- Caroline
- Jun 11
- 10 min read
Updated: Jun 14
Encountering the Eastern Lowland Gorillas and Forest Elephants, in a Congo where silence awakens the senses and adventure unfolds without artifice.
Prologue – What if true luxury was going where no one else goes to ?
When we think of Africa, few eyes turn toward the Congo. And yet, it’s precisely there that Caroline, founder of The Travel Corner, experienced one of her most powerful journeys: a deep immersion made possible by Kamba African Rainforest Experiences, a pioneering initiative in sustainable tourism.
Founded in 2012 under the name Congo Conservation Company, Kamba invites travelers to explore the Congo Basin - a vast, wild territory home to the world’s second-largest rainforest — through a responsible journey rooted in conservation, local engagement, and what they call “simple, sincere, and essential luxury.”
Through this interview, we invite you to lift the veil on a destination still largely under the radar, to discover what it truly means to travel differently, and perhaps to imagine your own way of inhabiting the world. Caroline shares the behind-the-scenes of this rare journey, her impressions, encounters, and a vision of luxury that is more internal, more sensory, where the experience itself becomes the true privilege.
Congo : An Obvious Choice
What made you want to travel there?
What drove me to go was, above all, my passion for gorillas. I already had the chance to encounter mountain gorillas in Rwanda, but I wanted to go further — to discover another species, in a different environment. I wanted to deepen my understanding.
For me, it was unthinkable to offer this destination to our clients without having experienced it myself. Congo isn’t something you tell — it’s something you live. You have to truly understand what you’re offering, how the logistics work, and what the realities on the ground are.
There’s also a strong sense of exclusivity. It’s still a very little-travelled destination, and when it comes to gorilla observation, the contrast with other countries is striking.
It’s common to confuse the Republic of the Congo with the Democratic Republic of the Congo. And yet, they are two entirely different countries, each with its own history, culture, and unique landscapes. They’re more commonly referred to as Congo-Brazzaville and Congo-Kinshasa, after their respective capitals.
The Republic of the Congo offers the most private and exclusive gorilla trekking experience in the world.
In Rwanda, 94 permits are issued each day, with 8 people per trek. In Uganda, it’s 144 permits per day, also in groups of 8. But in Odzala-Kokoua National Park, in northern Congo, only 12 permits are granted daily — and with a maximum of 4 people per group.
The level of intimacy is simply incomparable. You experience something rare, exclusive, almost otherworldly. And that was an opportunity I couldn’t let pass.
Source : KAMBA Infographic - Comparing Gorilla Experiences (KAMBA)
Un unforgettable encounter
How did the meeting with the gorillas unfold?
It’s an incredibly intimate experience. Each trek includes a maximum of four people, accompanied by a guide and a local tracker. During ours, we were three women, joined by our guide and a tracker from the area.
There are several gorilla families in this region. Today, four groups are being monitored: three are already habituated to human presence, while the fourth is still in the process of habituation.
The tracker plays a key role. They come from nearby villages and have known these gorillas for years - they recognize each individual, understand their behaviour, and know what they’ve been up to in the days prior. It’s almost a familial relationship; the trackers are part of the gorillas’ lives, and vice versa.
We find out which family we’ll be visiting the night before. Thanks to the trackers, we also have a rough idea of where they’re located. The next morning, depending on their position, we either set out on foot directly from the lodge or approach by 4x4. Every day is different, because it’s the gorillas who set the rhythm.
We adapt to nature and we let ourselves be guided.
The gorillas here are Eastern lowland gorillas (Gorilla beringei graueri), a different subspecies from the mountain gorillas seen in Rwanda, Uganda, or the DRC.
These gorillas move through a mosaic of habitats : climbing trees, slipping through dense marantaceae vegetation, or foraging for roots in forest clearings. Sometimes you hear them before you see them; other times, they remain almost invisible. Each encounter is unique.
The Art of Immersive Travel
What are the accommodations like? Can we really call it “luxury”?
Traveling with Kamba follows a thoughtfully designed itinerary, built around three complementary lodges — each with its own identity and environment. The program typically spans 7 to 11 nights, and everything is designed to make the experience fluid, coherent, and above all, immersive.
⸻
Ngaga Lodge – The Scientific Heart and Gateway to the Forest
This is where the journey begins. We’re just outside Odzala-Kokoua National Park, in a protected zone. This is where the researchers and primatologists live - some of whom have been here for years.
