gabon mandrill safari

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Trekking Mandrills in Gabon

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Hiking Mount Brazza

Lope National Park Gabon

• Gorilla trekking in Gabon

Trekking Mandrills in Gabon is done in Lope National Park. Gabon is also the home of one of the world’s most iconic and famous species of primate the Mandrill. Lope National Park Gabon is one of the only parks in Africa where you can see the Mandrills. No other park in Central Africa is considered more vital for primates than Lopé National Park, the oldest and one of the most astounding biospheres on the African continent.

Lope National Park Gabon is home to over 1400 endangered mandrills as well as 420 bird species, the national park is equally a stronghold for western gorillas, sun-tailed guenon, black colobus, chimpanzee and forest elephants who thrive in the forest gallery and fingers of lush, misty savannah interacting landscapes that were created at the end of the last Ice Age almost 12,000 years ago. The parks vast wilderness covers 5,360km2 of virgin forest and intersects pockets of misty savannahs in its northern boundary. The first protected area in Gabon which was established in 1946, this UNESCO World Heritage-listed park nurtures one of Africa’s most important prehistoric sites and ecologically significant  reserves for primates.

Other animals to see in Lope National Park Gabon

Keeping company with large herds of forest elephants, forest buffalo and a variety of smaller mammals are leopard, golden cat, red river hog, sitatunga, yellow backed duiker and various species of monkeys and apes 4000 western lowland gorillas, chimpanzee and sun-tailed guenon. An endemic species to Gabon, this long tailed monkey was only discovered just over three decades ago and lives within the hidden forests of the northern end of the park.

Bordered by two tributaries of the Ogooué— one of Africa’s legendary African rivers, Lopé also served as an ancient trade and migration corridor along the Congo Basin for pygmy tribes. Today, the Ogooué River Valley’s deep ridges and forest gallery is a veritable hotspot for prehistoric antiquities and rich, tribal culture. So much, the recent discovery of over 1800 Iron-Age petroglyphs and scant traces of Stone-Age and Iron-Age settlements and artefacts revealed just how significant the region was to Africa’s human evolution over the past 400,000 years. Now an inscribed UNESCO World Heritage Site, you can visit the park’s eco-museum and delve into the heritage of the Bantu tribes, and the park’s profusion of flora and wildlife of every ilk.

Where to stay during Trekking Mandrills in Gabon

Hotels where to stay include Moabi Tented Camp is located in the midst of rolling savannah at the northern end of the park, just 40-minutes from Lopé National Park Station. An exclusive location that allows you to move with the wildlife and get close to the action.

Creating the sensation of a grand mobile safari, each of the camp’s six guest tents have been kitted out with classic safari-style furnishings. Private quarters lit by the luminous glow of parrafin lamps and an extended sitting area where the views are infinite. You also dine beneath the stars on grilled campfire meats, salads and wine at an elegant dining table; a setting where forest elephants, red river hogs or buffalos may also cross your path. For a rested sleep, comfortable beds draped with billowing mosquito netting are ready made for blissful slumber. Only you and a chorus of seranading insects of the savannah.

How to get to Lope National Park

If you’re travelling directly to Lopé from Libreville, The Trans Gabon Railway offers the most comfortable experience. Overnighting in the capital upon arrival to Gabon, the air-conditioned train departs at 16.00PM, to Owendo Station [40 minutes from downtown] where you board the express train in first class to the national park, arriving in Lopé at 01.00AM. Though the service comes with meals, we recommend that you bring additional snacks, drinks and something to drape around your shoulders when the air conditioning ramps up. It is also important to note that PGWC will only book your passage on this express train.

The safari includes several walking treks when tracking mandrills and other wildlife. To enjoy the trip you should be physically fit and capable of walking a minimum of 5 km on hikes over rough terrain. Excursions also include treks to Mt Brazza and other forest trails. You will have an expert Gabonese tracker who will guide you on the trip.

Why book your Safari for Trekking Mandrills in Gabon with Eco Adventure Safaris

Eco Adventure Safaris offers unrivaled and professional tour and travel services in Gabon. Eco Adventure Safaris boosts of a professional office and field team that takes care of all your requests and inquiries. We are highly recommended on trip advisor as well as Trust pilot. Our website is one of the best and reliable point to help you start preparing for your Gabon safari as we have the best and update information that you can rely on. Please feel free to contact us here about safari trip to Lope National Park Gabon for Trekking Mandrills in Gabon.

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Your mandrill safari in the Lopé-Okanda park

Live a unique experience for three days and two nights in a bivouac in the heart of the savannah and near the gallery forests of the Lopé park in Gabon, your safari by tracking during slow walks during the day of several hours, the mandrills , chimpanzees and gorillas , to observe them live in their natural environment and photograph them to immortalize your safari. You will have the opportunity on this occasion to discover the richness of the flora of more than 1500 different species.

