M'Baïki

M'Baïki is the main town of the Lobaye, around a hundred kilometres south of Bangui where the savannah gives out and the rainforest begins, and it has been a timber and coffee centre for a long time. The market is the largest for some distance. Aka communities live in the forest around the town and come into it, and the road south from here leads into the forest country.

What you actually see

• The market - the largest trading point in the Lobaye.
• The forest edge - the point where savannah gives way to rainforest.
• The timber trade - the industry the town has run on.
• The road south - the route into the forest country beyond.

When to go

December to February is the driest window and the roads are best. The wet season makes travel south of the town difficult. Market days are busiest.

Honest expectations

There is little built for visitors and no formal accommodation to speak of. The town is a working centre rather than a destination. Roads beyond it deteriorate quickly.

Nearby

Zinga is southeast, and Ngotto Forest is southwest.