Not only is Gabon covered in pristine rainforest with an abundance of wildlife, it also boasts a wide range of animals living in its waters. There have been a few success stories recently with marine reserves being set up in the south to preserve these beautiful animals.
There is a great diversity of marine mammals such as dolphins and whales, some of them can be found at all time, while others such as the humpback whales only spend a few months (breeding season from June to September/November) in Gabonese waters. The humpback whale is definitely the most iconic of them all. During the rest of the year he feeds on the rich waters down south, and when it’s winter in the southern hemisphere, he comes to the coast of Gabon from June to November, with the peak in July to early September.
The breeding season is an excellent time to see them play around and jump above the surface, often leading to spectacular sightings and wonderful photo-opportunities. Each whale has a unique pattern on its tail and this helps researchers to identify and follow them in order to study their behaviour.
We can also find humpback dolphins, which only occur in small groups from Morocco to Angola. Unfortunately their populations are declining as they are often caught in fishing nets and there are only an estimated two to three thousand of them left. With the new marine reserves being set up, Gabon provides a safe haven for these animals.
Finally we also have a variety of dolphins such as the common dolphin, the atlantic spotted dolphin, the pantropical spotted dolphin and the common bottlenose dolphin. We can also find other marine mammals such as killer whales, beaked whales, sperm whales and Bryde’s whale and several others.
We organise whale watching tours from July until September. If we have an existing group or if you have a group of minimum four people, we can get you a place on board for 260 USD per single person joining. We can also organise you a private boat which can hold up to 8 people. Please, send us a message if you wish to book this. Be sure to book well in time as places are limited!
