Gorilla tracking is quite expensive in Gabon and until recently was only possible in Loango National Park. We are very excited to announce our new tour which takes place in the Moukalaba-Doudou National Park, near Tchibanga in the south-east of Gabon and where you will have a big chance to see gorillas.

You can either go by car from Libreville to Tchibanga and then to the camp in Moukalaba-Doudou. This is a very long day of driving. Depending on the flight schedule, it’s also possible to fly from Libreville to Tchibanga, which is actually not only faster, but also cheaper. So, unless you don’t combine this trip with another destination in Gabon, such as Lambaréné, it doesn’t make much sense to drive from Libreville to Tchibanga, and it’s better to fly from Libreville to Tchibanga.

The Moukalaba-Doudou National Park is located in three provinces: Nyanga, Ngounié and Ogooué Maritime. Moukabala Doudou is the third largest park in Gabon with an area of ​​5,000 km² or 502,805 hectares and holds one of the last populations of Defassa waterbucks in Gabon. All the emblematic species of large mammals of Gabon are represented there: gorilla, elephant, buffalo, hippopotamus and Nile crocodile as well as over 70 species of amphibians, the highest known diversity of amphibians in West and Central Africa. There are also at least 42 species of reptiles present. 

Moukalaba-Doudou is of major importance for the conservation of Gabon’s rich biodiversity and is one of the five major sites for the protection of great apes hosting substantial populations of western lowland gorillas and common chimpanzees. Inventories of great apes were carried out between 2004 and 2005 revealing a gorilla density of around 1.13 individuals/km² and a total population estimated at 4,690 individuals (Kuehl, unpublished). Finally, scientific research carried out in Doussala by the University of Kyoto reports 6.99 gorillas/km² (Takenoshita, et al. 2008).

Moukalaba-Doudou National Park also has a great diversity of landscapes and ecosystems. The Doudou mountain range, an integral part of the Mayombe massif, crosses the length of the park and constitutes a center of biodiversity and endemism of plant organisms. The great plains of Nyanga, made up of grassy and shrubby savannahs, are located in the eastern part of the park, forming a mosaic with galleries and secondary forests, thus offering remarkable hilly expanses.

The Moukalaba River forms the eastern natural boundary of the park, while the Nyanga River borders the southern boundary. At the mouth of this river there are vast papyrus and raffia swamps hosting large populations of elephants. Finally, to the west, the park is bordered by the Rembo Bongo river and its many lakes.

We offer a great tour here in Gabon to go on safari and track gorillas in Moukalaba-Doudou National Park. It’s also possible to combine your travel to Moukalaba-Doudou with a tour to Mayumba and Lambaréné.

Day 1: Flight from Libreville to Tchibanga

Today you’ll take the plane from Libreville to Tchibanga, where we will wait for you and bring you to your hotel for the night. Make sure you stack up on water to bring with you for your walk and that you bring mouth masks with you for the gorilla tracking. 

Day 2: 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 3:  Moukalaba-Doudou National Park

Today we will go search for wildlife in Moukalaba-Doudou National Park and hopefully we will get to see gorillas today. 

Day 4:  Moukalaba-Doudou National Park

Second tour in Moukalaba-Doudou today in which we will search for wildlife such as buffaloes, waterbucks, monkeys, elephants and gorillas. 

Day 5: Flight from Tchibanga to Libreville
We will bring you to the airport so you can take your flight from Tchibanga to Libreville today. End of tour.

Includes:
– Park entrance fees
– All park activities
– Professional guidance
– Transport between Tchibanga and the site in the park
– Contribution to the village chiefs
– Accommodation

Doesn’t include:
– Domestic 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 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 a good insurance.