How is my bivouac safari organized?

Your guide Saturnin Responsible for the organization of your safari in Lopé and the organization of your Bivouac 

Where is the bivouac located?

Departure is from your hotel in the village of Lopé. The trip is done in 4x4 with the team of guides who will accompany you for the duration of your safari. The mandrills move, the place of the bivouac will depend on the place where the groups of mandrills have been spotted beforehand. After installation, the first march can be organized.

What does the bivouac include

For a successful bivouac, we provide you with:

The tent and the mattress

Equipment for cooking

Meals with bottled water

How is the safari

Groups of mandrills move to feed, so it is necessary to track them in slow, gradual walks. On this occasion you will be supervised by experienced guides, for your safety, the number of guides will depend on the number of participants.

When is the mandrills safari?

In general, you must come in the dry seasons to observe to be able to observe a large part of the wildlife, namely from December to February and from June to mid-September. However, for the mandrills , it is strongly advised to come in July, August during the copulation period.

How to access Lopé Park

We offer several solutions to get you  to Lopé from Libreville.

Traveling with the Transgabonais train

The village of Lopé is served by the Transgabonai. Departures from Owendo are  at the end of the day and your arrival in the middle of the night, the return to Owendo is early in the morning. The Owendo station is located about 30 km from downtown Libreville. 

We manage the purchase of your ticket and the transfer to the train station, as well as your welcome on your return in the morning to take you back either to the hotel or to the Libreville airport.

By traveling by train, you can combine your safari with the discovery of the Ivindo park that we offer from Booué station.

The Transgabonais, aboard your air-conditioned car you will have a personalized welcome. You will benefit from comfortable and reclining seats, tablets and night lights, electrical outlets.

4x4 rental with driver in Libreville 

This solution is more expensive, because it requires the rental of a vehicle driven by a driver guide from Lopé. This one picks you up in Libreville. You will use this vehicle to get to the Bivouac.

This solution is more flexible in terms of organization. You can combine the Lopé safari with another destination on the outward or return journey, for example to discover Lambarene or continue  towards the south of Gabon.

Presentation of the Lopé-Okanda National Park

The Lopé National Park is the interface between a dense tropical forest and a savannah environment. It is a mosaic of landscapes dominated by savannah interrupted by gallery forests and marantaceae groves and forests. This environment is conducive to observing a wide range of habitats and species, including large mammals as well as 412 species of birds including the picatharte, the hornbill. In addition, the park is home to archaeological treasures dating back at least 400,000 years.

Lopé National Park a unique place for mandrills

The park is the only protected area in Africa that supports a large population of mandrills around 20 individuals per km2; i.e. a population estimated at around 100,000 individuals.

Studies show that the park has groups of mandrills that can number from 600 to 800 individuals, or exceptionally up to 1350.

A very diversified fauna for a safari in the Lopé park

During your safari, in addition to the mandrills and depending on the season, you will have the opportunity to observe a large number of species. The park hosts a large population of lowland gorillas between 2000 and 3000, chimpanzees estimated at around  2,000, 100,000 black colobus, but also about 5,500 forest elephants, 1,000  panthers and many buffaloes as well as many birds and a wide variety of flora.

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Lekedi Park in Gabon, observation of mandrills

• Austerio Alonso
• September 19, 2022

Lekedi Park, a closer encounter with Gabon’s wildlife

Lekedi Park is a wildlife reserve created by Comilog, a Gabonese mining company, which offers the opportunity to get close to Gabon’s wildlife in an easy and virtually guaranteed way. While mandrills spotting in Lope is difficult, at Lekedi Park you will have direct contact with a large troop of mandrills. The Lekedi reserve can be visited all year round and the rates are very acceptable, but don’t forget that Lekedi is located in a very remote part of Gabon, so it is not easy to get there.

See mandrills in Gabon

Mandrills are very difficult to observe in the wild. Even in Lope National Park, where there is a large troop of mandrills and some wear collars to locate them, encounters are often fleeting and without many opportunities to photograph them. In the Parc de la Lékédi there are two regular groups of mandrills, accustomed to human presence. Some of them have been reintroduced into the reserve and others, belonging to the two large troops, are wild, born in the forests of the Lekedi Park. The Lekedi rangers, when they spot one of the troops, offer tasty fruit to keep them close for 20 minutes to observe them in peace.

Visit Lekedi Park in Gabon

To reach Lekedi requires 2 or 3 full days’ travel time from Libreville. The train from Libreville to Franceville is sometimes delayed or cancelled. Internal flights are possible. Once in Bakoumba, the gateway to Lekedi, it is easy to organise visits. A full day is enough to explore part of the park and spot mandrills.

