Into the heart of the Congo
During a recent trip on behalf of See Wild Travels, senior expedition travel consultant, Emily Clarke, travelled deep into the Congo basin on Kamba’s 7-night Discovery Adventure through Odzala-Kokoua National Park.
Receiving only around 350 visitors each year, Odzala offers something increasingly rare, a true sense of exploration.
While there Emily took the opportunity to interview the two guides that made her week so incredible – a life changing experience. One that still feels difficult to describe.
Meet Glance: From the Skies to the Forests of the Congo
In the depths of Odzala-Kokoua National Park, where forest elephants move silently through the rainforest and western lowland gorillas emerge from the shadows of the jungle, guides do far more than lead walks — they become interpreters of one of the world’s last untouched habitats.
Among them is Glance Eloye Nzoutani, known simply as Glance throughout camp. Warm, passionate, and endlessly enthusiastic about the forest, his journey to becoming a guide is as remarkable as the destination itself.
Before joining Kamba, Glance worked as a flight attendant, travelling extensively and seeing the world from the skies above. But when the airline company he worked for went bankrupt, an entirely different path opened up before him, one that would eventually lead him deep into the Congo Basin.
At the time, Kamba was searching for young Congolese candidates interested in conservation and wilderness guiding.
“I applied, went through the interview process, and now I’m here,” Glance says with a smile.
What followed was years of intensive training under Kamba’s senior guides, learning the rhythms of the rainforest through long days spent navigating flooded forests, crossing rivers, tracking wildlife, and exploring Odzala’s remote wilderness on foot and by boat.
Nearly five years later, Glance has become one of Odzala’s standout guides, combining deep local knowledge with infectious enthusiasm for the forest.
He is also the first Congolese nature guide trained within the Congo Basin to guide professionally in the region; something both he and the Kamba team are immensely proud of.
What Makes Odzala So Special
Ask Glance what makes Odzala different from anywhere else in Africa, and his answer comes quickly.
“This place is untamed,” he says. “There’s very little human presence here, so the animals are truly wild.”
That sense of untouched wilderness is something visitors feel immediately, whether drifting silently down the Lekoli River by kayak or walking beneath the immense forest canopy.
“It’s like a treasure,” Glance explains. “Crossing the river, kayaking through the forest, exploring these landscapes… it’s something very special.”
Unlike many safari destinations, Odzala offers a rare sense of discovery, the feeling that nature still operates entirely on its own terms.
Which season is Glance’s favourite and why
For Glance, the best time to experience Odzala is during the dry season, particularly from June through August.
“During the rainy season, some areas become heavily flooded and difficult to access,” he explains. “But in the dry season, the water inside the forest begins to dry up, and animals come closer to the rivers and remaining water sources.”
That creates extraordinary wildlife viewing opportunities, especially while travelling along the waterways.
“When you’re kayaking or exploring by boat, you often see animals gathering along the riverbanks to drink. That’s my favourite time of year.”
The dry season also opens up more opportunities for forest walks and exploration deeper into the park.
Falling in Love with the smaller things
When asked about his favourite wildlife encounter, Glance gives an answer few people expect. Rather than naming elephants, gorillas, or buffalo, he pauses before smiling.
“I fell in love with the mushrooms”
While many guests arrive focused on Odzala’s larger mammals, Glance became fascinated by mycology (the biological study of fungi). A passion that now shapes the way he experiences the forest.
“Every time I see a mushroom, I get excited,” he laughs.
It’s a reminder that Odzala’s magic isn’t only found in dramatic wildlife sightings, but also in the extraordinary detail of the rainforest itself.
The Moment He’ll Never Forget
Still, there are some larger encounters that remain unforgettable.
One in particular happened while leading a walking safari near Mbouebe Baï.
“We were walking with one guest between two guides when I noticed what looked like the tip of a horn sticking out from the vegetation,” he recalls.
As he moved closer, the shape slowly revealed
itself.
“It was this magnificent bongo lying down in the forest in almost a sphinx-like pose. I was speechless.”
The enormous antelope looked at us calmly for several seconds before standing up and slowly disappearing back into the forest.
“It walked away so slowly and peacefully. That was one of my favourite encounters ever.”
Pictured (above): Glance holding a turkey tail fungus (Trametes versicolor) while explaining its medicinal properties.
Behind the Scenes of Gorilla Habituation
Odzala already has 3 habituated groups of gorillas, Glance spoke about the current gorilla habituation of a 4th group — a process that allows researchers and guides to gradually build trust with wild gorilla families over time.
The newest group, known as GA, are still undergoing habituation and are not yet observed by visitors.
“The process happens very slowly,” Glance explains. “At first, only one tracker spends time with the gorillas. Once the group becomes comfortable, another person joins, and then another.”
Eventually, the group becomes accustomed to the small number of people involved in tourism experiences, typically one guide, one tracker, and four guests.
The process can take years, requiring enormous patience and consistency from the tracking teams.
Watching Guests See Gorillas for the First Time
For many visitors, seeing western lowland gorillas in the wild is the emotional highlight of their entire journey.
And for Glance, watching guests experience that moment never gets old.
“Some people arrive with gorilla trekking as part of a bigger list — they’ve already seen mountain gorillas or chimpanzees,” he says. “But for others, it’s completely overwhelming.”
He describes seeing guests moved to tears as they watch gorilla families interact quietly in the forest.
“You see the young gorillas playing, the family dynamics, the way they behave almost like humans. Some guests get goosebumps. Some cry because they can’t believe what they’re seeing.”
Not every moment is serious, however.
Glance laughs as he remembers one particularly mischievous young gorilla climbing above the group.
“One youngster was playing in the branches above the guests and suddenly peed from the tree. Everyone started laughing behind their masks.”
It’s these unscripted moments, he says, that make gorilla encounters feel so personal and unforgettable.
The Spirit of “Mama Odzala”
At the end of our conversation, I asked Glance to describe the spirit of Odzala-Kokoua in just three words.
As he paused to think, I heard him quietly say, “Mama Odzala.”
Curious, I asked him what it meant.
Glance smiled and explained that among the guiding team, Odzala is often affectionately referred to as “Mama Odzala” — almost as though the forest itself is looking after everyone in it.
“When we have an amazing sighting, when the elephants appear at the perfect moment, when guests are happy and everything just comes together, we look at each other and say, ‘Mama Odzala is happy today.’”
After that, he thought for another moment before giving me his three words:
“Caring. Unexpected. Open-minded.”
And honestly, after hearing the story behind “Mama Odzala,” and experiencing the trip for myself those three words made perfect sense.
(Pictured above) Glance looking cool as a cucumber on his kayak. If you want to meet this fun guy with a passion for fungi – don’t wait! Start planning your trip of a lifetime now, follow the link https://www.seewildtravels.com/congoandcentralafricanrepublic (group discounts available for specific dates)
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