Located in Odzala-Kokoua National Park, in the south, and one of the three Odzala Discovery camps, Lango Camp is a beautiful and beautifully located eco-luxury camp.
Overview
Situated in a mixed habitat of forest swamp and savannah, and built-in exactly the same style as sister camp Ngaga, Lango Camp is a wood-and-thatch build consisting of a main area and six sleeping rooms. Raised and overlooking a beautiful bai or floodplain, the main area includes a lounge, bar, dining room, decking and fire pit, the amenities are split across two traditional structures, one housing the dining room, the other the bar and lounge, each joined together by the same decking. Characterised by comfortable seating, reclaimed wood furnishings, local artefacts, a gorgeous dining table and canvas chairs, the look and feel is very safari. There is no guest Wi-Fi.
Food & service
Sourced from a local vegetable garden or from mainly Brazzaville and France, the food at Lango Camp is great, the dining communal, though private dining is available. Breakfast consists of a range of European breakfasts, eggs and fruit. The buffet lunch includes a range of salads, pasta, fish and meats. Dinner’s a three-course affair, unfailingly delicious, and very much a guest favourite.
Rooms
Accessed via a raised walkway, sat high on a wooden platform, and including double or twin bed, private veranda, shower and ample storage, the build and interiors of the sleeping rooms at Lango Camp are identical in every way to those at Ngaga Camp. Dome-shaped, the roof and walls are made from palm panelling, and the inside is characterised by wood, elements of brass, and a restrained decor, each room is rather lovely.
Activities
Activities at Lango Camp include wildlife drives, guided walk-and-wades, bird watching, kayaking the bai and nearby waterways, and boating the Lekoli River. Please note that the camp does not accommodate children below the age of 15.
Impact
Conservation
Sabine Plattner African Charities (SPAC) aims to empower children, women and men at the Republic of Congo’s Odzala-Kokoua National Park to advocate for a sustainable future. SPAC encourages local communities to become protectors of their own families as well as of the rainforest – their shelter – and its animals.
Furthermore, vital research on the region’s native lowland gorilla has thankfully protected them from extinction.
Commerce
The salary of a single SPAC staff member can feed up to 20 family members; this is essential for a region where hardly 10% of the population have a regular income from paid labour. Apprenticeships and additional jobs such as eco-guards and administrative work also provide a meaningful alternative to poaching and deforestation.
Community
SPAC’s excellent work is exemplified by the construction of the community centre – ‘Sanza Mobimba’ – in Mbomo in late 2013. The centre offers a kindergarten which supports around 60 children daily. Active participation – including sowing seeds in the community garden and helping to cook lunch – is promoted, and language courses enable the children to communicate in a variety of dialects.
Afterschool activities range from the healthy – dance and sports – to ‘life skills training’ about health, hygiene, and nutrition.