Lekedi has safari-style vehicles to take you along the well-maintained tracks through the different landscapes and sites of the reserve. During the visit we will be able to observe a good number of antelopes and buffaloes.

Comilog, the Bakoumba mining company. Creation of Lekedi

Bakoumba was a very prosperous town created in 1962 by the Ogooué Mining Company, Comilog. At that time, Gabon, which had no railway and evacuated its manganese through the port of Pointe-Noire in Congo. Bakoumba, a town next to Lekedi, was one of Gabon’s main mining centres for its transport, “It was a little paradise. There was nothing or almost nothing missing. People came from all over to work in Bakoumba,” said its inhabitants.

Bakoumbe’s economic prosperity came to an end in 1991. Gabon, with its new railway, stopped exporting its manganese through the port of Pointe-Noire in Congo and therefore through Bakoumbe. Everything collapsed in this small town. Unemployment and mass exodus.

Comilog in those years decided to revitalise Bakoumbe and create a wildlife reserve, to be called Lekedi, in order to preserve Gabon’s wildlife and nature and to attract tourists in the future. Source: Humanrights

Visiting Bakoumba

Bakoumba is well worth a visit. The small town has an air of decadence and charm about it. Old workers’ housing estates and the old hangars are places where you can lose yourself on foot. Even the stay in Bakoumba becomes interesting and not only for its sights. We will have the opportunity to have lunch in the old big discotheque of the village that reminds us that this village lived very good times.

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Wild Places Mandrill Research and Tourism

Lopé National Park features a forest-savanna mosaic habitat, where narrow fingers of forest follow rivers and streams that flow through the savanna. Because mandrills regularly cross the savannas, Lopé is one of the few sites where they can be more easily observed by researchers and tourists alike. As a result of WCS’ long-term project at Lopé, its mandrill hordes are some of the most studied wild mandrills in the world. However there’s plenty that we still don’t know about them.

Supported by a grant from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, WCS will soon be putting GPS collars onto four females from one well studied horde in the park. The collars will transmit GPS coordinates to WCS researchers at certain times each day, allowing us to build up a more detailed picture of their daily movements. Previous research at Lopé has shown that mandrill movements are related to availability of fruit. Combining the movement data with phenology data (which tree species are fruiting and when) gathered by the National Parks Authority, will allow us to confirm this relationship and assess other ecological- or human factors.

The collars will also transmit radio signals, allowing researchers to locate the mandrills in the forest and predict the direction in which they will move. Researchers can then get ready inside a portable hide, so that the passing mandrills will be oblivious to the human observers! As well as providing a good opportunity to gather more data on the mandrills, this is a really great way for tourists to be able to get up close to the mandrills without them noticing their presence.

In partnership with the National Parks Authority and with funding from ECOFAC, new ecoguides have undertaken field training at Lopé, and have learnt all about how to create an amazing tourist experience with mandrill viewing as a specific example. The newly trained ecoguides will improve Gabon’s ability to provide a high-class 'safari' experience to the increasing number of ecotourists that the government hopes to attract.

In the meantime, an increased presence of staff from WCS ecoguides in the National Park reinforces the National Park's efforts to deter potential hunters from slipping into the park and hunting mandrills for bushmeat. It is hoped that people from the local communities will participate in the tourism project, helping them to get involved in the conservation of their mandrill neighbours.

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Chalo Africa

The Only Journey is the One Within

A Safari Tour Itinerary

Gabon: where hippos surf, elephants beachcomb & leatherbacks hatch.

A Customizable Trip to Gabon

#SafarisWithSangeeta

• Visiting Lekedi Park for its habituated mandrill troupes; • Walking, quad-biking, game driving in Pongara NP for its nesting and hatching leatherback turtles; • In search of forest elephants, red river hogs, chimps, African grey parrots, Central African buffalo and sitatunga on the beaches of Loango; • Habituated gorilla tracking with the gorilla project in Loango National Park;

Starting from EUR 8,425 per person sharing

Duration 10 days / 9 nights

Transport Escorted Safari

Accommodation Hotels, Lodges & Tented Camps

Exploring Libreville, Loango National Park

About this Safari

Exploring Lékédi, Loango & Pongara National Park

Dear Adventurers & Explorers,

We thought we had discovered what Gabon had to offer with our annual tri-park trips there in July and August, but boy oh boy, were we wrong! This multi-faceted country does not cease to amaze with its different hues and shades and completely different safari experiences, depending on the time of year you visit. One of the enduring images of Gabon is of large charismatic animals foraging on its pristine coastal beaches. This is not so common in the summer months of July and August, but very common during the wet months (most of the rest of the year). While wildlife safaris in pouring rain can be a challenge, Gabon provides us with a brief ‘dry’ season in the middle of its ‘rainy’ season, and this is the time we want to be here for hippos that surf, eles that beachcomb and massive leatherback turtles that nest and hatch on its many powdery beaches.

