It is located in western Équateur province, in the Bomongo, Bikoro and Makanza territories, and covers a total area of 1,000 square kilometres (390 sq mi).

[1] According to the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) the reserve will conserve biodiversity and the ecosystem in the Ngiri triangle.

Common tree species are Entandrophragma palustre, Coelocaryon botryoides, Uapaca heudelotii, Guibourtia demeusei and Oubanguia africana.

The reserve is a breeding ground for large numbers of water birds, particularly purple herons, reed cormorants and African darters.

The capital of Équateur province, Mbandaka, lies to the south of the reserve where the Tshuapa River enters the Congo from the east.