Gabon - Africa's Last Eden

The west African country of Gabon straddles the equator and is still swathed in lush tropical forest, home to some of the most exciting and rarely-seen mammals and birds on the planet. With a population of only 2.4 million people and 11% of its land area protected within 13 national parks, this little-visited country is often referred to as the continent's 'Last Eden' and offers a rare glimpse into the Africa of old. This pioneering 15-day holiday explores the very best of Gabon's unspoiled forests, rivers and coastline and includes visits to three of its finest national parks, namely Lopé, Loango and Akanda, in which live such sought-after creatures as Western Lowland Gorilla, Mandrill, Chimpanzee, African River Martin and many more.

We begin our holiday with a flight to Libreville, Gabon's bustling capital, where we spend one night before travelling on to Lopé National Park for a 3-night stay. We will make several stops during the long drive to observe the birdlife and scenery we pass en route. On arrival, we will settle into our accommodation by a large lake, where we can enjoy watching the abundant birdlife all around us and listening to the exotic sounds of the African rainforest. Lopé is an important refuge for the spectacular and fearsome-looking Mandrill and is home to around 1,400 individuals. Scientists keep an eye on the location of the troops using radio tracking and we will be assisted by a Mandrill tracker to maximise our chances in our quest to find this impressive primate. The park is also home to the gingery-coloured Forest Buffalo, the characterful Red River Hog and a host of range-restricted primates, plus over 400 species of birds. Among the latter, the localised Dja River Scrub Warbler is the most sought after, but the colourful range of weavers, barbets and bee-eaters will be equally impressive.

After an exciting few days exploring Lopé, we will drive back west to the small city of Lambarene for the next three nights. Here we will enjoy a mix of cultural and birdwatching excursions, including a city tour and a visit to the Albert Schweitzer Museum (a Nobel Peace Prize winner who founded one of the first hospitals in Gabon) and boat trips on Lakes Onangue and Zile to marvel at their incredible birdlife. Wherever water is present in Africa you can be assured of an abundance of birdlife and our time on these lakes is bound to be an exciting (yet relaxing) highlight of the tour. Our accommodation sits beside the Onangue River, and each evening we will enjoy a welcome sundowner while watching nightjars and a variety of bats hawking over the water. 

Moving on, we spend four nights at Loango National Park on Gabon's scenic coastline. To access the park, we will cruise down the tree-lined Onangue River and then travel the remainder of the distance on dirt roads. For many, our time in Loango will be the ultimate highlight of this highlight-packed holiday, for it offers the opportunity to join trackers in search of the magnificent Western Lowland Gorilla. Although sightings are far from guaranteed, we stand a good chance of laying eyes on these gentle giants. We also hope to encounter the characterful African River Martin — surely the continent's most striking hirundine — which nests along the park's remote sandy banks. Away from its breeding grounds, this unusual species forms flocks along the remotest waterways of the Congo Basin, meaning Gabon is the most accessible place to find this iconic bird! Huge flocks of Rosy Bee-eaters, plus Black-headed Bee-eater and Forbes's Plover join the martins along the river. Nocturnal forays may also reveal a Pel's Fishing Owl or the striking Vermiculated Fishing Owl, while a thermal camera may pick up the presence of some very elusive and seldom-seen species, with Giant Pangolin being an outside possibility! Other highlights of our time in Gabon's premier national park may include Hippos 'surfing' in the breakers and Forest Elephants wandering on the reserve's sandy beaches. We will stay at two separate lodges within the heart of this spectacular reserve, increasing our diversity of wildlife sightings and the amount of the park we can explore.

We end the tour with one night near Akanda National Park to enjoy the abundant birdlife of its forests and mangroves. Our time here will offer a final finale of species, perhaps including Violet-tailed Sunbird and Blue-headed Coucal, before we must make our way back to nearby Libreville to catch our return flight home.