Lopé NP, home to huge groups of wild mandrill, is not very good for mandrill sightings at this time of the year, so instead, we’ve chosen to incorporate our mandrill sighting – so unique to Gabon – at Lékédi Park, where you will be able to see semi-wild mandrill as they enter and exit the park enclosures at feeding time. These are habituated mandrill, but they are free to come and go at will, and we believe that this is a good opportunity for keen photographers to get their colourful mandrill shots, which are otherwise extremely hard to come by in the gallery forests of Lopé.

I have a sneaking suspicion that Gabon will compel us to create at least 2 more itineraries by the time we are done with it – there are the gorillas and chimps of Moukalaba-Doudou and their stories of murder and mayhem, the elusive bongo hiding in the high plateaux of Haut-Ogouée, not to mention the tantalizing glimpses of wild dogs and a solitary male lion in the Batéké plateau that also deserve special attention. This really is an extraordinary country that truly reveals itself slowly with each ensuing visit.

Gabon is still an enigma. A wild place of pristine old-growth rainforests where there are almost no human settlements, and where wild animals live protected within the thick foliage of the Congolese rainforest spilling down to the coast, and nestled between the many rivers that traverse this west African country. This is a trip for those of you who want to see something new, something different. It is a place for the intrepid Africa enthusiast who will be thrilled by the sight of a red river hog in a wallow, or a wary lowland gorilla in a forest clearing, or a hippo looking to catch the waves. On this trip, timed to coincide with the appearance of charismatic mammals on the beaches of Gabon, we will enjoy a comfortable African adventure in a remote part of Africa. And if at least 6 of you are curious to learn about Gabonese culture, we have the potential to experience an authentic 2-day Bwiti ceremony on this trip as well.

The cost of this 10-day Gabon trip is: EUR 10,525 per person based on 2 guests EUR 8,700 per person based on 4 guests EUR 8,425 per person based on 6 guests

Details – DECEMBER 2022-2023 OR JANUARY 2023-2024 Dates are customizable & Costs remain the same 2/4/6 PERSON DEPARTURES

or call our African safari specialists at +1 703 220 6393 or +91 9717 275237

Day By Day Itinerary

On arrival in Libreville, you will be met and transferred to your hotel……

Contact us for full itinerary

After breakfast, you will head back to the airport for your flight to Franceville. Once in Franceville, you will drive to Moanda (2 hours by road) and either …….

In addition to the semi-wild mandrill we have come here to see, the park cares for and rehabilitates a variety of special central & west African species, such as …….

A 30-minute ride back to Lékédi for 1 more visit of the park, including another 30 minutes with the mandrills, and then you will drive back to Franceville for your flight to Port Gentil via Libreville. Upon arrival into …….

After breakfast, you will embark on your 3.5 hour road trip into Loango NP. From here, you will then hop onto boats for your final transfer to ……..

Spend 2 full days on the various beaches and lagoons of the park, looking for animals on the beach. Elephants, hippo, sitatunga and buffalo are seen often on the beach. Gorillas are also ……

Start the day early today with an early morning safari in the park, followed by a heavy brunch and then leave for Port Gentil. You will drive directly to ……

After breakfast, you will be transferred by car-boat-car to Pongara NP, on the outskirts of Libreville. After checking into the new Pongara Lodge, located on ……

Another morning, and one last morning safari. Come back to the lodge in time for a late breakfast, a nice lunch on the …….

The cost includes: • Transport within Gabon – car, 4×4, boat and 3 domestic flights as indicated • Fuel, drivers, and local guides everywhere • Accommodation, meals & drinks as indicated • Laundry at Ndola and Pongara • Daily activities as indicated

The cost does not include: • International flights to and from Libreville • Meals & drinks not specified in the itinerary (Libreville) • Any applicable visas • Comprehensive travel and medical insurance • Compulsory vaccination: Yellow Fever. Please carry your Yellow Book with you. • Habituated gorilla tracking permit

• Single supplement of EUR 600 per person (single rooms only where possible) • Optional gorilla permit for Loango habituated gorilla tracking is EUR 550, payable directly. • Please bring some extra cash to pay for your dinners and drinks in LBV, as well as for any souvenirs you may want to purchase.

Gabon: Where Hippos Surf, Elephants Beachcomb & Leatherbacks Hatch Map

Libreville, Gabon

Loango National Park, Gabon

Pongara National Park, Gabon

Lekedi, Gabon

Best Time to Visit

The safari begins and ends in Libreville, Gabon.

