Gabon holiday
| country: | Gabon |
| price: | From £5400 - £6200 (9 days) excluding flights. Prices based on a minimum of two clients. We can arrange flights from the UK |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
the amazing things you'll be doing
Gabon offers stunning scenery, with majestic mountains overlooking pristine primary rainforest dotted with rocky outcrops, mighty waterfalls and abundant wildlife. Officially created in 2002 as one of thirteen new national parks, Loango covers a 1550km2 mosaic of forests, grassy savannahs, lagoons and sandy beaches along the southern coast of Gabon. The uniqueness of seeing gorilla, chimpanzees, red river hogs, elephants, buffaloes, whales and many species of birds in their natural habitat is an experience you will never forget. Where else in the world will you encounter hippos in the surf and elephants on the beach?
Gabon profile
In the heart of Central Africa, Gabon is home to the second largest rainforest in the world, it is one of the last great untouched wilderness areas.
Hosting some of Africa's least exploited rain forests and coastal sanctuaries, conservationists regard Gabon as one of the last pockets of wilderness in Africa. Michael Fay, a research scientist with the Wildlife Conservation Society and the National Geographic Society, walked from the eastern edge of Congo to the western edge of Gabon during 1999 and 2000 - a 456-day trip past a stunning range of animals and animal habitats. After he finished this epic ‘megatransect,’ he had this to say: "Blue seas, white sand, elephants, whales, sea turtles, monkeys, bush pigs, unbelievable scenery," he said, “Gabon has it all. It has everything that everyone ever dreams about in paradise, as far as I’m concerned.”
80% of Gabon is covered by rainforest, and the population density barely reaches four people per square kilometre, mostly concentrated in the cities. Unsurprisingly, it is home to the last great concentrations of West African mammals, with an elephant population of 64,000, 20,000 Lowland Gorillas and over 35,000 Chimpanzees. You may also be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of some of the rarest African species such as the Mandrill, Sun-tailed monkey and Bongo. Over 680 species of birds have been recorded, and 320 species of orchid.
Gabon profile
In the heart of Central Africa, Gabon is home to the second largest rainforest in the world, it is one of the last great untouched wilderness areas.
Hosting some of Africa's least exploited rain forests and coastal sanctuaries, conservationists regard Gabon as one of the last pockets of wilderness in Africa. Michael Fay, a research scientist with the Wildlife Conservation Society and the National Geographic Society, walked from the eastern edge of Congo to the western edge of Gabon during 1999 and 2000 - a 456-day trip past a stunning range of animals and animal habitats. After he finished this epic ‘megatransect,’ he had this to say: "Blue seas, white sand, elephants, whales, sea turtles, monkeys, bush pigs, unbelievable scenery," he said, “Gabon has it all. It has everything that everyone ever dreams about in paradise, as far as I’m concerned.”
80% of Gabon is covered by rainforest, and the population density barely reaches four people per square kilometre, mostly concentrated in the cities. Unsurprisingly, it is home to the last great concentrations of West African mammals, with an elephant population of 64,000, 20,000 Lowland Gorillas and over 35,000 Chimpanzees. You may also be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of some of the rarest African species such as the Mandrill, Sun-tailed monkey and Bongo. Over 680 species of birds have been recorded, and 320 species of orchid.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | London Heathrow to Port Gentil. A daytime flight to Libreville where you will be met on arrival and assisted with the transfer to your connecting flight for Port Gentil. On arrival at Port Gentil you will be transferred to your hotel, arriving in time for dinner (at own expense). Overnight Meridien Hotel, Port Gentil |
| Day 2: | Libreville to Fernan-Vaz Gorilla Project, Evengué Island. This morning we take a short flight down the tropical coastline to Omboué and transfer to Evengué, a small island which has a gorilla sanctuary. Gorillas that lived in captivity for a long time are being cared for by a renowned conservation organisation. The gorillas are part of a breeding programme enabling offspring to be returned to the wild in Gabon. Eco-guides will explain the programme and its long term objectives. Afterwards one of the guides will accompany you on a short bush walk that leads to the gorilla family that currently consists of eight gorillas. The rest of the day is up to you. You can discover the island on foot or by kayak, or simply enjoy the tranquillity and fantastic views from the terrace. |
