Where to Stay in Central African Republic

Central African Republic splits into three clear lodging zones. Bangui lines up most foreign-ready hotels along Avenue des Martyrs and the Oubangui River, swinging from French colonial leftovers to slick business towers. Southwest Dzanga-Sangha lives on jungle eco-lodges where elephants shuffle you to sleep and charcoal-brewed coffee greets you at dawn. Up north, beside Manovo-Gounda St Floris National Park, savanna camps and bare-bones park bungalows leave the night sky naked of city glow. Prices sit at the continent's bargain end. A tidy double in Bangui lands mid-range for the region, while Dzanga-Sangha's top lodges charge top dollar for helicopter hops and gorilla permits. Shoestring travelers bunk in guesthouses that hand over mosquito nets and cold bucket showers. Quotes come in CFA francs, euros are welcome, and credit cards barely exist outside Bangui. Bangui's riverfront hotels pull in evening breezes laced with the smell of street-side capitaine on the grill. Rainforest decks lift morning mist off the Sangha while you sip sharp jungle fruit juice. Northern camps shake you awake with lion roars and the damp scent of savanna grass.