Things to do in Central African Republic

25 things to do in Central African Republic

Listed in full below. The running order is set by votes and loads with the page.

• Track western lowland gorillas at Dzanga Bai

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

  Dzanga-Sangha Special Reserve, Bayanga

• Watch forest elephants from the Dzanga Bai observation platform

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

  Dzanga-Sangha Special Reserve, Bayanga

• Visit a Ba’Aka pygmy village near Bayanga

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

  Bayanga

• Stand above the Boali Waterfalls viewpoint

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

  Boali

• Explore the remote Manovo-Gounda St Floris National Park

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

  Central African Republic

• Haggle for tropical fruits at Bangui’s Marché Central

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

  Bangui

• Admire the stained glass of Notre-Dame of Bangui Cathedral

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

  Bangui

• Examine ethnographic treasures at the Boganda Museum

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

  Bangui

• Canoe the Oubangui River at sunset

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

  Bangui (Oubangui riverbank)

• Cross the Oubangui River bridge to Zongo

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

  Bangui border bridge

• View the Presidential Palace from Avenue des Martyrs

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

  Bangui

• Swim in the natural pools below Mbi Falls

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

  Mbi River, near Boali

• Dance to live Sango music at Le Grand Maquis in Bangui

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

  Bangui

• Circumnavigate the National Assembly building

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

  Bangui

• Explore colonial ruins at Kaga Bandoro (former Fort Crampel)

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

  Kaga Bandoro

• Hike to the summit of Mont Ngaoui

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

  Mont Ngaoui, near Bouar

• Search for wildlife in Chinko Nature Reserve

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

  Chinko Reserve

• Camp overnight on the Lobaye River near Mbaïki

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

  Mbaïki

• Witness sacred crocodiles at the Boda crocodile pool

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

  Boda

• Tour a sustainably managed logging concession near Mbaïki

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

  Mbaïki

• Explore the prehistoric megaliths of Bouar

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

  Bouar

• Attend a Sunday service at Église Saint Paul in Bangui

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

  Bangui

• Spot monkeys on Île des Singes in the Oubangui River

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

  Bangui (Oubangui River)

• Fish for giant tigerfish on the Chari River near Sarh

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

  Sarh

• Discover the arid landscapes of Bamingui-Bangoran National Park

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

  Bamingui-Bangoran National Park