Berberati's main draw is the surrounding forest and the access it provides to one of Central Africa's most biodiverse landscapes. Within the city itself, the Catholic mission is the most prominent institution and a useful point of contact for visitors trying to navigate the area. The central market is the best place to take the pulse of the city — diamond dealers, bush meat traders, Chinese-made goods, and local produce all converge here.
The real attractions lie in the forest outside town. The Dzanga-Sangha Special Reserve to the south — though more commonly entered via Bayanga — encompasses one of the finest rainforest ecosystems in Africa, with forest elephants, western lowland gorillas, and the extraordinary polyphonic music of the Bayaka people.