Gabon - 15 nights / 16 days

There has been much hype in the media about Gabon’s amazing wildlife - incredible pictures of gorillas, mandrills and chimpanzees, hippos surfing in the sea, buffalo and elephant on the beach but normal tourists on a two - three week safari are only likely to see some of these things. Here are dense forests and shy animals. It can be hard work in terms of viewing animals but the positive side is that besides the wildlife there is an incredible diversity of plants, birds, insects and interesting people (and music).

Tourism is still in it’s formative stages so this an exciting to time for anyone to be contemplating visiting Gabon. This sixteen day expedition takes you through three of Gabon’s 13 newly gazetted national parks.

DAYS ONE – FIVE
Loango National Park

One of Central West Africa’s most spectacular parks is Loango National Park on the coast south of Libreville.

Loango National Park is a 15550 km square mosaic of ocean, beautiful beaches, coastal forest and savannah mixed with forest ‘tongues’ and bosquets with swamp to the east. The savannah areas are stunning almost as if manicured grasslands and here you can see elephant, forest buffalo, gorilla and chimpanzees whilst listening to the ocean breakers. Elephant and buffalo are seen regularly on the beaches, as is gorilla and chimpanzee spoor but the latter are more likely to be seen in the coastal forest. Birdlife is special and fishing is very good. Whale watching is very good at certain times of the year.

Operation Loango is a joint initiative between a private operating company, SCD, the Wildlife Conservation Society and the Gabonese government. Operation Loango operate a number of small bush camps out of their main base Loango Lodge. Depending on the time of year you could have the choice of visiting Petit Evengue, Akaka, Petit Loango or Tassia. All offer comfortable well thought out accommodation and some excellent French cuisine.

DAYS SIX - SEVEN
Lope National Park

Scheduled charter flight to Lope National Park.

Lope has been protected in one way or another for nearly 50 years. The small part of Lope National Park which is open to visitors is a striking blend of rolling savannah and thick gallery forests. Here you can see grey-cheeked mangabeys and spot nosed monkeys as well as black-casqued wattled hornbills. Here also can be see Gabon’s iconic species, the mandrill. The best time to see the mandrills is between June and November when super troops of 1000 + individuals can congregate – the largest non human primate gathering on earth. During 2006 it may become possible to track mandrills with a WCS researcher.

Accommodation, of a somewhat haphazard standard, at the Lope Hotel situated in beautifully manicured grounds on the banks of the Ogoue River.

DAYS EIGHT - TEN
Mikongo Forest

Deep in the Lope forest and accessible only by 4 x 4 vehicles Mikongo is where ZSL (the Zoological Society of London) researchers are undertaking the habituation of lowland Gorilla groups. Since Mikongos inception it has been intended that tourism help fund the programme and so guests have the opportunity of accompanying the research team into the forest.

The habitat range of the lowland gorilla is vastly greater than that of their mountain cousins and they can move up to six kilometres each day in the dense cover of the forest so it is estimated that you have a 25% chance of seeing the gorillas. Despite the success rate, tracking in itself is an enthralling experience in which you will learn a great deal about the gorillas, their habitat and the conservation issues facing the researchers. Moreover you might also get sightings of other wildlife - chimpanzees, grey checked mangabeys, black colobus, putty nosed, moustached, and crowned monkeys, forest elephant, forest buffalos, red river hogs and forest antelopes such as sitatungas and yellow backed duiker. Forest birds are numerous and you have good chance to see the famous and rare Picathartes.

Accommodation is in small wooden chalets built in a forest clearing. The basic facilities include shower and toilet, camp bed with sheets mosquito net etc. Guests meet for meals, drinks and to leave for forest walks at main dining chalet.

DAYS ELEVEN - FIFTEEN
Langoue Bai

Catch the early morning (2 am) local train up the line from Lope to Ivindo. Ivindo is a tiny logging outpost in the centre of the Gabonese forest and the primary access point to the southern section of Ivindo National Park and Langoue Bai – the forest clearing Mike Fay called ‘the most significant discovery of the Megatransect’.

When Mike Fay first gazed on this 20 hectare clearing of grassland and swamp in the middle of the forest he was amazed. Elephants with massive tusks basked in the sun and drank from the mineral rich spring. Buffalo, sitatunga and many smaller creatures came and went. Gorillas emerged from the dense vegetation.

Not long ago Langoue Bai was a three day hike from the road but since the road has been recently extended the hike takes about three hours but is still tough involving a steep scramble up the slippery mountainside through dense vegetation and then a more gentle walk through forest of okoume, moabi, padouk and other beautiful and ancient hardwoods.

Two 10 metre high viewing platforms occupy discreet positions along the bais edge and enable one to sit and quietly watch the comings and goings.

Days at Langoue will primarily be spent sitting quietly in one of these two hides waiting patiently to see what will appear on natures ‘stage’ before you.

Camp style accommodation built from locally timbered wood is rustic but comfortable and situated 3 kms from the bai.

DAY SIXTEEN
Charter flight out of Langoue (3 hours drive to airstrip) to Libreville.
Connect with evening flight out of Gabon to Europe.