The Sangha is the river that gives this place its name, and the forest around it is divided among three countries: the Central African Republic, Cameroon and the Republic of Congo. In 2012 UNESCO recognised the three adjoining parks, Dzanga-Ndoki, Lobéké and Nouabalé-Ndoki, as a single World Heritage site, a block of lowland rainforest that is one of the best preserved in the Congo basin.
What brings people here is wildlife on a scale that can feel overwhelming. At Dzanga Bai, a forest clearing in the Central African Republic, dozens of forest elephants gather to dig for minerals in the mud, and a visitor on a platform can watch them for hours. Western lowland gorillas are followed by trackers who have spent years winning their trust, and chimpanzees, buffalo, bongo antelope and giant forest hogs also live here. The forest is also home to the BaAka, a people who have lived by hunting and gathering for countless generations, and who know the forest in remarkable detail.
Motorcycle travel here is for the seasoned and the well supported. The nearest village, Bayanga, lies at the end of long and rough tracks from the capital, Bangui, and the roads between the forest settlements are laterite or mud, passable in the dry season, from December to February, and often impassable in the rains. Security in the region has been unstable at times, and travellers should check official advice and local conditions before making any plans. Park access is organised through conservation groups, with guides and permits.
There are no reliable fuel supplies, so everything must be carried. Heat and humidity are constant, and insects, including tsetse flies and sweat bees, are a trial. Medical help is far away, so a good first aid kit and good insurance are vital. If you manage to get here, the reward is a forest that feels untouched, with the thunderous calls of birds at dawn and the soft padding of elephants in the dark.