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Destination

A nation of only a tiny human population, Gabon has an identity among the most secure countries in Africa. Attaining independence in 1960 from the French, Gabon has remained the envy of its neighboring countries with the 3rd highest yearly revenue per individual on the entire African continent. Cosmopolitan Libreville (the capital) is ranking as one of the world's most expensive cities. With a 3rd of its gross domestic product (GDP) obtained from oil, Gabon has recently realized that it actually offers more to the world. The president His Excellency Omar Bongo, has created 13 national parks in Gabon that comprise more than 11.25% of its area - the second-highest proportion of national parklands in the world.

Gabon’s appeal as a safari destination is outstanding: it borders the Atlantic Ocean while its inland regions are 80% forested. The variety of wildlife is exceptional. Mandrill, forest elephants, lowland gorillas, plus chimpanzee populate the thick interior of the

forests, while hippos, whales as well as turtles can be seen along the coastline. There are countless cascading falls, sometimes falls are even 1 kilometer wide.

With a large amount of rainforest in Gabon, there are obviously a huge number of birds. With over 670 different species identified in the country, some endemic or regionally endemic, tourism in Gabon is still taking off and so visitors have been known to make significant discoveries surprisingly often.

Nowhere else in the world can you see hippos in the surf and elephants wandering the seemingly endless shoreline, even whilst fishing the nearshore waters for tarpon.

But, that’s not all! Gabon also has a vibrant cultural scene, with diverse ethnic groups, tasty dishes, and a vibrant music scene. This is Africa untamed and an exceptional wildlife destination for intrepid explorers.

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Gabon Wildlife Camps & Safaris | GABON

Gabon Wildlife Camps & Safaris is Gabon's premier national park concessioner. We operate and manage four major national parks within Parcs Gabon's network and offer exclusive and low-impact safaris and accommodations within each park along with exceptional wildlife encounters and conservation programs with western lowland gorillas, forest elephants, mandrills and chimpanzees.

A walk on the wild side

The 13 national park network within Gabon spans 11 % of the country and includes 46,000km² [18,000 m²] of protected marine reserves — some the oldest and most ecologically significant in Central Africa. Idyllic locations that shelter Gabon’s Big Five game — the largest concentration of western lowland gorillas [approximately 35,000 in population], forest elephants [approximately 50,000 in population], mandrills [nearly 1400 ever recorded in any one mass gathering] chimpanzee [approximately 64,000 in population] and hippopotamus. And the magic continues out to sea with a spectacle of migrating humpback whales and nesting leatherback sea turtles. 

But even more remarkable are the spellbinding landscapes and seascapes where a riot of other extraordinary wildlife flourish in virtual isolation. Birds, reptiles and mammals, both large and small that live in the rainforests, wooded forest galleries and savannahs. And along the labyrinth of coastal lagoons, rivers and quiet hidden valleys that nestle beneath ancient inselbergs and mist-laden mountains.

At the heart of your journey are our exclusively positioned low-impact tented camps and nature lodges, which are located in four major national parks; storybook places where something wild and magnificent is always waiting.

The park forests of Gabon are home to over 30,000 western lowland gorillas; the most recorded in equatorial Africa. The smallest of all of the continent’s subspecies, their bodies are distinguished by their brown-grey hair, broad skulls and extended arms. But make no mistake. What they lack in stature — standing 180 cm when upright and weighing 180 kilograms — these gentle creatures are just as charismatic as their Ugandan cousins.

They come with their unique social structure; a stronghold [or troops] ranging from five to 12 individuals which varies due to their mortality rate, integration of new gorillas and the end of bachelorhood. Each troop also led by a dominant male called a silverback — named for the tuft of silver hair that grows down their hide. Deemed venerable taskmasters who make their own set of rules, the silverback determines the location of his troop’s nest, and when it’s time to eat, sleep, wake up and play.

Adding more weight, the silverback likewise makes a claim on his breeding rights; highly-prized harems comprising several females and their young. Though most coming-of-age males prefer to form new troops, some also stage a coup d’ état — the winner takes all.

Though  placid in nature ,  they can also put on a display of hardline vocalisation and fearsome aggression when threatened — intimidating chest-pounding, forward lunges and smashing into bushes. If this happens, you must stand your ground and remain neutral. But respect is the name of the game along with the strict rules we have in place when viewing them in  Loango National Park .

The The African forest elephant has long inhabited the dense forests of Gabon — some 1.7 million years, in fact! And along with their Southern African cousins, they are the planet’s largest land animals. Highly intelligent, forest elephants are capable of exhibiting powerful social bonds and deep emotions, and they also communicate through low-frequency or trumpeting sounds.

Bulls stand anywhere between 2.4–3.0 metres [7.9–9.8 feet] and weigh an equally impressive of 2–4 tonnes. They have large oval ears, tusks that point downward and sport five toenails [instead of four] on their front feet; four on the back feet. Another distinctive feature is their long trunks, which are used as a perpetual working machine — deploying over 60,000 muscles to communicate, defend the territory, grab food, dig for water, and strip bark and greenery. 

