In this budget tour in Gabon we cover some lesser known national parks and forests of Gabon, all of them true gems and with a lot of wildlife viewing opportunities. For this travel, we will start from Libreville and drive by car to Lambaréné, from where we will go into the forest and the Oguemoué Lake, after which we’ll drive to Tchibanga and go into the Moukalaba-Doudou National Park.

Day 1: Libreville to Lambaréné by car

We will drive around 4 to 5 hours from Libreville to Lambaréné, which is beautifully located next to the Ogooué River. Lambaréné is famous for its hospital which was founded by Nobel Prize winner Albert Schweitzer. The hospital, founded in 1913, where he used to work is still an important tourist attraction and is still run by an NGO. We’ll visit the museum to get to know more about Lambarene’s most famous resident, Albert Schweitzer.

After our visit you’re free to stroll around town and have a nice local meal.

Day Two: Lake Oguemoué

The morning after we’ll go on board our boat on the Ogooué River towards Lake Oguemoué where you’ll be shown your accommodation, which is a large comfortable tent on a platform with spectacular views on the lake and its surroundings. We’ll have a nice lunch in our new home and afterwards we’ll go for a walk around the nearest village, followed by a walk in the forest where we can spot a large variety of birds. There are plenty of animals around such as elephants, chimpanzees, antelopes and monkeys, but they’re not that easy to spot. Especially because they try to hide from poachers. In the evening we’ll have another excellent local meal.

Day 3: Savanna exploration

The morning after we’ll have a long walk to the savanna where it’s possible to see elephants. Be on the lookout for mangabeys as there are large groups of them around. After our walk we’ll have lunch, followed by a tour in a traditional canoe in the lake and we’ll also visit the local fishing village. After dinner, we’ll have a night safari on the lake to spot some nocturnal creatures and owls.

Day 4: Back to Lambaréné

The morning after we’ll head back to Lambaréné after breakfast from where we’ll drive back to Libreville, where we should arrive in the late afternoon/early evening.

Day 5: Lambaréné to Tchibanga by car

We’ll have a long day of driving to Tchibanga today, where we will check in at a local hotel and stay for the night.

Day 6: Moukalaba-Doudou National Park

We will drive about 80 kilometers north of Tchibanga, which will take around two hours. We will meet the local team and install ourselves at the camp. We will start with exploring the forest in search of wildlife. 

Day 7:  Moukalaba-Doudou National Park

Today we will go search for wildlife in Moukalaba-Doudou National Park and hopefully we can also spot elephants and gorillas.

Day 8:  Moukalaba-Doudou National Park

Second day of walking safari in Moukalaba-Doudou today to ensure maximum chances to see wildlife such as gorillas and take good photographs. We drive back to Tchibanga in the late afternoon. 

Day 9: Tchibanga – Libreville by car

Depending on the flight time, we either go the previous evening to Tchibanga or drive today to the airport (2 – 3 hours), where we will make sure you’re checked in safe and sound. End of tour.


Includes:
– Park entrance fees
– All park activities and wildlife viewing
– Professional guidance
– All transport
– Contribution to the village chiefs
– Accommodation

Doesn’t include:
– Flights
– Tips 

Make sure you have at least one or two buffer days in Libreville in case of any delays. We are not responsible for you missing your flight due to bad planning. Remember you are going to a national park. There is only very limited electricity at times in the camps and no running water. There is going to be a lot of walking so make sure you are fit enough and well-prepared (good clothing and shoes). Remember that wildlife is unpredictable and take enough distance from the animals and make sure you wear a mouth mask when you go visit the gorillas. We are not responsible for anything that might happen to you during this trip when encountering wildlife. It’s up to you to have good insurance.