Introduction
Faint heart ne'er won a close-up look at gorillas. If you want to get away from the Africa of souvenir sellers and slick willy tour operators, the Central African Republic (CAR) may be the place for you. It has pristine forests and lively cities but also a lawless countryside and crumbling roads.
Destination Facts
Capital: Bangui (pop 670,000)
President: Fran ç ois Boziz é
Prime Minister: Faustin Archange Touad é ra
Government: republic
Time zone: GMT +1
Area: 622980
Population: 3.445.000
Languages: This is the national language.
Catholic (25%), Muslim (9%), indigenous beliefs
Currency: CFA Franc BEAC (CFA)
Country Dialing Code: 236
Getting There
Rain is the most important point to consider when planning a trip to the CAR, because a wet season downpour can strand you for days. In most of the CAR the best time to travel is from November to April, but the rains come by late February in the south and around Bangui. Most of the national parks are open year-round, but St Floris in the northeast is open only from 1 December to 15 May.
Getting there and away
There are direct flights to Bangui from Paris (Air France), Khartoum (Air Sudan) and Douala (Cameroon Airlines), but they aren't always regular and you will need to enquire with the airlines. Benin Golf Air has also serviced the CAR in the past. Flights are generally expensive. The following are the usual routes for getting to countries bordering CAR; they are well-worn paths, but check with embassies and other reliable sources about the status of border crossings before you go, as all are very prone to opening and closing. At the time of writing, the borders with Cameroon, Congo (Brazzaville) and the Democratic Republic of Congo (Kinshasa) were open. The border with Sudan was also open, but the Sudanese embassy said that this frequently changes. The border with Chad was closed, but its embassy indicated that this could change at short notice.
Getting around
Overcrowded 24-seater minibuses connect Bangui with all major towns. Trucks and pickups are also a popular way to travel; their prices are similar to minibus fares. Some main roads are sealed, but pockmarked with wheelswallowing holes. During the dry season, the dirt roads to major towns and the Cameroon and Chad borders are OK, but when the rains begin they become very muddy and can be closed for days.
Warning
The security situation in the CAR remains extremely unstable, particularly in the north and northwest. Areas along the Sudanese, Chadian and Cameroonian borders are controlled by bandits. Travellers should think carefully about travelling to CAR, particularly if they plan to visit areas beyond the capital, Bangui.
Weather
Perched just above the equator, the south of the CAR has the typical sultry conditions of this latitude with the sun baking year round and the rainy season lasting six months (May to October). In the north things are a bit drier and regular daily temperatures between 29-32° C (85-90° F) still de riguer.
Faint heart ne'er won a close-up look at gorillas. If you want to get away from the Africa of souvenir sellers and slick willy tour operators, the Central African Republic (CAR) may be the place for you. It has pristine forests and lively cities but also a lawless countryside and crumbling roads.
Destination Facts
Capital: Bangui (pop 670,000)
President: Fran ç ois Boziz é
Prime Minister: Faustin Archange Touad é ra
Government: republic
Time zone: GMT +1
Area: 622980
Population: 3.445.000
Languages: This is the national language.
Catholic (25%), Muslim (9%), indigenous beliefs
Currency: CFA Franc BEAC (CFA)
Country Dialing Code: 236
Getting There
Rain is the most important point to consider when planning a trip to the CAR, because a wet season downpour can strand you for days. In most of the CAR the best time to travel is from November to April, but the rains come by late February in the south and around Bangui. Most of the national parks are open year-round, but St Floris in the northeast is open only from 1 December to 15 May.
Getting there and away
There are direct flights to Bangui from Paris (Air France), Khartoum (Air Sudan) and Douala (Cameroon Airlines), but they aren't always regular and you will need to enquire with the airlines. Benin Golf Air has also serviced the CAR in the past. Flights are generally expensive. The following are the usual routes for getting to countries bordering CAR; they are well-worn paths, but check with embassies and other reliable sources about the status of border crossings before you go, as all are very prone to opening and closing. At the time of writing, the borders with Cameroon, Congo (Brazzaville) and the Democratic Republic of Congo (Kinshasa) were open. The border with Sudan was also open, but the Sudanese embassy said that this frequently changes. The border with Chad was closed, but its embassy indicated that this could change at short notice.
Getting around
Overcrowded 24-seater minibuses connect Bangui with all major towns. Trucks and pickups are also a popular way to travel; their prices are similar to minibus fares. Some main roads are sealed, but pockmarked with wheelswallowing holes. During the dry season, the dirt roads to major towns and the Cameroon and Chad borders are OK, but when the rains begin they become very muddy and can be closed for days.
Warning
The security situation in the CAR remains extremely unstable, particularly in the north and northwest. Areas along the Sudanese, Chadian and Cameroonian borders are controlled by bandits. Travellers should think carefully about travelling to CAR, particularly if they plan to visit areas beyond the capital, Bangui.
Weather
Perched just above the equator, the south of the CAR has the typical sultry conditions of this latitude with the sun baking year round and the rainy season lasting six months (May to October). In the north things are a bit drier and regular daily temperatures between 29-32° C (85-90° F) still de riguer.
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