- 11 Days
- Jan-Jun
- Availability: 10
- Minimum Group: 5
Hidden Gems of Lopé and Loango National Park
Descriptions
Lopé National Park, a protected site in Gabon, is a must-see destination for nature enthusiasts and conservationists alike. Inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 2007 as « Lopé-Okanda Relict Ecosystem and Cultural Landscape, » this park boasts rare natural beauty and a diverse array of wildlife.
Visitors can explore the park while respecting and protecting the environment, as the park offers a wealth of treasures to discover and preserve, including endangered animals and plants. For those looking to spot gorillas and chimpanzees in the wild, Lopé is the place to be. Known for having the highest concentration of primates in the world, the park is home to a large population of mandrills, among other species. Visitors will have ample opportunities to observe these majestic animals in their natural habitat. Don’t miss the chance to experience the wonder of Lopé National Park.
Included
- Meet & greet and airport/hotel/airport transfers
- Double accommodation in BB except in Loango where full board meal plan is provided
- Land transportation all-inclusive (driver, fuel, toll gate, unlimited kilometres)
- Domestic return flight Libreville – Port Gentil – Libreville
- A guide
- 1 x Lowland Gorilla permit in Loango NP
- All excursions and visits as mentioned in the program
Excluded
- Visas, Connecting flight, travel insurance and airport taxes
- Beverage and other meals
- Unforeseen circumstances including force majeure and flight delay and cancelation
- Other need not specified as “included”
From
€ 4,787
/ pp
*Indicative price
Send us an enquiry
Popular Spots
- Bifoun and Ndjole Villages, Lopé National Park
- Lopé National Park (Game Drive) and Otoumbi Rock Engraving Site
- Mikongo Forest Reserve
- Lambaréné Town and Equator Line
- Albert Schweitzer Hospital in Lambaréné
- Libreville City (Sightseeing)
- Loango National Park via Port Gentil and Liambissi
Memorable Moments.
Wildlife Viewing at Lopé National Park
Wildlife Viewing at Lopé National Park: One of the most memorable moments during a trip to Lopé National Park would be the opportunity to witness the diverse wildlife that call this park home. From gorillas and chimpanzees to elephants and buffaloes, Lopé National Park is home to a wide range of animals, many of which are quite rare and difficult to find in other parts of the world. With a guided tour, you can get up close and personal with these incredible creatures, experiencing the thrill of a lifetime.
Beach and Forest Combination at Loango National Park
Beach and Forest Combination at Loango National Park: Another unforgettable moment during a trip to Loango National Park would be the experience of both the forest and beach environments. The park seamlessly combines wetlands, savannahs, lagoons, and pristine white sandy beaches, making it one of the few places in the world where you can spot wildlife such as hippos, elephants, buffaloes and great apes as well as rare bird species such as Loango Weaver, Congo River Martins, and the rosy bee-eaters. It’s also a great place for fishing enthusiast with fish species such as Barracudas and big sharks.
Trip Schedule.
Libreville Park Inn By Radisson Blue Hotel
Libreville Park Inn By Radisson Blue HotelUpon your arrival at the LBV, our staff will be there to greet you and escort you to the Tropicana Hotel, conveniently located just a short distance from the airport. After checking in, you will receive a brief overview of the hotel and your upcoming plans in the lobby before enjoying dinner and spending the night.
Libreville – Lopé Lopé Hotel
The day will be spent traversing a variety of landscapes, including dense forests, savannahs, and mountainous regions, as well as passing through several picturesque villages. Along the way, there will be short breaks in lively villages such as Bifoun (160km) and Ndjole (75km later) where the paved road ends. The last leg of the journey, a 130km stretch on a dusty road (heavy with timber trucks travelling in the opposite direction), will lead to Lopé, which is located 360km from Libreville and is expected to take 7-8 hours to reach. Expect to arrive in Lopé in the late afternoon.
Lopé – Lopé Hotel
Today, we will embark on a game drive in the Lopé National Park with our knowledgeable guide who will take us to the best spots to spot wildlife. Lopé NP is home to a diverse range of animal species such as elephants, monkeys, antelopes, bush pigs, snakes, and a variety of bird species. After a full day of wildlife viewing, we will return to the hotel. In the afternoon, we will go for a 40-minute pirogue ride downstream on the Ougoué River to Otoumbi, one of the rock engraving sites that helped Lopé to be classified as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Later in the evening, we will return to the hotel for the night.