Each herd usually comprises up to eight-12 individuals and cows only give birth every two to four years. But any new addition to the herd is a communal affair and elephants are known to grieve when one of their family members die. Matriarchs, in particular, play an essential role and females always live in family herds, though sexually-mature males roam more freely, especially to mate. Travelling up to seven kilometres a day [4.3 miles], forest elephants likewise move with the seasons across  Gabon’s national parks  and in turn, play a vital role in the germination and  carving of rainforests . Today, over 50,000 flourish within Gabon’s borders — the highest density in all of Central Africa. They are to be revered.

Old-world monkeys have long inhabited the equatorial forests of Gabon. Of the largest of these species are  mandrills , and one of the most distinctively colourful primates found in the world. Characterised by their striking red, blue and white nasal patterns, black-framed eyes, blue rumps and Herculean fangs, mandrills mostly congregate in hordes of anywhere up to 12 individuals but have also been known to amass in numbers of up to 200. The largest gathering saw over 1350 recorded in 1996.

Standing approximately 90 cm [3 feet] long and weighing up to 35 kgs [77 pounds], males make a formidable presence during the mating season with the largest dominating the horde. Their range of vocalisations and the baring of their teeth are equally impressive, which can measure up to 6.5 centimetres [or 2.5 inches] in length. Another remarkable anomaly is the built-in pouches found in their cheeks, which they use to store bite-size snacks after foraging on the ground.

Though primarily terrestrial, mandrills can also be found in trees when they take time out to sleep, hide from predators and feed on the leafy canopies. Most, however, stay low where they can forage for fruits, seeds and other tasty morsels including lizards, amphibians and insects. Yet the real game-play takes place during the mating season, and within six months of their lustful liaisons, their young are born. By the age of six, male mandrills break away from their maternal horde but chiefly stay within the boundaries so they can sire new off-spring and fight for dominance during the next mating season. And the brighter the face and rump, his place in the sun with the ladies is virtually assured.

Wild about Gabon

As Gabon’s premier national park concessioner, our vision is to share the country’s natural assets and deliver ethical and meaningful safari experiences to our guests. These are low-impact excursions that not only support the management of all of Gabon’s protected wildlife   but also the economic viability of local communities.

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An expedition to central Africa’s jewel

Gabon, unexplored and pristine, lies on the west coast of central Africa. Over recent times an improved infrastructure and strong governmental support for tourism has opened up this biodiverse country to the adventure traveller. At Anderson Expeditions we believe in the future potential of this country and region. We’ve invested the past few years in researching and travelling throughout Gabon, learning how best to deliver an exceptional experience to our clients whilst building strong partnerships with local operators.

Confident that we can offer you the expedition of a lifetime, Anderson Expeditions is now planning and leading set-departure and custom private expeditions to Gabon for adventure and wildlife focused travellers.

Gabon, unexplored and pristine, lies on the west coast of central Africa. Over recent times an improved infrastructure and strong governmental support for tourism has opened up this biodiverse country to the adventure traveller.

At Anderson Expeditions we believe in the future potential of this country and region. We’ve invested the past few years in researching and travelling throughout Gabon, learning how best to deliver an exceptional experience to our clients whilst building strong partnerships with local operators.

From the flat river plains, and dense rainforest on the Atlantic coast, to the Chaillu Mountains in the central highlands and the lush jungle interior of the eastern region, Gabon’s terrain is wild, rugged and teeming with African wildlife including astonishing bird diversity, leopards, forest elephants, chimpanzees, lowland gorillas and forest buffalo.

The nation is also blessed with an 800-kilometre-long stretch of coast dotted with isolated palm-fringed bays, exquisite hidden lagoons, and fertile estuaries brimming with marine life. With so much to see and do, Gabon calls to adventurous nature lovers looking for something new to explore.

Located on the west coast of central Africa and bordered on the west by the Atlantic Ocean, Gabon’s neighbours are Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, and the Republic of Congo. Lush, green forests cover 85% of its territory, with an impressive 11.25% of the country proclaimed as national parks.

Regular direct international flights to Libreville are available from Europe and other African countries with airlines including Air France, Turkish Airlines, Ethiopian Airlines and RwandAir. In Gabon we use fixed wing aircraft, helicopters, 4X4 vehicles and boats to access the various parks and locations used on our expeditions.

There is no bad time to visit Gabon, however the season during which you travel informs the locations chosen and the experience focus. Equatorial Gabon has a tropical climate relatively hot and humid year-round. Broadly the period October to April is the wet season and May to September the dry season. The wet season is the best time for photography as there’s beautiful light and sunshine between short bouts of heavy rain. The dry season makes for perfect activity options and walking conditions with wonderful mammal congregations where water is accessed.