There’s a real sense of research and observation, almost meditative. You feel like you’re stepping into something bigger than yourself.
All the gorilla treks take place here. It’s where you truly grasp the work behind habituation, monitoring, and the deep understanding of each gorilla family.
⸻
Lango Lodge – Immersive Experience in the Rainforest
After our stay at Ngaga Lodge, we follow a dirt track by 4x4 before stopping for lunch at Mboko Lodge. From there, we continue the journey, still by 4x4, cross the river by kayak, and finally reach Lango Lodge on foot.
The lodge sits at the edge of a bai, a swampy clearing nestled deep in the equatorial forest. These open, mineral-rich spaces are true crossroads of life: forest elephants, buffalo, sitatungas, gorillas, rare birds… all gather here to drink, feed, and interact, offering exceptional wildlife observation scenes.
The documentary Secrets of the Elephants — particularly the “Rainforest” episode produced by National Geographic — highlights the crucial role of bais in dense forest ecosystems. These clearings are far more than watering holes: their very soil, rich in minerals, draws in forest elephants.
We see how they come not only to nourish themselves, but also to pass on behaviours, maintain family bonds, and contribute — in their own way — to the broader balance of the ecosystem.
At Lango Lodge, you witness this wild scene in the open, in one of the rare places where the tropical forest reveals itself with such raw intensity.
This isn’t what you’d call a simple “walking safari”: the activities are designed as a gradual immersion into the equatorial forest. Some treks follow elephant or buffalo tracks through muddy clearings; others take you through bais, sometimes ankle-deep in water, into areas rich with footprints and scent. You also walk through dense forest, in the quiet humidity of the undergrowth. The pace shifts depending on the time of day, the weather, or the movement of animals.
Each outing tells a different story of the forest.
⸻
Mboko Lodge – A Stop Along The Water
The final stop on our itinerary was Mboko Lodge which stretches across a wide open plain, crossed by the Lekoli River. Here, nature opens up and breathes, offering a soothing contrast after the immersive intensity of Lango.
Often included at the end of the journey, this lodge invites both contemplation and exploration — a refreshing swim in the river, boat rides, or simply shared moments around the fire. It’s not an ending, but a gentle, living transition, a chance to linger just a little longer in the forest’s magic.
True luxury here lies in immersion — in places that are extraordinary, exclusive, and spectacular by their very location, accessible to only a privileged few.
It’s a kind of luxury that doesn’t seek to impress, but to move through you.
It’s a kind of luxury that doesn’t seek to shine — it moves through you.
And each lodge expresses its own version of that kind of luxury:
At Ngaga, it’s the luxury of proximity — to the gorillas, to the researchers, to the living forest.
At Lango, it’s the luxury of raw wilderness — where humidity, sound, and light overwhelm your senses.
At Mboko, it’s the luxury of space, of breath, of time slowing down.
In short, a quiet, rare, and deeply honest form of luxury.
When Nature Sets the Pace
What does a typical day with Kamba look like?
In the morning, we wake up very early, often around 6 a.m., sometimes even earlier. The earliest for me was 4:30. But it makes sense, aligning with the environment, the light, and the rhythm of the forest.
At Ngaga Lodge, the day begins with a gorilla trek. We meet up with our guide and tracker, then set off — on foot, by 4x4, or even by kayak, depending on the location of the gorilla family assigned to us the evening before.
At Lango, the day often starts with a walk through the bai, as the forest still lies under a veil of mist — an almost mystical atmosphere. We pause to watch the birds, follow animal tracks, listen to the sounds of the forest… and, if we’re lucky, catch a glimpse of the elusive forest elephant.
In the afternoon, after a good meal or a bit of rest, we often set out again for a walk on foot.
But what’s important to understand is that nothing is ever fixed. This isn’t a typical safari. It’s just you, the forest, your guide, your tracker, and whatever unfolds. Sometimes you come across an elephant. Sometimes you don’t see anyone at all, but you feel something : an atmosphere, a shiver.
What struck me the most, having done many safaris in East and Southern Africa, was this complete pause, this deep immersion in the heart of the equatorial forest. Activities like kayaking or boat rides offer a different perspective. You walk, you observe, you take part. You’re in motion, fully living the experience.
Who Is This Journey For ?