Lopé – Mikongo – Lopé Lopé Hotel
We will spend the entire day immersing ourselves in the best that Lopé has to offer: the Mikongo Forest. We will depart from the hotel at 7:30 A.M and drive for about an hour and a half to reach the Mikongo Forest Reserve by 9:30 A.M, where we will begin a forest trek that will last for several hours. The Mikongo Forest Reserve is home to great apes, big mammals, monkeys, birds, and a variety of plants, making it a prime location for nature enthusiasts. By 3:00 P.M, we will end our trek and return to the car to drive back to the Lopé Hotel, which we expect to reach by 4:30 P.M – 5:00 P.M.
Lopé – Lambaréné Albert Schweitzer Guest House
Today, we will be setting off early for Lambaréné, a destination located 350 km away. After having breakfast, we will board our 4WD and embark on an 8-hour journey to reach Lambaréné. The highlight of the day includes several hours of driving through dense forests, savannahs, mountainous landscapes, and numerous picturesque villages. We may take short stops in a few of the lively villages on the way, including Bifoun (185 km) and Ndjole (210km later), where the paved road starts. After the first long leg of 130km on a dusty timber truck road, we will finally reach Lambaréné in the late afternoon. This ride will also give you the opportunity to stand on the equator line that crosses the country.
Lambaréné Albert Schweitzer Guest House
Lambarene is a vast town that comprises of a fish market at the riverside, several old buildings, mostly former missionary posts, as well as a series of nearby lakes including the island of Ngomo, where the ruins of a brick-built church dating back to 1936 can still be seen. Above all, Lambaréné is renowned for the hospital established in 1913 by Albert Schweitzer, the renowned theologian and humanitarian doctor who spent a significant part of his life combating tropical diseases in the region.
Lambaréné – Libreville Park Inn By Radisson Blue Hotel
This morning, we will be departing from Lambarene and heading towards Libreville, which we will reach in the late morning/early afternoon. The highlight of the morning includes a 4-hour drive over a tarred road lined with lush fields of tropical fruit trees, picturesque rainforest landscapes, clusters of villages of Bantu people, as well as a series of bridges crossing the powerful Komo River and the Ogoué River. We anticipate arriving in Libreville in the early afternoon and after checking-in at our hotel, we will embark on a sightseeing tour of the capital city, also known as Freetown, similar to the one in Sierra Leone.
Libreville – Port Gentil – Liambisi – Laongo Loango Lodge
We will start our day early by leaving the hotel and driving to the airport to catch a domestic flight to Port Gentil, from where we will make our way to the Loango National Park. The Afrijet domestic flight to Port Gentil typically takes off at 7:30 a.m. and arrives after a 30-minute flight. Upon arrival in Port Gentil, you will be transferred to your private 4WD all-inclusive vehicle, which will drive you through to Loango via Liambissi. This transfer includes a journey of approximately five hours on a dirt road, passing through a vast forest landscape and pristine beaches along the way. We expect to arrive in Loango in the mid-afternoon. If time permits, we may go for a boat ride to the Gorilla sanctuary of Evengue, including a stop at the St Anne Church.
Loango – Yatouga – Akaka Akaka Bush Camp
The Loango National Park is a unique blend of natural beauty and wildlife. It seamlessly combines wetlands, savannahs, lagoons, and pristine white sandy beaches, making it one of the few places in the world where incredible wildlife can be found roaming along the beach, including hippos, African Forest Elephants, Buffalos, and a wide range of great apes. For birdwatchers, the park is a paradise where you can easily spot endemic species such as the Loango weaver, Congo River Martins, the rosy bee-eaters, and many more. Fish species present in the park include Barracudas and big sharks among others. The highlights of the park vary depending on the season, such as the whale season from mid-July to mid-September, the Tarpon season between October and November, and the Turtle season around September to January.
Akaka – Loango Loango Lodge
Akaka Camp is situated on the banks of the River and is located 66km from Loango Lodge. During the dry season, wildlife, mostly Forest Elephants, congregate here in search of water. The camp is made up of double tents in dome shapes, erected over a wooden outbuilding on a land surface of four hundred meters. Each unit is comfortably equipped with basic yet satisfactory WC and camping shower, and situated on a platform under a thatched roof. You will spend the morning in the Akaka Forest and after an early lunch, depart from the camp and sail upstream to Loango Lodge, arriving in the late afternoon.
Loango – Port Gentil – Libreville – Return flight
This morning, we will depart from Loango early and make our way to Port Gentil, then on to Libreville where we will catch a connecting flight back home.
