Garamba National Park

The park entrance at Nagero

Garamba is reached either by road from Bunia or by chartered plane from Goma or Bunia.

Information for visitors:

Garamba National Park (4.900 sq.km), one of the oldest in Africa was established in 1938. It is the only place in Congo with a population of the endangered sub-species Northern White Rhinoceros Ceratotherium simum cottoni and the Congo Giraffe Giraffa camelopardalis congoensis. The rhinoceros has been exterminated in almost all of its former range, except in the Garamba NP., where only 15 individuals remained in 1984. Since then the population has doubled, reaching 31 in early 1992.

Garamba was nominated in 1980 as a World Heritage Site in recognition of its unique natural value.

The custodian of the Park is the Zairois Institute for the Conservation of Nature (IZCN), and working with the IZCN staff are the members of the Garamba National Park Project. The Project was initiated in 1984, and is funded by a consortium of conservation donors; Frankfurt Zoological Society (FZS), World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and UNESCO, under the auspices of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and its Resources (IUCN).

Birding on the savanna. Rufous-rumped Lark (Pinarocorys erythropygia) was found here.

The Park lies in the north-eastern corner of Congo (3-4° N / 29-30° W). Its northern border is the Nile/Congo rivers watershed. The elevation ranges from 740 to 1060 meters. The habitat is mainly gently undulating Loudetia/Hyparrhenia grassland, with a few granite outcrops or inselbergs towards the north. Occational sausage trees Kigelia africana and Vitex doniana dot the grassland. Deciduous bushed woodland occurs towards the edge and north of the Park, and in the Hunting Reserves surrounding it. There are numerous watercourses, with swamps, valley grassland, riverine woodland with Irvingia smithii. In the north, impressive gallery forests are found, with species of Chlorophora and Khaya.

The Garamba river.

Crocodile-Birds (Pluvianus aegyptius aegyptius) and White-headed Lapwings (Vanellus albiceps) are found here.

The climate is semi-humid with a long wet season from April through November, and a short dry season from December through March. Mean annual rainfall is 1.300 mm. Mean annual daily temperature is 24,4 Centigrades, but minimum temperatures may fall to 10 Centigrades in December and January, with maxima up to 40 Centigrades.

Some 138 species of mammals and 300 species of birds have been recorded for the Garamba ecosystem. Of the most noteable mammals are over 7.000 elephants, 3.000 buffalo, 3.000 hippo, 150 giraffe, 25 white rhino, roan, kob, hartebeeste, waterbuck, oribi, reedbuck, bushbuck, duiker, lion and hyena.

A four-wheel drive vehicle is available for hire if required. Ask for Kes or Frasier Smith. Walking is permitted by prior arrangement with IZCN, and recreational fishing is allowed at any time of year. Birding around the station at Nagero can only be described as excellent. The Black-billed Wood-Dove was found to be common here in 1994, and it was a new species to Congo.The best time for driving or walking in the Park is from January through June, when the grass is short enough to permit good visibility of animals. Birdlife is abundant all year, with an influx of winter-visitors from November to March.

The main camp at Nagero. A favorite place for the Grey-headed Olive-back (Nesocharis capistrata)

Garamba is one of the few places in Africa where you can do an elephant back safari. The "Elephant Domestication Centre" dates from 1901, when the Belgians started to domesticate and train African elephants for agricultural work. Today 4 adult elephants remain, and can be ridden in the Park and in the environs of the station. A very good birding-platform, which allows close views of a number of species.The Rehabilitation Project has captured more young elephants, which are partially trained and can be seen around the station. A display with further information is available in the Museum at Nagero. A nature documentary about Garamba has been made by Alan Root, and is well worth seeing.

Vinaceous Dove (Streptopelia vinacea) - a common bird in Garamba National Park.

After the recent unrest in Congo, the Mobutu military have raided the park, and Kes & Frasier Smith have been evacuated. It is with great hope the latest news from Congo is received, and hopefully the new president and government will make it possible to again work in this beautiful park.

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