During this trip you’ll get to taste essential Gabon. You’ll get to see its idyllic beaches and get deep into the forest, giving you plenty of opportunities to see the local wildlife. Oh, and did we mention that there’s also a jungle train involved? Yep, plenty of exciting stuff on this trip!
In Gabon we are spoiled with a rich variety of natural wonders and plenty of opportunities to enjoy some peace and serenity and we have the perfect spot for you to not only discover its fauna and flora, but also to take the time to relax on the beach.
Our site is located on the beach with outstanding views of the ocean in front of you and close to the Wonga Wongue Reserve, a walk away from the elephants who frequently visit the area. The Wonga Wongue Presidential Reserve is located on the northwest coast in between Libreville and Port Gentil and does an outstanding job preserving its biodiversity and wildlife. With its 500.000 hectares it consists of a sand plateau with hilly dunes which can reach up to 300 meter. Beside it’s white beaches, the reserve also has a lake: Lake Eliwawanyé and home to the several rivers, which attract tons of wildlife such as hippos, crocodiles and a wide variety of birds.
The majority of the reserve is dominated by forest, while the rest of the park consists of savanna, mangrove and wetland vegetation. The park is a haven for many mammals such as elephants, buffalos, lowland gorillas, chimpanzees, mangabeys, colobus monkeys, leopards, sitatungas, duikers and red river hogs. On the beach we can also find turtles who come to breed as the park is an excellent place for animals to hide from poachers.
On day 1 we meet in Libreville where you are picked by our boat. We will have a nice ride along the coast before we dive into the mangroves. At the coast we will pick you up to bring you to the site. It’s a bit of a bumpy road for 45 minutes, but that’s part of the adventure, right? We offer basis, simple, but clean and air conditioned accommodation, surrounded by an incredible natural environment. At noon you’ll have a tasty lunch and you’ll have some time to walk on the beach, swim and discover the area or just simply relax and enjoy the calmth. Later in the afternoon you’ll go on a safari by jeep and have a really good chance to see animals such as elephants, buffaloes, antilopes, a wild variety of birds and it’s even possible to see a chimpanzee! We’ll head back in the evening and you’ll be treated with another delicious meal. The following morning we offer a morning walk which will give you a different perspective to see the animals. Not from a vehicle, but this time on foot. After a hearty lunch, you will be then brought back to Libreville where you’ll be awaited one of our guides who will go with you on the train towards Lopé National Park.
Once we arrive we’ll be using simple local accommodation for our first night. During the next two days we’ll explore the park on foot, camping in the forest, while cooking ourselves and going deep into the park. As the forest is really dense, it’s not easy to see animals. As we’ll be with trained guides and eco-guards, we’ll have several eyes on us, which will help us to look around. Be sure to bring a good torch with you, so we can look for more elusive night animals. After our jungle trek, we’ll have a drive in a safari vehicle to cover some more ground in order to see more of the park and in the end we’ll have a hike up on Mount Brazza. Hiking to the mountain takes around half a day and will help you see how enormous the forest really is. It also offers breathtaking views on the valley and is a great photo opportunity. After one last night at the local hotel we’ll take the train back. Know that the train only runs a few times a week. In case there is no train on that day, we either stay another night or will arrange a car for an additional fee.
Lopé National Park is Gabon’s oldest national park totalling 485.000 ha, bordered by the Ogooué River and around 400 km from Libreville. The majority of the park consists of monsoon forest, but it also has some grass savanna. During the end of the Ice Age the forest started dominating the open savannah, but there are some areas of savannah which have survived as the average annual rainfall is not enough for the forest to grow there as the area is one of the driest in the country. There have also been remnants from the Stone Age and Iron Age found, meaning that there have been people in the region for 400.000 years. These inhabitants most likely tried to control their environment by burning the savannah to clear the area and therefore helped pushing back the forest. In 2007 Lopé NP was added to the world heritage list by UNESCO. There is a small research station and an abandoned forest camp inside.
This beautiful park is home to more than 400 bird species, which is more than the half of species recorded in all of Gabon. Besides birds, there are plenty of mammals living in the forest and it’s known for its primates. Lopé is particularly known for its large mandrill groups. It’s not uncommon to see groups up to a few hundred mandrills. The largest gathering ever recorded of any primate species in the world, was a mandrill group of 1.350 individuals! If you want to see mandrills, it is best to come during the dry season, which is from July until mid September. Although sightings are never guaranteed, it’s common to see mandrills while visiting the park. We also offer mandrill excursions with tracked mandrills with the help from the local research team, but as this a specialised tour by itself, it’s best to contact us. Besides mandrills, we also find healthy populations of lowland gorillas as well as chimpanzees. It’s also possible to spot several monkeys such white-nosed monkeys and black colobus.
Note that the tour we offer is not affiliated to any of the hotels near the park and we use our own people for this expedition. You need to be fit enough to walk in the forest and to go up the mountain. Please, bring adequate clothing, mosquito repellent, extra water and energy bars/quick sugars and good shoes. It’s also best to bring your own sleeping mat and sheets. We can provide the tent, but you’re free to bring your own. It’s best to contact us before booking this trip so we can discuss the details with you.
Price:
1 person: 2.950 usd
2 persons: 2.590 usd pp
Itinerary:
Day 1: Transport from Libreville to the site in Wonga Wongue. Full-board and safari-activities.
Day 2: Wonga Wongue NP. Full-board and safari-activities.
Day 3: Jungle train leaving from Libreville in the late afternoon. Arrival at night, local hotel. Meals not included. Accommodation included.
Day 4: Meeting up with the team and the first day of your jungle trek. We’ll be on the lookout for mandrills, monkeys, chimpanzees, duikers, red river hogs, pangolins, elephants, buffaloes and gorillas. Camping at the forest, simple meals prepared at campsite.
Day 5: More forest exploration on foot. Camping in the forest and simple meals prepared at the campsite.
Day 6: Safari by 4 x 4 and hike to Mount Brazza summit. Night at a local hotel. Dinner not included.
Day 7: Back to Libreville by train and end of tour. Meals not included.
Included:
– Transport to Wonga Wongue from Libreville and back.
– Full-board at our site in Wonga Wongue. Drinks at own expense.
– Safari-activities at Wonga Wongue and professional guidance.
– Train ticket to Lopé National Park and back, first class (if available).
– Accommodation on the night on arrival and night of departure.
– Camping in Lopé National Park with meals included.
– Guidance by a professional local guide and eco-rangers.
– Half day safari in a 4×4 vehicle.
– Hike to Mount Brazza.
Not included:
– Meals at the hotel/village near Lopé NP when not camping.
– Meals and drinks in Libreville.
– Meals and drinks on the train.
– Alcoholic beverages and sodas.
– Tips.
– Insurance.
Please, allow yourself 1 or 2 buffer days in Libreville in case of any problems we might encounter on the road such as heavy rain and massive potholes.
Bring adequate clothing, good walking shoes, enough socks, swimming clothes, light rain jacket, backpack, sun cream, mosquito repellent, torch, plenty of water and medication. Be sure that you have good insurance as we’re not responsible for any accidents.
