Odzala-Kokoua National Park covers 13,546 square kilometers in northwest Congo Republic and protects western lowland gorillas, forest elephants, and bongo antelopes. The park established in 1935 contains three distinct ecosystems: dense rainforest, savanna, and swamp forest. Visitors travel by light aircraft from Brazzaville to Mboko airstrip, then reach camps by 4x4 and boat. Mboko Camp and Lango Camp operate guided tracking on foot with armed rangers. Gorilla habituation began with specific groups in the 1990s, and guests spend up to one hour with gorillas after locating them. The park holds approximately 22,000 western lowland gorillas based on surveys conducted between 2005 and 2012. Forest clearings called bais attract elephants and sitatungas to mineral-rich water and sedges. Guides track elephants from platforms built at Lango Bai and Maya Nord Bai. The dry season runs June through September when walking conditions improve.
Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park in northern Congo Republic adjoins Dzanga-Sangha Reserve in Central African Republic and Lobéké National Park in Cameroon, forming the 4,400 square kilometer Sangha Trinational protected area inscribed as UNESCO World Heritage in 2012. The park itself covers 4,000 square kilometers of uninhabited primary rainforest. No roads penetrate the interior. The Wildlife Conservation Society operates research stations at Bomassa and Mondika. Mbeli Bai, a 12-hectare clearing, draws forest elephants daily to wade and feed on aquatic vegetation. The research platform records individual elephants using photo identification. Over 3,000 elephants use the bai based on long-term observation data. Gorilla tracking operates from Mondika Camp where researchers have studied two habituated groups since 1996. Accessing the park requires charter flights to Ouesso then pirogue transport up the Sangha River for five to seven hours depending on water level.
Conkouati-Douli National Park extends along 60 kilometers of Atlantic coastline south of Pointe-Noire and inland across 5,050 square kilometers. The park established in 1999 protects lagoons, mangroves, savanna, and coastal forest. Chimpanzee rehabilitation operated by the Jane Goodall Institute functions at Tchimpounga Sanctuary within park boundaries, housing over 150 chimpanzees rescued from bushmeat and pet trades. Visitors observe chimpanzees on three forested islands from viewing platforms. Humpback whales migrate through coastal waters July through September. Leatherback and olive ridley sea turtles nest on beaches between November and February. The park headquarters at Conkouati village arranges guided walks and boat trips into Conkouati Lagoon. Forest elephants inhabit inland zones but remain difficult to observe. Local fishermen use traditional methods including basket traps and seine nets in lagoons and river mouths. Access requires 4x4 transport from Pointe-Noire taking four to five hours on deteriorated roads.
Lesio Louna Reserve lies 140 kilometers northwest of Brazzaville covering 170 square kilometers of savanna woodland. The reserve managed by The Aspinall Foundation rehabilitates western lowland gorillas orphaned by poaching. Since 1996 the project has released 61 gorillas into the wild within reserve boundaries. Staff monitor released groups using radio collars and direct observation. Several females have successfully raised offspring born in the wild after release. Day visits from Brazzaville allow viewing habituated groups with advance booking. The reserve represents the longest-running gorilla reintroduction program in Africa measured by time span and number of animals. Researchers track post-release survival and reproduction to inform conservation protocols. The reserve also protects sitatunga, bushbuck, and numerous bird species in swamp forest and grassland mosaics.