8-day tour
ITINERARY
1 / Depart on your international flight to Libreville, Gabon
2 / Arrive in Libreville in the morning. You will be met and taken to your aircraft for a panoramic flight to Omboué. Short boat trip to Evengue Island in the Fernan Vaz lagoon. Covered with a mosaic of both savannah and tropical forest, this little island is called the gorilla island because it houses a western lowland gorilla rehabilitation project. You will meet scientists monitoring the gorillas and learn about their rehabilitation program. Short bush walk to view the gorillas before returning to Evengue's pleasant lodge for dinner. Accommodations consist of four comfortable bungalows with private toilet and shower.
3 / Boat trip in the Fernan Vaz Lagoon with a stop at the St. Anne Mission. Its exceptional metal church was constructed by the Eiffel workshop, famous for Paris' Eiffel Tower. Travel by boat to Loango National Park by way of the Mpivie River. Mpivie is famous for its beautiful views of dense rain forest, where it is possible to spot several different species of exotic birds. Short four-wheel-drive adventure to reach the Loango Lodge. The lodge's friendly staff will welcome you on the panoramic terrace facing the quiet and airy Iguela lagoon and Loango National Park. This charming lodge is situated at Iguéla (the northern gateway to Loango National Park) and boasts spectacular views of the lagoon, savannahs, and forest. Loango lodge has been designed to make your stay as comfortable as possible offering everything from superb cuisine and a well-stocked library to a lounge area and sundeck. Accommodation consists of seven bungalows and three comfortable suites with outdoor patio, air-conditioning and hot water. As night falls, use camp spotlights to search for crocodiles and other nocturnal species in the lagoon.
4 / Explore Loango National Park aboard four-wheel-drive vehicles. Situated between the Nkomi and Ndogo lagoons, Loango (1550 square kilometres) is the jewel of Africa's western coast. It is Western Africa's only protected area where forest, savannah, wetlands, lagoons and ocean come together in a single spectacular and diverse tribute to nature. Loango National Park provides ideal conditions for a wide variety of tropical plants and animal species. As you visit the lagoon, local and international guides explain the ecology of the rainforest and its diverse flora and fauna. This area was the final stage (December 2000) of the "Megatransect", a 15-month exploratory expedition across Central Africa by American biologist J. Michael Fay that was widely documented by National Geographic in film and print. Elephants, buffalos, hippos, gorillas and leopards often venture onto the white sand beach, offering a sight and safari experience like no other in the world. Sea turtles also share the uninhabited shores, arriving to nest in the sand usually in December. The Wildlife Conservation Society and Germany's Max Planck Institute carry out year round surveys and research on wildlife in the park. Return to the Loango Lodge for dinner, or choose accommodation at the Tassi satellite camp upon request. Tassi is a rustic oceanfront camp in the park. Visitors can experience the Bwiti dance on a night visit to typical local villages. During this traditional ceremony, dancers consume the root of the Iboga plant, which allows them to speak with their ancestors and the realms of the dead.
Optional 1 (upon request and availability): From June to October, breeding humpback whales congregate off the coast of Gabon as part of their annual migration to the Gulf of Guinea. A research team based at Iguéla conducts daily offshore surveys of these magnificent animals as part of a long-term study. Limited numbers of guests may be able to accompany the research team for the opportunity of experiencing the whales up close.
Optional 2(upon request and availability): Scenic flight over the Ocean Coast.
5 / Board your private plane for a scenic flight across Gabon. Arrive in Makokou (Northwest Gabon). Short drive to the village of Loa Loa, where your journey to the heart of Ivindo National Park (3000 square kilometres) starts. The park, newly created in 2002, includes the Ipassa Reserve, where the Institut de Recherche en Ecologie Tropicale (IRET) runs the Ipassa-Makokou Research Station. Colorful pirogue (a slender boat made from a hollowed out tree) trip from Loa Loa to the Kongou falls along the Ivindo River. The Ivindo River flows lazily through dense primary rain forest. Groups of islets, a wide diversity of forest environments and the squawking of African grey parrots overhead highlight this journey along one of Africa's last uninhabited grand rivers. Arrive at Kongou falls before sunset. The waterfalls, with their dozens of chutes and bubbling white water spread out over of hundreds acres, are among the most beautiful and impressive on the continent. Dinner and accommodation at the Kongou Camp. Located close to the falls, the camp offers the rare opportunity to experience a night alone with the smells, sounds, sights and senses of the tropical rain forest. The camp has 14 beds in double or single rooms and a restaurant offering Gabonese food upon request. Common showers and toilets are at the disposal of guests.
6 / Guides from the ethnic groups Bakota, Fang and Bakwélé lead small groups through the virgin forest to discover the beauty and the extraordinary variety of plants and animals while providing details of local forest products and their uses. The guides show traditional methods used to track forest elephants, gorillas, chimpanzees, bush pigs and other species. Crossroads of several distinct ecosystems and habitats, Ivindo National Park is one of Central Africa's most important sites for biodiversity conservation initiatives. The Ivindo River flows generously through wide swaths of primary rainforest, winding through a unique and spectacular succession of rapids and waterfalls (Kongou, Mingouli).
7 / Return by boat to Loa Loa and departure from Makokou to Libreville with your private plane. Free evening in Libreville and flight back to your final destination.
8 / Arrive in your final destination.