A Journey to the Pygmies <<< Practical Informations
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
- equipment, health, price, dates-
YOUR TRAVEL CREW
- Your guide from Paris to Paris will be Olivier Courtemanche whose 21 years of experience include 16 years with the Aka Pygmies in Central Africa.
- Camp aids, cook and three man crew for the river journey.
- Up to fifteen Pygmy porters and trackers in the forest carrying all luggage and equipment
YOUR ACCOMMODATION
- In Bangui city: Hôtel Oubangui (Ubangi Hotel, former Sofitel) a charming 1970s-style hotel near the city centre and right on the river with swimming pool, restaurant, air conditioned bar, casino... Address: Boulevard du Général de Gaulle, BP 1044. Tel : (236) 21 61 30 38/ (236) 21 61 30 48.
- Camping: Igloo-type 3 person tent (for 2) with built-in mosquito net; “Karimat”-type mattress; whilst in the forest, a soft water portable shower is installed daily.
YOUR TRANSPORT
- A ‘whaleboat’ on the Ubangi and Lobaye rivers. This is a large traditional wooden boat, easily manoeuvrable, allowing for numerous stops and maximal freedom. You will travel for between 2 to 5 hours a day with stops in villages, hamlets, islands and walks between villages along the river bank.
- Return to Bangui from M’Bata by bush taxi or by truck.
YOUR MEALS
- Three meals a day made of fresh local and long life products (canned and dry food).
- Fresh produce includes fruit and, depending on your taste and the daily catch - fish from the river (brown bullhead, threadfin, m’boto...) and game from the forest (gazelle, monkey, pangolin, chameleon...) as well as fresh grilled chicken when available.
- Local and hotel restaurants in Bangui.
TRIP REQUIREMENTS
- Good physical condition is essential..
- River journey: no real physical effort required the first week.
- Forest trek: 3 to 5 hours walk a day on tracks - a mostly flat environment, littered with numerous obstacles such as roots, fallen trees or creepers. Also, with humidity sitting at around 99%, you will sweat considerably . In short, Pygmies have to be earned...
Rustic character of the trip: *** 3 stars
(* 1 star = a little rustic/ **2 stars = rustic/ *** 3 stars = very rustic)
PERSONAL EQUIPMENT
· Waterproof rucksack or soft bag
· Bathing suit, sunglasses, hat and thongs on the whaleboat
· Small day bag (for water bottle, camera..)
· Water bottle (carried at all time; one of our trackers will carry a container of about 10 litres of water to fill your own water bottles when needed)
· Knife, battery-powered torch/flashlight (or headlamp) with spare bulbs.
· Light sleeping bag (in January) or a sewed sheet (i.e. quilt cover)
· Two pairs of shoes: one for walking and a light pair (for rest time).
· Short and long sleeve T-shirts
· Two to three pairs of pants including one to be used exclusively for walking
· Socks: one pair per walking day plus a few spare
· Western-issue toilet paper and a lighter to burn it.
· Plastic and waterproof bags (for camera) to protect against humidity as well as the occasional storm.
· Rain poncho during the wet season (June/November)
----------------15 KG max. per person please------------------
NOTE: only one electric plug is available on day 7 to recharge your batteries.
Clothing Tips :· Walking shoes: choose proper light trekking shoes or trainers/runners/sneakers made in synthetic material so they dry quickly. If they are new, walk in them for a few days before the trip.· T-shirts and walking pants: choose light cotton or even better, a new synthetic material that dries quickly. · Evening wear: soak or spray your evening clothes with an anti-mosquito solution like Insect Ecran© before the trip. · Bath towel: choose one that isn’t scented - available in most sports shops.
NOTE: a maximum load of 15 kg per person is highly desirable. It is possible to wash (or have someone wash) your clothes or even better, you can give them away during the trip. It is also possible to leave clean clothes for the return trip at the hotel in Bangui.
FORMALITIES
Passports must be valid for at least 6 months after the return date. A visa is required.
- In France,you can obtain your visa at the Central African Republic Embassy in Paris, 30, rue des Perchamps - 75016 Paris - Tel : +33 (0) 142244256 – open from 9h30 to 12h00 and from 2h30 à 5pm (but do check first before heading there...)
- “A Pygmy World” can also get your visa. In both cases: 30.50 € per visa, 2 forms and 2 ID pictures.
· A vaccination booklet is compulsory. It must contain a current Yellow Fever vaccination certificate less than 10 years old and at least 10 days old. All your other French vaccinations must also be up to date.
YOUR HEALTH
1. During and after your stay in this region classified as a Zone 3 (one of regions which offers the highest resistance to standard anti-malaria tablets), a preventative treatment against malaria based on Lariam or Malarone is essential. Consult your doctor first.
2. Many vaccinations, including the compulsory Yellow Fever vaccination, are usually not available through family doctors and travellers must visit specially approved centres to get them. Your doctor will be able to tell you where to go. In Paris, they can be obtained at the Pasteur Institute, 209-211 rue Vaugirard 75015 Paris – tel +33 (0) 1 40 61 38 00 or at Air France’s Vaccination Centre, 148 rue de l’Université – 75007 Paris – tel 33 (0) 1 43 17 22 00
All drinking, cooking and shower water used during the trip is purified using Micropur ©
The Pygmy World’s medicine cabinet is stocked with all necessary first aid items for emergency treatment and for dealing with standard injuries. However we also advise you to stock:
· Personal medication for existing conditions,
· Mosquito repellent,
· Anti-septic soap, preferably liquid, anti-bacterial gel/disinfectant,
· Moisturising sun screen,
· Elastoplast, sterilised bandages, scissors ; tweezers,
· Vitamin C and/or multivitamins,
· Neutral eye drops,
· Targeted pain relief medication (Nurofen) and/or aspirin,
· Anti-diarrhoea and intestinal anti-septic (Imodium),
· Healing cream and anti-septic disinfectant,
· Current antibiotics (optional).
CLIMATE / TIME ZONE
· Equatorial-type climate. Hot and humid with no real variation throughout the year, even between day and night
· The dry season extends from November-December until May-June
· Time: GMT +1. Minimal jetlag coming from Europe with a 7 hour flight from Paris.
CURRENCY EXCHANGE
1 € = ± 655 CFA francs
· Plan for about 15 € in export taxes for the return flight out of Bangui.
· Plan tips for all our helpers (porters, cooks and boat crew)
Where do we go ?
The Centralafrican Republic (CAR)
Valley of the Lobaye river
Rain forests of the Lobaye valley (zoomable)
DATES AND PRICES FOR THE 2012 SEASON
CONDITIONS
- Maximum 6 people per trip
- Price per person for groups of 6
- Airport tax included (about 356 €). Airfares Paris-Bangui-Paris included. For departures from anywhere else, contact us
- Reduction for children under 12 years old : - 140 €
- Supplement for Single bedroom : + 110 €
- Supplement small groups :
- 5 travellers : + 250 €/person
- 4 travellers : + 600 €/person
- from 1 to 3 travellers : contact us
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6 % of the total cost of your trip
will go to straight to local Pygmy aid and development projects
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For any question, please contact us :
Un Monde Pygmée
ocourtemanche@yahoo.fr
La Route des Sens
contact@laroutedessens.org
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In association with LA ROUTE DES SENS
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