Gabon Wildlife Express – 4 Days Loango Gorillas & Forest Elephants

Tour Overview

Experience the incredible wildlife of Gabon on this 4-day express tour, from the vibrant capital of Libreville to the pristine Loango National Park, where you can track lowland gorillas, see forest elephants on the beach, watch hippos surf in the ocean, and encounter mandrills in the rainforest. Gabon, a small country on the west coast of Central Africa, is one of the last great wilderness areas in Africa, with over 80% of its land covered in rainforest and a network of 13 national parks protecting its incredible biodiversity.

Itinerary Highlights

Day 1: Arrival in Libreville & to Loango National Park

Arrive at Léon-Mba International Airport (Libreville, Gabon). Transfer to the domestic terminal or the airport for your flight to Port-Gentil or directly to Loango National Park (approximately 1-1.5 hours flight, or a combination of flight and boat transfer). Loango National Park is one of the most beautiful and pristine national parks in Africa, located on the Atlantic coast of Gabon, with its diverse ecosystems including pristine rainforest, savanna, lagoons, mangroves, and beautiful beaches. The park is famous for its incredible wildlife, including lowland gorillas, forest elephants, hippos (which surf in the ocean!), mandrills, chimpanzees, buffaloes, leopards, and a huge variety of birds and marine life. Upon arrival at the park, transfer to your luxury safari lodge or camp (the lodges in Loango are typically luxury eco-lodges, offering a high level of comfort in the middle of the wilderness). After lunch, take an afternoon game drive or a boat safari in the park, looking for wildlife. The park is famous for its forest elephants, which often come to the beach to feed on the coastal vegetation and to drink from the lagoons. Look for elephants, hippos, buffaloes, monkeys (including mandrills, the largest and most colorful monkeys in the world), and a variety of birds. Visit the beautiful beaches of Loango, where you can often see elephants and hippos on the beach, a unique and unforgettable sight (Loango is one of the only places in the world where you can see elephants and hippos on the beach, and where hippos surf in the ocean waves). Evening enjoy a beautiful sunset over the Atlantic Ocean, with the sound of the waves and the calls of the forest in the background. Dinner at the lodge, with a traditional Gabonese cuisine and fresh seafood. Overnight in Loango National Park.

Day 2: Gorilla Tracking & Rainforest Wildlife

Early morning gorilla tracking (one of the main highlights of a visit to Loango National Park, the park is home to several habituated groups of western lowland gorillas, allowing visitors to get up close to these incredible primates in their natural habitat). The gorilla tracking experience begins with a briefing from your guide, who will explain the rules and etiquette for visiting the gorillas (you must maintain a distance of at least 7 meters, you must not make direct eye contact for too long, you must speak in a low voice, and you must follow the instructions of your guide at all times). You will then hike through the pristine rainforest, following the tracks of the gorillas, with your guide and trackers leading the way. The hike can take anywhere from 30 minutes to several hours, depending on the location of the gorilla group, and you will walk through beautiful rainforest, crossing streams and navigating through the dense vegetation. When you find the gorilla group, you will spend one hour with them (the maximum time allowed per visit), observing their behavior, watching them feed, play, rest, and interact with each other. Western lowland gorillas are the smallest of the four gorilla subspecies, but they are still incredibly powerful and impressive animals, with the males (silverbacks) weighing up to 180 kg and standing up to 1.7 meters tall. The experience of being in the presence of these magnificent animals in their natural habitat is truly awe-inspiring and unforgettable. After the gorilla tracking, return to the lodge for lunch and a rest. In the afternoon, take a walk through the rainforest or a boat safari, looking for other wildlife including mandrills (the largest and most colorful monkeys in the world, with the males having brightly colored blue and red faces and impressive manes), chimpanzees, red river hogs, forest elephants, buffaloes, and a variety of birds including hornbills, turacos, and African grey parrots. Visit the mangrove forests and the lagoons, looking for hippos, crocodiles, and a variety of water birds. Evening enjoy another beautiful sunset over the ocean. Dinner at the lodge. Overnight in Loango National Park.

Day 3: Beach Wildlife, Savanna & Marine Life

Morning take a game drive along the beach and the savanna areas of the park, looking for wildlife. Loango is famous for its beach wildlife, with forest elephants often coming to the beach to feed on the coastal vegetation and to socialize. You can often see elephants walking along the beach, playing in the surf, and feeding on the vegetation at the edge of the beach. Hippos also come to the beach and to the ocean, and you can often see them surfing in the waves and playing in the shallow water (Loango is one of the only places in the world where you can see hippos in the ocean, and they are known to surf in the waves!). Look for elephants, hippos, buffaloes, and a variety of birds on the beach. Visit the savanna areas of the park, where you can see elephants, buffaloes, waterbucks, and other savanna wildlife. Visit the lagoons and the mangrove forests, looking for hippos, crocodiles, manatees (West African manatees, which live in the lagoons and estuaries of Gabon), and a variety of water birds including herons, egrets, storks, ibises, kingfishers, and fish eagles. After lunch, take a boat safari or a kayak trip through the lagoons and the mangrove forests, getting up close to the wildlife and enjoying the beautiful scenery. Look for hippos, crocodiles, manatees, monkeys, and a variety of birds. Visit the Iguela Lagoon (a beautiful lagoon in the park, with its calm waters, mangrove forests, and abundant wildlife). Visit the Rembo Bongolo area and the various channels and waterways of the park. In the late afternoon, return to the beach for a final chance to see the elephants and hippos on the beach at sunset, a magical and unforgettable experience. Evening enjoy a farewell dinner at the lodge, with fresh seafood and Gabonese cuisine, reflecting on the incredible wildlife experiences of Loango National Park. Overnight in Loango National Park.

Day 4: Loango to Libreville & Departure

Morning take a final game drive or a walk through the rainforest, enjoying the last views of the park and its wildlife. Look for elephants, monkeys, birds, and other wildlife. Visit the beach for a final walk and a chance to see the elephants and hippos. After breakfast, transfer to the airport or the boat for your return journey to Libreville (approximately 1-1.5 hours flight, or a combination of boat and flight). Upon arrival in Libreville, depending on your flight schedule, visit the city: the National Museum of Gabon (with its exhibits on Gabonese history, culture, and natural heritage), the Libreville Market (a bustling market with its fresh produce, crafts, and local products), the waterfront (the Corniche), the Presidential Palace, and the beautiful beaches of Libreville (including the famous Pointe Denis beach, accessible by boat). Visit the Arboretum de Sibang (a beautiful botanical garden with its collection of tropical plants) or the Libreville Gardens. Do some last-minute shopping for Gabonese products including traditional crafts, carvings, masks, textiles, and local products. Transfer to Léon-Mba International Airport for your departure flight. Concluding your 4-day Gabon wildlife express tour of Loango gorillas and forest elephants.

What’s Included

• Air-conditioned vehicle
• Driver
• Fuel Cost, Parking Fee, Toll Fee
• Accommodation in selected hotels
• Daily breakfast

What’s Not Included

• Entrance fees to attractions
• Tour Guide
• Meal (lunch and dinner)
• International flights
• Travel insurance
• Personal expenses