Ntokou pikounda national park was mainly established to protect the western lowland gorillas. The park covers 4,572 square kilometers and is endowed with over 950 chimpanzees, 850 elephants, and 15,000 gorillas. Nkotou pikounda national park, the park was created on the 28th of December 2012.
Ntokou pikounda national park has also been known as “Green abyss” from J. Michael Fay’s Mega Transect, the forest is mainly dominated by marantaceae a family of herbaceous tropical plants, which is a stronghold for larger mammals, the park was named after two villages on its border.
Nkotou pikounda national park is also home to Congo’s largest hippo population, the creation of the park has alerted hunters looking for bush meat and ivory as infrastructure has been developed but the government is trying its best to secure the park and its animals.
Nkotou pikounda national park joins other protected areas in the region, including Odzala national park and Nouabale-Ndoki national park
Things to do at Ntokou pikounda national park
Gorilla trekking
Nkotou pikounda national park boasts over 15,000 gorillas; this is the main tourist activity that takes place at this park tourists can go on a gorilla trekking safari experience and never get disappointed, as it’s a must-see from the time you start your journey to the end.
Chimpanzees trekking
Apart from gorilla trekking, there are also chimpanzee trekking safaris, as the park is gifted with over 900 chimpanzees. tourists can encounter a true feeling of the wilderness and get close to these human-related creatures whose DNA is said to match up to 80% with human beings. There are also other primates, such as the red colobus monkey.
Wildlife viewing
Apart from gorilla and chimpanzees trekking, Nkotou national park has got a lot of the wilderness to offer tourists. They can go on game drives and see various animals, such as forest elephants, golden cats, forest hogs, bushbucks, and bushpigs, to name a few. The park is also home to Congo’s largest hippo population.
Birdwatching
Nkotou pikounda national park is endowed with various species of birds; some of the birds here are migratory, while others are residential.
Boat cruising
Tourists can go on a boat cruise to view aquatic animals like the hippopotamus, crocodiles and many water birds with views of the park’s beautiful scenery.
Best time to visit
The best time to visit the park is in the dry season when the grass is short and animals can easily be seen without thick vegetation. Visitors are advised to use a four-wheel drive vehicle when travelling to the park.
Where to stay
While at the Nkotou pikounda national park, tourists can either camp or get accommodation at the nearby towns; the park is still remote, and the infrastructure is not well developed.
How to get there
The park can be accessed by road or air transport.
