Travel Guide To Okapi Wildlife Reserve, DR Congo Wildlife Safari Tours
Okapi Wildlife Reserve Attractions and Activities: Take an adventurous safari tour to the Okapi Wildlife Reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the largest wildlife conservation areas in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Okapi Wildlife Reserve occupies about one-fifth of the Ituri forest in the north-east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Congo River basin, of which the reserve and forest are a part, is one of the largest drainage systems in Africa. It is found in the northeastern part of DR Congo close to the borders of Uganda and South Sudan
The Okapi Wildlife Reserve contains threatened species of primates and birds and about 5,000 of the estimated 30,000 Okapi Wildlife Reserve survive in the wild. It also has some dramatic scenery, including waterfalls on the Ituri and Epulu rivers. The reserve is inhabited by traditional nomadic pygmy Mbuti and Efe hunters. The Okapi Wildlife Reserve (OWR), was established in 1992 and listed as a World Heritage Site in 1996, to protect the habitat of the okapi and preserve rare plant and animal life, as well as the lifestyle and culture of the indigenous Mbuti and Efe people. The Okapi Wildlife Reserve encompasses 13,700 square kilometers (1.5 times the area of Yellowstone National Park) of the Ituri Forest – one of the most important centers of plant and animal diversity in all of Africa.
The largest population of Okapi Wildlife Reserve and chimpanzees in DRC, along with forest elephant, leopard, forest buffalo, bongo antelope, water chevrotain, 16 other species of primates, and an incredible diversity of plants, birds, and insects, are among the wildlife-sheltered in the Reserve.
The Ituri Forest is also the cultural center of the indigenous Mbuti and Efe people, among the last true “forest people” left on Earth. They are true hunter-gatherers and deep forest-dwellers living traditional lifestyles as they have for millennia.
Through trade and association with neighboring cultivation communities like the Bantu, their activities generally enrich the overall composition of the forest by providing pockets of secondary vegetation a source of plants on which the okapi feed.
About the Okapi Wildlife Reserve, DR Congo Wildlife Safari Tours
War and insecurity aside, the biodiversity in the Democratic Republic of Congo is second to none in Africa. Congo has rare species like the Okapi, bonobos, mountain and Eastern lowland gorillas. The Okapi Wildlife Reserve, sometimes referred to as a forest giraffe or Okapia johnstoni is a strange-looking creature with markings on the lake that are similar to that of zebras.
What is amazing about the Okapi is that they are more related to giraffes and were only discovered in 1901 at the Virunga National Park. It is only found in the Democratic Republic of Congo in the Ituri forest and Virunga National Park. There are an estimated 5,000 in the Okapi Wildlife Reserve alone. Most of them are found in Ituri forest and a few in Virunga National Park.
Since their official protection in 1933, the Okapi are now classified and listed by the Institute in Congo for the Conservation of Nature (ICCN) as endangered. This new classification is because of their declining numbers in the last 20 years. The government of Congo has selected the Okapi as a national symbol of wildlife conservation and appears in many national emblems.
For the Okapi and other creatures in the reserve to thrive, they need large and dense forests. The greatest threat to the Okapi and the reserve is forest encroachment by migrants from overpopulated parts of Eastern Congo, poaching for bush meat, illegal logging, illegal gold, and Coltan mining. Also, the unpredictable security situation and lack of political stability in the Eastern part of Congo make protecting the Okapi and the reserve challenging.
For example in 2012, the Mai-Mai militia attacked the park offices in Epulu leaving six people and 13 Okapi dead. More recently in 2015, the guard post in Zunguluka was attacked and burnt. Most of these attacks are in retaliation by the militias for the good work done by the government forces and the Okapi Conservation Project in fighting poachers and illegal miners in the Reserve.
Okapi Conservation Project | Okapi Wildlife Reserve, DR Congo Wildlife Safari Tours
Okapi Wildlife Reserve was created by the Okapi Conservation Project in collaboration with the government of Congo. The Okapi Conservation Project assists and sustains the work of ICCN to protect, secure, and manage most of the affairs of the Okapi Wildlife Reserve.