Wildlife viewing varies across the seasons. For instance Mandrill viewing in Lopé NP is at it’s best during June-July, prime time for whale and dolphin viewing is August-September, and birdwatching and turtle viewing is best from November to March.

Seasonal and Year-Round activites

FOREST WALKS

BEACH WALKS

GORILLA TRACKING

SAFARI DRIVES

FLY CAMPING

Lopé National Park

Located on the equator and framed by the beautiful Ogooué River, Lopé National Park was the first protected area in Gabon and enlisted as a Unesco World Heritage Site in 2007. The park offers beautifully diverse habitats and landscapes and is an important refuge to over 1 400 endangered mandrills and 420 bird species, as well as western lowland gorillas, sun-tailed guenon and black colobus monkeys, chimpanzees and forest elephants.

Loango National Park

Known as ‘Africa’s last Eden’, the iconic Loango National Park offers a mosaic of forests, wetlands, grassy plains, mangroves, lagoons and sandy beaches. From forest elephant, forest buffalo, numerous monkey species, chimpanzees, lowland gorillas, red river hogs, hippo, sitatunga and incredible birdlife on land to migrating dolphins, whales and turtles in the sea, this impressive park is one of the best wild-life watching destination on earth.

A finger of land jutting out between the Ndogo Estuary and the Atlantic Ocean, the pristine Sette Cama peninsula offers nature lovers the opportunity to see chimpanzees, lowland gorillas, red river hogs, forest sitatunga, duikers and monkey species, brilliant birdlife and the unique opportunity to view forest elephant, forest buffalo and hippo on the beach. This is also a prime sport fishing destination for the catch and release fishing enthusiasts.

Pongara National Park

Pongara National Parks shimmering estuary, mangrove swamps and flooded forest are home to diverse bird and monkeys species, forest elephants and hippos wading in slow-moving lagoons. Tracts savannah are sanctuary for forest buffalo and elephant, red river hog and the elusive leopard. The national park’s marine reserve is one of Africa’s prime locations for viewing breeding humpback whales and dolphins, and the tawny beaches welcome thousands of nesting leatherback, green, olive ridley and hawksbill sea turtles.

In Gabon adventures are a plenty. It is impossible to visit without seeing elephants:  close-up viewings from a boat, or beach sightings are wonderful treats from each season.

The highlight for many though is lowland gorilla trekking, in Loango.

Trekking in Loango for the   African primate that many people adore...the gorilla !  Often people pay high prices to enter into their world. In Loango we are able to offer gorillas trekking permits at much lower prices than anywhere else because Gabon is a very stable country with more protected areas than its neighbours. Despite this, western lowland gorillas are critically endangered and do still need our help and protection.  

Western lowland gorillas live in social groups consisting of one silverback, several adult females, and their offspring. Silverbacks protect their females and offspring from other gorilla groups, predators, and other threats. Gorillas are vegetarian, with their diet consisting of fruit, leaves, and herbaceous vegetation. Their daily routine consists of feeding for a few hours, resting, feeding, resting, during which they will move several kilometers distance through their 20 km2 home range. Gorillas do not have set territories, but groups have overlapping home ranges.  Western gorillas spend as much as 30% of their time in the trees, making them much more arboreal than mountain gorillas. Social interactions among gorillas include resting together, grooming, and play by the infants and juveniles.   

Loango National Park is the only place where it is possible to trek habituated western lowland gorillas

 Despite gorillas being the largest primate species, it is difficult to see unhabituated  gorillas in forest because they are naturally afraid of humans and typically will flee or aggressively charge if people get too close to them.  Gorillas that are visited by people have undergone ‘habituation’. This refers to the process, where through daily peaceful contact with humans, gorillas have slowly lost their strong fear of humans and have learned to view them as neutral beings in their environment.​  

The best time to visit the gorillas in Loango is late January – May, when they do not travel very much per day. During the dry season (June – October), the gorillas travel a lot, moving between fruiting trees and the swamps, making it the most difficult time to visit them. The gorillas move through the forest in an unpredictable way so we cannot know in advance exactly where we will find them. Therefore, it may take several hours of hiking before you see the gorillas. Hiking in the forest is likely to include walking through mud, small streams, and swamps so expect to get wet and muddy. It is necessary to be physically fit to visit the gorillas.

Check out our Gorilla Trekking Blog!

Game Drives in a 4x4 pickup are an easy and comfortable way to view the wildlife in the more open areas of Gabon’s National Parks. In Loango & Pongara you can and see wildlife such as buffalo, elephant, red river hogs and sitatunga as they venture out of their forest homes and into the myriad of savannas. You may even spot a Leopard or Chimpanzee. In Loango in the rainy season, from November to April, you can find large mammals roaming freely on the beach. Enjoy sun downers on the beach at the end of your safari drive.