| Day 3: | Mpivié River – St Anne - Loango. After breakfast you will board a Gabonese ‘pirogue’ for a 2.5 hour boat tour on the beautiful Mpivié River, en-route to Loango. This ‘black water’ river runs through some very dense rainforest. Sit back and enjoy the breathtaking views. You will see monkeys, crocodiles and all kinds of birds, hartlaubs duck, finfoots and fishing owls in particular. Before reaching Loango you will visit the small town of St. Anne, where Gustav Eiffel built an iron church in the late 1800s. The story goes that it was a gift from the first priest’s mother. Designed and built in Paris, it was shipped in sections to Gabon. Transported over the water, elephants were eventually used to pull it out of the water. The church is still intact and if you are lucky you can even attend mass. Other features of interest are the missionary post, the boarding school and the ‘bamboo cathedral’, where, on rare occasions, ceremonies are held. |
| Day 4: | Loango Lodge - Akaka/Tassi Bush Camp. Dependent on season Akaka Bush Camp – (during the dry season from May to September), Tassi Bush Camp – (during the wet season from October to April) |
| Day 5: | Akaka/Tassi Bush Camp. Options as previous day. Excursions throughout the Tassi and Louri area to see the wildlife native to this area. Overnight Akaka/Tassi Bush Camp |
| Day 6: | Akaka/Tassi – Loango Lodge. After returning from Tassi / Akaka around lunchtime, you can relax at Loango Lodge or discover some other parts of the park: by car into the savannah, on foot into the mangroves, or by ‘houseboat’ along the shore. |
| Day 7: | Loango Lodge - St Catherine Beach Camp. In the afternoon, a 20-minute boat tour over the lagoon takes you to the Pointe Sainte Catherine Beach Camp. There are miles and miles of empty beach perfect for just relaxing or taking extended walks, shell collecting, as well as some sheltered bays for swimming. In the turtle season (October - February), marine turtles nest on the beach at night. For fishing, from September to March, there is often world-class fishing a minute's walk from one's tent. Late in the humpback whale season (June - September), female humpbacks pass close inshore with their newly born calves. The surrounding coastal forest, fringing lagoon, and mangroves shelter abundant bird life and smaller mammals. And during the rainy season, St. Catherine sunsets are something special. |
| Day 8: | St. Catherine Beach Camp - Loango Lodge – Libreville and Departure. After your return from Point St. Catherine Beach Camp, you will take a flight from Loango to Libreville arriving in the late afternoon, with plenty of time to make your international connection. Departure from Libreville will be late evening, arriving the UK via Paris the next morning. |
| Day 9: | Arrive UK. |
how this holiday makes a difference
 Our local operator is at the forefront of conservation in Gabon, working closely with WCS (Wildlife Conservation Society) and supported by staff from EF (Eaux et Forets - the state department of fish and wildlife). They take on a diverse role geared towards conserving and protecting Loango National Park. This includes initiating, managing, or supporting various research, monitoring, surveillance and education activities. The funds generated by tourism activities such as our tours are directly re-invested into the area to ensure the continued and economically sustainable protection of the national park. An example of the type of project your holiday funds is the employment of a team of young, local Gabonese to systematically clean the park’s entire 100 km of Atlantic coastline. The details and location of each item of litter is recorded and in this manner it is intended to trace the source where possible, and attempt to stop the problem before it starts. At the end of the journey travellers may donate any unwanted clothing, medicine and books, which are distributed to appropriate local charities. We only employ local staff and unlike many operators we believe that to send a foreign Tour Leader along to accompany your trip is an unnecessary burden on your wallet and our carbon footprint. We believe that locals know best. Our local operators only use locally owned accommodation. This means your money stays in the area to benefit the local community. When possible we use local transport, (i.e. rail or bus) and we always use local restaurants, markets and shops. In doing this your travels are supporting and encouraging the development of local services. We only work with operators who are as committed as we are to putting something back into the communities we visit. This may include giving a percentage of the profits from each tour to a foundation to help street children or local conservation projects. Furthermore, in order to allow our clients to make an informed decision on where a greater proportion of their money should be spent, we avoid including pre-paid full board meals where possible. Local restaurants and cafes then benefit. Our groups average only six clients, and many tours operate on a private basis with just two travellers. This has much less impact when travelling through rural areas, reducing our environmental and social affects. Finally to emphasis our commitment to Responsible Tourism all clients will receive a copy of our Travellers Code of Conduct with their travel documents. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |