N'sele Valley Park

The N'sele Valley Park is a private reserve on the Batéké plateau outside Kinshasa, created to give the capital somewhere to see large animals and to hold rescued and reintroduced species on savannah that once carried them. Giraffe, zebra, eland, buffalo and antelope range across fenced sections, with drives and walking trails through them, and the N'sele river runs along one edge. It is a conservation and education project rather than a national park, and it is open about being one.

The landscape

• The savannah sections - fenced grassland holding giraffe, zebra, eland and antelope.
• The N'sele river - the watercourse along the park's edge, with gallery forest on it.
• The drives - guided vehicle routes through the animal sections.
• The walking trails - marked paths in the areas without large game.

When to go

May to September is the dry season, easiest for the roads and best for sightings around water. The wet season makes the tracks soft. Early morning and late afternoon are when the animals move.

Good to know

The animals are within fenced areas and several species were introduced, so this is closer to a wildlife park than a wild reserve. Prices are high relative to what is on offer. The drive out from Kinshasa can take two hours or more in traffic.

Nearby

Kinshasa is west, and the Bombo-Lumene reserve is further east on the same plateau.