can see you get involved with pan-African conservation projects to help re-introduce lions and wild dogs to the country. It’s the chance to help, witness up close and resource vital work to leave a lasting impact on the country.

‘Traditional’ safari

Whether by 4WD, on foot or even by motorcycle, sweep out through savannah and rainforest alike to spot everything from forest elephants and hyena to charismatic monkeys and the elusive bongo antelope. And, with over 700 species of bird, including the great blue turaco, it’s an ornithologist’s paradise.

Species discovery

The Republic of Congo’s western escarpment is often termed Africa’s last true wilderness – a largely unexplored basin of thick forest. Flying out by heli, join a top scientific team who – on previous forest expeditions – have discovered as many as 15 new species in one afternoon.

Local culture

The Congo’s dandies or ‘sapeurs’ are street fashion icons of Brazzaville, the country’s capital. Resplendent in sharp, formal colour, meeting with them reveals how their sartorial efforts are an act of resistance to claim ownership over colonial dress. Then, to understand how the pigmy Bayaka tribe have carved a traditional way of life in the country’s inhospitable far reaches, visit their rainforest villages for a private audience.

Aerial exploration

With giant undocumented waterfalls reported by pilots, there’s no better way to gain a perspective on the country’s wild, jungled geography than by air, flying out by heli or paramotor over wildlife-filled forests and snaking rivers to make remote landings.

Unique accommodation

We’ve got access to a series of fantastic, treehouse-style lodges, whose star decks, firepits and strung-out walkways offer fantastic views of surrounding grasslands and rivers, home to the likes of crocs and hippos. And, if you’re interested in heading truly off grid, we can organise bespoke luxury camps.

This is a safari with a difference. Not only is there one of Africa’s oldest national parks where savannah game drives, jungle walks and kayak river paddles reveal some 100-plus mammals – from hippos and forest elephants to buffalo and chimpanzee troops.

But, there’s plenty of the unique, with the gorillas grabbing the headlines. We can see you trek out with the region’s top primatologists, heading deep into the rainforest to spend quality time with a family – admiring giant males and playful babies up close.

You could also be the very first outside of a small circle of rangers to visit the Nouabalé gorillas. Only just nearing habituation after years of visits, it’s the opportunity to experience something no member of the public has before.

Of course, conservation will be a vital part of your trip. That could mean heading out on anti-poaching walks and heli flights or setting up camera traps and collars to track large mammals – using this data to inform both behavioural studies and protective measures. There’s even such landmark projects that border on nation building, including the reintroduction of locally extinct species, including lions and wild dogs.

For the extra adventurous, we also have relationships with the scientists that have been exploring the country’s western reaches. Heavily jungled, it’s one of the least explored places on Earth, with researchers regularly making new species discoveries. Flying out and hitting the ground alongside these leading explorers is a chance to contribute to something truly exciting.

And, at the end of each day, you’ll return to comfortable accommodation, with private lodges making the most of their riverside and jungle settings with beautifully stilted timber construction. Look out for the likes of hippos and hyena from your room or over private-chef meals.

You’ll also quickly discover that the Republic of Congo is little like its namesake neighbour. With just 5% of the population, this is something often best felt in its people. That might mean meeting the Bayaka tribe, who have lived in its remote jungles for centuries, or the dandies, whose colourful fashion lights up the country’s capital.