Things to do in Central African Republic

Follow Ba’Aka trackers into the Dzanga-Sangha jungle to sit quietly as a silverback and his family forage just metres away.

From an elevated hide overlooking the mineral-rich Dzanga clearing, observe dozens of forest elephants digging for salts at dusk.

Spend a day learning traditional hunting, net-making and honey-gathering skills with a semi-nomadic Ba’Aka community in the forest.

Gaze at the twin cascades plunging 50 metres into a mist-filled gorge where butterflies fill the air in the dry season.

Venture into one of Africa’s largest savannah parks to see black rhinos, lions and giant eland across vast grasslands.

Navigate the labyrinth of stalls piled high with pineapples, mangoes and dried caterpillars in the capital’s bustling main market.

Step inside this red-brick Romanesque cathedral to see local saints depicted in brilliant stained glass, a quiet oasis in the city.

Discover ancient musical instruments, royal regalia and objects from the former empire in this small but compelling national museum.

Paddle a dugout past fishermen throwing nets as the sun sinks behind the Congo border, painting the water orange.

Walk the border bridge linking CAR and DR Congo, watching pirogues below and feeling the hum of two countries connecting.

Pause at the gates of the stately riverside palace, a symbol of the nation’s turbulent political history, best seen from the avenue.

Hike through rainforest to this hidden multi-tiered waterfall where you can take a refreshing dip in crystal-clear basins.

Join locals at this open-air nightspot for cold beers and energetic dance rhythms into the early hours.

Admire the modernist architecture of the parliament under the CAR flag, a quiet landmark of Bangui’s political heart.

Wander the faded administrative buildings and railway remnants of a notorious colonial post in the heart of the country.

Trek through montane forest to the highest point in CAR, a granite peak on the Cameroon border with sweeping views.

Traverse this enormous mosaic of savannah and forest in the remote east, a vital sanctuary for elephants and wild dogs.

Pitch a tent by the slow-moving Lobaye, falling asleep to the calls of hornbills and the splash of forest antelope.

See the revered reptiles glide through dark water as a local guardian explains the spiritual traditions that protect them.

Ride a bush truck into the southern timber zone to see selective harvesting and hear how communities manage the rainforest.

Walk among dozens of standing stones up to 3 metres tall, erected centuries ago by unknown cultures near the Cameroon border.

Join the congregation in spirited hymns and heartfelt sermons inside a vast hexagonal church filled with light.

Take a pirogue to this small island sanctuary where troops of vervet monkeys leap between trees and beg for bananas.

Cast a line in the broad Chari for the ferocious, toothy tigerfish — a top freshwater game fish — under the Sahelian sun.

Drive through stark sandstone escarpments and acacia scrub in this remote northern park, home to cheetahs and Barbary sheep.