Salonga National Park is located in the Congo River basin in the Democratic Republic of Congo, covering an area of 36,000 square kilometers, making it the largest tropical rainforest reserve protected in Africa.
The park is home to 40% of the world’s bonobos. Salonga National Park was established in 1956 as Tshuapa National Park and was later decreed as Salonga National Park by President Mobutu Sesseko in 1970.
The park was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1984.
There are few roads within the park, making it only accessible via river and one of the last remaining intact tropical forests in Africa.
The park is characterized by grassy glades, marshlands, streams, swamps, and much more.
Salonga National Park harbors 129 species of fish, 51 species of mammals, and 223 species of birds, among others. Bonobos in Salonga National Park share 98.7% of their DNA with humans, just like chimpanzees, making them man’s closest relatives.
Unlike other national parks where you enjoy game drives in a car, Salonga National Park offers a unique experience of watching wildlife from a boat.
You might spot animals such as the aquatic genet, hippopotamus, Congo peafowl, crocodiles, leopards, elephants, African golden cat, yellow-backed duiker, tree pangolin, giant pangolin, Angolan slender mongoose, Allen’s swamp monkey, long-tailed pangolin, bush pig, sitatunga, bushbuck, dwarf chimpanzees, Thollon’s red colobus, Angolan pied colobus, water chevrotain, black crested mangabey, Congo clawless otter, red river hog, water civet, wolf monkey, forest buffalo, and primates like dryas monkeys and bonobos, among others.
Salonga National Park Map
Bonobos
Bonobos are similar to chimpanzees, though they are slightly smaller and darker.
When two bonobo groups meet, instead of engaging in serious fights, they are known to maintain relationships and settle conflicts through sexual interactions.
Bonobo groups are led by females, unlike chimpanzee groups.
Salonga National Park is home to over 300 species of birds, some of which are endemic to the area. Some examples of birds include the black-billed stork, cattle egret, yellow-billed stork, Congo peacock, grey parrot, black-billed bustard, palm nut vulture, and many others.
Salonga National Park can be accessed by air or road transport.
You can take a domestic chartered flight from Anga and Mundja airstrips in Monkoto.
Within the park, the terrain is very remote and can only be accessed by boat.
The park is located 100 kilometers south of Boende, between Kinshasa and Kisangani.
The park is in a rainforest zone, which experiences rainfall almost throughout the year, making the weather unpredictable.
The best time to visit is during the drier months from June to August, though even in the drier months, it is possible for rain to fall.