Do you need to be athletic or to have already traveled to Africa?
Honestly, no. You need to be in decent shape, enjoy walking, and be comfortable carrying a backpack, but it’s not a physically demanding trip in the strict sense of the word.
Yes, there are walks, sometimes several hours long, but the pace is moderate and always adapted to the group.
It’s also worth noting that exclusivity is one of Kamba’s core principles: during bai treks, there are never more than six participants, accompanied by a guide. You can also choose to privatise the group entirely for an even more intimate and personalised experience.
This isn’t a high-altitude trek, the terrain here is mostly flat, there’s no need for porters, and the conditions are generally more flexible.
What’s required is a genuine curiosity, a desire to immerse yourself in a very different environment, and a willingness to embrace a certain level of the unknown and the unexpected.
It’s a journey that asks for openness, more than it demands physical fitness.
That said, it’s important to stay alert to your surroundings, to be comfortable walking in the wild, sometimes on wet or slippery ground and to remain aware that you’re moving through a truly wild environment.
Here, we’re in the territory of forest elephants, hyenas, leopards, hippopotamuses…
It’s that very proximity that makes the experience so unique — and that calls for a constant, mindful presence.
More Than Travel: A Conservation Mission
What is the concrete impact of tourism in Odzala-Kokoua ?
Yes, this is absolutely a purpose-driven journey and it’s not just a label added on top of the experience; it truly lies at the heart of the project.
From the moment you arrive at Ngaga, you sense the deep connection between tourism and conservation. The lodge also serves as a base for researchers and primatologists who have been working in the area for many years.
They monitor gorilla families, conduct behavioral studies, and contribute to the habituation process. For travelers who are genuinely curious, it’s even possible to arrange a meeting with the researchers — if the interest is there.
All of this is made possible by a strong vision initiated in 2012 by Sabine Plattner, the project’s founder. She developed a model that integrates tourism, scientific research, and local community engagement.
It was here at Ngaga that primatologist Magdalena Bermejo carried out her long-term research on western lowland gorillas, pioneering work that laid the foundations for the program as it exists today.
Where the Wild Meets the Soul
What did you personally feel during this trip?
I felt like I was an active participant in my own journey.
I found myself in the middle of nowhere, thinking: “I have to keep going - there’s no other option.” And in those moments, all your senses come alive. You listen, you observe, you breathe differently.
Everything feels sharper, more connected. Every step matters, because here, nothing moves without the guide. He sets the path, reads the signs, determines the pace. We walk in single file, in silence, attuned to the forest and its rhythm.
The guides are truly the soul of this experience. Without them, none of it would be possible. They are the ones who make the invisible visible, and who open the door to a world we would never reach on our own.
This constant connection, this attentiveness to every movement, profoundly shifts the way we inhabit the moment.
Because this isn’t just a contemplative safari : you walk, you feel, you take part fully.
And when you truly love nature, wildlife, and travel… you can sometimes feel like you’ve already seen it all.
But here, I was deeply moved by the sense of total connection, the density of the forest, the power of the animals’ presence, the silence heavy with meaning.
I was fully there. Immersed, infused, deeply attuned - to the place, to others, and to myself.
Luxury for the Curious Minds
Who would you recommend this journey to?
This is a journey for adventurers, for those who have already explored the great classics and feel the pull of something different.
Not necessarily farther, nor more spectacular, but deeper.
For those who’ve experienced the iconic routes, stayed in the world’s finest lodges, and now seek a different kind of luxury :
→ Immersive luxury : walking through the forest, following a guide, being fully present in every moment.
→ Quiet luxury : living a rare experience, almost outside of time.
→ Meaningful luxury : feeling that every gesture, every encounter, carries meaning.
→ Emotional luxury : letting yourself be moved, transformed, reconnected.
That’s also why I went: because to speak of such a journey to our clients, you must first have lived it. And because understanding these places from the inside means realizing just how vital they are — not only so they can be protected, but because they are, in truth, essential to our own future.
At The Travel Corner, we create journeys that go beyond simple escape — experiences that reconnect you to what truly matters, that shift your perspective and soothe your spirit.
If Caroline’s journey speaks to you, if you’re longing for a different kind of travel — one that feels deeply alive — we’d love to explore it with you.
Because some destinations aren’t meant to be ticked off a map, they’re meant to be lived.