The project was created in 1987 (earlier than the Okapi Wildlife Reserve itself) and has worked to protect indigenous pygmies and endangered Okapi at the reserve. Although the Okapi is the main focus of the project, other species like chimpanzees and forest elephants have benefited from the conservation efforts in the reserve. The project started a research and breeding station with about 14 Okapis called the Epulu Conservation and Research Centre.
The work of the Okapi Conservation Project depends on outreach activities, wildlife educational programs, and assistance to the community. The project also helps educate communities living within and outside the reserve to have an understanding of the importance of the Okapi Wildlife Reserve.
Tourist Activities at Okapi Wildlife Reserve:
Wildlife viewing in Okapi Wildlife Reserve, DR Congo Wildlife Safari Tours
Okapi National Park is not only rich in Okapi but tourists can view a variety of other wildlife making it one of the top tourist destinations in Congo, some of the animals to see on a game drive include; elephants, leopards, chimpanzees, forest buffalos, water chevrotain, antelopes, giant ground pangolins, African dwarf crocodile, golden cat, Anubis baboon, pygmy antelope, giant forest hogs and forest Genet among the rest.
Bird watching In Okapi Wildlife Reserve, DR Congo Wildlife Safari Tours
Okapi Wildlife Reserve is also a border paradise with over 370 species of birds recorded, some of the examples of birds found here are; herons, vultures, and many more.
Cultural experience In Okapi Wildlife Reserve, DR Congo Wildlife Safari Tours
The people surrounding the Okapi wildlife reserve are the remaining forest people in the world who have lived in this forest since ancient times they live by hunting and fruit gathering it’s very interesting to interact with these primitive people and know their ways of life.
They are also very short in stature compared to other people in the world. The semi-nomadic hunter-gathering lifestyle has enabled the pygmy to properly identification of various plant life, some of the plants are for their domestic use in healing cough, and malaria among others.
Nature guided walks In Okapi Wildlife Reserve, DR Congo Wildlife Safari Tours
Nature-guided walks can be taken to the magnificent waterfalls of the Ituri and Nepoko rivers or hike to the top of Mount Mbeya at the edge of Epulu, the uncommon views are simply glorious and unforgettable.
Hunting In Okapi Wildlife Reserve, DR Congo Wildlife Safari Tours
Tourists can get involved with the hunters gathering pygmies and going hunting in the park with permission; this experience is very thrilling making you encounter the wilderness with lots of plant life, insects and butterflies to be seen.
Camping In Okapi Wildlife Reserve, DR Congo Wildlife Safari Tours
Camping at Okapi National Park can be done within the Epulu River.
Where to stay In Okapi Wildlife Reserve, DR Congo Wildlife Safari Tours
Some of the places to stay while at Okapi Wildlife Reserve are; Vuvuke Guest House, Plaza Hotel, hotel Kisangani, and many more.
Best time to visit the Okapi Wildlife Reserve:
The Okapi Wildlife Reserve is technically open for visitors throughout the year but the dry seasons between June and August are perfect for visiting. Caution must be exercised before visiting the park and you need an update on the security situation from the Okapi Conservation Project or your tour company before traveling to the Okapi Wildlife Reserve
How to get there In Okapi Wildlife Reserve, DR Congo Wildlife Safari Tours
As already noted earlier, the Okapi Wildlife Reserve is found on the north-eastern border of the DR Congo, close to the border between Uganda and Congo. The closest town to the reserve is Isiro. If you are visiting the Centre, you need to leave from Isiro (the nearest town), Kisangani, or Beni and stop at the town of Epalu.
If you are leaving from Beni or Kisangani by road, you need to reserve a full day of traveling and another for returning. You will need a good four-wheel drive which is in good mechanical condition (with spare tires), especially during the rainy season. Travelers can also book chartered flights from the airport in Bunia or Goma after arriving from Kinshasa or Kigali in Rwanda.
Arrange and Book with Ultimate Wild Safaris for the Okapi Wildlife Safari Tour in DR Congo.
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