It is the spring of 2025, and rainy season is setting in. What better then, to get out of busy Bangui and into nature.
Watery nature.
I am in RCA (Republique Centrafricaine), the Central African Republic, an almost forgotten country. In fact, I bet if you ask 10 random friends of yours, at least half of them will not even have heard of it. Unless they’re all extreme travellers or geography nerds, that is. (, on both counts). So my job here today, is to spread the word.
RCA is one of 55 countries in Africa.
55? But there’s only 54 countries in Africa, isn’t there? Ah, you must mean United Nations member states. 54 indeed. But not here. In Sophie’s World, Western Sahara is considered a country as good as any, so 55 it is.
But enough of numbers. When we left off, we were in the Central-African capital, with trials and tribulations and fun times, all mixed up. Today, we are on a mission to discover more of RCA.
Les Chutes de Boali
Waterfalls! I love them. It is my favourite feature of nature, nothing less. And it is becoming an outright travel tradition. Let’s go see a waterfall! Can’t make an exception now, can we?
Time for a road trip! We head for Boali Falls, about 95 km north-west of Bangui, along RN1 – National Highway 1, which continues into Cameroon and to the Port of Douala on the Atlantic Ocean. This is one of just a few paved roads in the country.
For two hours, we drive through scenic countryside and past lively villages and on to dirt roads – to the middle of nowhere. Or so it seems.
The road to Boali
But suddenly, there they are, les Chutes de Boali.
Like les Chutes de la Lobé across the border in Cameroon, Boali Falls are not particularly tall. Of course, my default comparison in the world of waterfalls is home. And Norwegian waterfalls are long and narrow, much like the country itself. Here at Boali Falls, the water cascades from the M’bari River over a nearly vertical cliff of schist, dropping only 50 meters, about the same as Niagara Falls. But what it lacks in height, it makes up for in width; the falls span more than 1/4 km.
The rainy season is from April to October. This is when the flow is at its peak. Well, today, on one of the very last days of March, it seems it has already started. Nature is putting on a pretty impressive power show for us, a delightful drama of thunderous water and gentle mist.
Fresh air. Mist on my face. Ahhh!
You can hike down a series of steepish, rock-hewn stairs to the bottom of the falls, with a couple of lookouts along the way. At the bottom is a natural pool carved by erosion. The rocks are a bit slippery, so beware.
It is possible to wade, or even have a swim, and some of us do. Although some say there are crocodiles in the water. As always, we are all responsible for ourselves. Your call!
Around Boali Falls
Also along the staircase (and all over, really) are several self-appointed guides. If you want to enjoy nature’s spectacle on your own, you need to be firm. They do not easily take no for an answer. However, if you do decide to use their services, they expect – and deserve – a decent tip. Les Chutes des Boali is probably the most famous tourist attraction in RCA, but that does not help much in a country almost devoid of tourists.
Just below the falls is the Boali Hydroelectric Power Station, recently rehabilitated, a collaborative effort between RCA and China’s PowerChina corporation. Critical infrastructure – and an ideal target if you want to stage a terrorist attack, or a coup.
The complex supplies a total of 38.75 megawatts of electricity to Bangui and other towns. But that is not enough. The country has an electrification rate of only 3%!
On a more positive note, on the edge of the waterfall’s precipice, is a rustic gazebo restaurant, Restaurant des Chutes de Boali. The food takes time, though. A lot of time! So put your order in, have a walk/hike/swim, then come back. If you’re lucky, the food might be ready. Or not. Might as well get used to slowing down.
On the table next to us is a group of aid workers, mostly South Americans. They’re astounded to hear we are tourists. Here? In RCA?
A few hundred metres on the other side of the restaurant, is a little zoo of sorts. It is dismal: monkeys in small cages, a caiman in a tiny pool, boa snakes, parrots in cages. It’s painful to see! But apparently this animal prison attracts 1,000 local visitors pr week.
If you want to see monkeys in the wild, though, you can hike along the nature trails here. The area is rich in biodiversity: lush vegetation, stunning scenery, and birdwatching if you’re so inclined.
Crocs or no crocks, that’s the question
A bit further along, is a suspension bridge across the M’bari River. There are no crocodiles in this river, one of the self-appointed guides assures me. Well, I’m not so sure… Ecological context, as well as other people’s testimonies, strongly suggest the presence of said predator. Not to mention the fact that I got a glimpse of one. Holding on to that flimsy rope for dear life!
Insta-friendly photo op, though
- As at March 2025, entrance fee to Boali Falls is 5,000 CFA (€7,6) for foreigners. But you will most likely be with a guide/fixer (at least I hope you will), and it will be baked into the total cost of their services.
- The nearest accommodations option is Motel Pierre d’Onyx, by the entrance to Boali Village.
No guns
More, much more, about the Central African Republic in this post – including what to be aware of, should you choose to travel to this oddball country. Most importantly: do not go it solo!
All photos by moi (until my phone went AWOL) and David Røgler.
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