Boat Safaris & Lagoon Tours take you to areas inaccessible by car. The many waterways of Gabon take you on magical journeys to deep in the jungle in places that look like they are straight out of Tarzan, probably because Tarzan was filmed here!

In the dry season Loango’s interior jungles become hotspots for their animal visitors. Offering the chance to take a boat safari through the narrow lagoons that pass by bais where elephants, sitatunga, and many more are dining and travelling. You can get up really close and personal with a boat safari. It is also a bird watchers paradise.

Soon, in Ivindo, Pirogue trips will feature as part of the journey to the breath-taking Koungou falls.

Hikes & Guided Trails in the forests are unbeatable for a real submersion into the parks. You never know what you will find. Huge trees, the width of a football team is not impossible to encounter. There are multiple forest types with varying degrees of difficulty to navigate. From the easy and more open forest pockets dotted among the savannas, to the dense jungles toward the interior. In the forest everything is alive. Beware of biting ants underfoot, while keeping your eyes and ears tuned to your surroundings, on the lookout for elephants that do an astounding job of hiding! Walk quietly while listening to the many birdsongs, cicada bugs, and take in all of the forests' scents for an overwhelming sensory overload  radiating from the huge diversities of animal & plant life. Feel Gabon!

We are incredibly excited at the prospect of offering Ivindo National Park later in the year, where hikes combined with kayak or pirogue trips will deliver absolutely stunning waterfall and rainforest combinations.

Tranquil Kayaking tours are available in Loango. Perfect for exploring forgotten lands in peaceful serenity.

Sportfishing in Gabon is a favourite for avid fans & brings in hundreds of tourists each year. 100kgs+ is not an unusual catch, and each park manages this sport through it's park protection and fisheries to ensure f ishing pressure is limited to local subsistence fishing and only verified tourist operations who adhere to practices of safe practice and sustainability.

In Loango, the lagoon, adjacent beaches, and isolated coastal lagoons are prime sport fishing territory. At times the numbers and quality of fish is incredulous and is partly explained by the fact that the 220km² Iguéla lagoon is a rich nursery for juvenile fish that as adults are concentrated within a relatively small area.

Other popular sportfishing destinations are Sette Cama and Mayumba.  ​

Whale Watching is a marvellous spectacle of Loango & Pongara. Every year from mid-July to mid-September, humpback whales visit the coastline of these National Parks for breeding & calving. During the breeding season males make impressive displays to the females by jumping out of the water, breaching. This is a spectacle to be seen, especially as they come within metres of the boat. 

Go out on a boat with our skipper to look for these enticing, playful mammals, and more...it is not unusual to see dolphins too.

Turtle Patrols in search of nesting Leatherback & Olive Ridley turtles are a big highlight every November to February. Witness the mothers as they haul themselves out of the water and onto the shores, making awkward looking ascents to dig their nest and lay their eggs before covering them up and returning to the ocean for another year.

Pongara is the best place to get you fill of turtle time, here they visit in higher densities than in Loango, therefore increasing your chances of seeing them. In Pongara in December to April you can also take a guided tour in search of the little hatchling as they first come into the world and start their huge adventure by dashing into the Ocean.

Birdwatching in Loango National Park is a paradise for the dedicated birder who wants to track down 100's of forest and Congo basin species. Request your birding list for more info. Also, take a moment to check out some of the awesome photos taken by our previous guest (Planet Still Alive) on their website: https://www.planetstillalive.com/africa/gabon/

Mandrill Trekking in Lopé National Park is coming as soon as general tourism and  primate tourism reopens in Gabon. Take a guided trek to find wild Mandrills. Usually Mandrills live in "hordes" that average 615 individuals. But it is difficult to see such a horde in 1 viewing, they usually disperse a little while going about their daily Mandrill business, so you likely see only part of the horde.

These rare, elusive, and spectacular monkeys will not fail to impress you, with their technicolour butts and males with faces of the brightest colours in the primate world. From May the males start to express these mating colours most beautifully. Between October and April these colours dull down somewhat. An enthralling experience in the forests and mountains of Lopé. 

 The mandrils are not habituated so you can not get super close to them. Around 30 - 50 meters so it's a different experience to gorilla trekking. Yet extremely magical to be in the forest, surrounded by a large horde and absorb the sounds… they vocalise in a variety of sounds and it's really special, with a more intensity than a gorilla trekking experience. Mandrils are constantly moving so people must be mobile and strong hikers. Each visit lasts anything from 4 - 6 hours, depending on the terrain and the behaviour of the mandrils.

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Mandrill – Lope National Park

Mandrill – picture taken by I, Malene, CC BY-SA 3.0

Mandrill watching and tracking on Gabon wildlife watching safari

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