Lésio-Louna Natural Gorilla Reserve

The Lésio-Louna Natural Reserve should be your first stop if you decide to travel to the Congo outside of Brazzaville. In order to finally release the western lowland gorillas back into the wild, this reserve serves as a rehabilitation facility for them. They continue to develop survival skills like foraging and climbing while living in relative freedom in their natural habitat. When poachers killed their parents, the majority of the gorillas became orphans at an early age.

Adult gorillas are eaten as bushmeat or traded for body parts in the Congo to be used in "black magic." Rich people keep babies as exotic pets, but when they get too large, they abandon them. The Gorilla Protection Project, created by the John Aspinall Foundation, rescues these orphans and other gorillas from abusive situations.

It takes roughly 8 hours to go there and back due to the poor condition of the road to Lésio-Louna. This is a lot to fit into one day, so opt for an overnight vacation if you have the time and resources to do so. You'd have more time for extra activities like boat rides and hikes, and you'd also have a better chance of seeing gorillas. You'll only get one chance to visit them if you decide to take a day trip, so try to avoid any misunderstandings.

Google rating: 4.0/5.0
Address: north of Brazzaville, Congo

Phone number: +61427412130
Official site: N/A