Welcome to Gabon!
You will be expected and transfered to your boutique hotel De la Sabliere. You might like to enjoy the view from the large terrace overlooking the Komo estuary.
Rise early for your flight to Port Gentil. Meet your driver/guide with 4x4 vehicle for the approximately 3.5 hour drive to Loango National Park.
Located in Loango National Park, in a forest overlooking Iguela lagoon, Ndola Camp is a remote and beautifully located camp offering travellers access to one of central Gabon’s most unique savanna-forest landscapes.
Built in March 2022 with local materials and labor, N'Dola Luxury Tented Camp offers 8 spacious tents with terraces, air conditioning and semi-open bathrooms. The public area serves as a restaurant, bar and lounge, with magnificent views. The menu emphasizes fresh fish, and the bar offers local and international drinks. N'dola has electricity from a diesel generator, water from a well, and wireless Internet access in common areas.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Ndola, Louri and Akara Camps are part of the Loango Camps and can be used interchangably over the next few days to provide you with the best experience possible. It depends on the season, guest preferences and weather.
Game Drives: Conducted in 4x4 vehicles to view wildlife in more open areas. Search for buffalo, elephant, red river hogs and sitatunga. Maybe even a leopard or chimp. A Loango visit in the rainy season from Nov to April might get you large mammals on the beach.
Gorilla Tracking (extra cost for permit included): The best time to visit the gorillas in Loango is January – May, when they do not travel very much per day. During the dry season (June – August), the gorillas travel a lot, moving between fruiting trees and the swamps, making it the most difficult time to visit them. The gorillas move through the forest in an unpredictable way so we cannot know in advance exactly where we will find them. Therefore, it may take several hours of hiking before you see the gorillas. Hiking in the forest is likely to include walking through mud, small streams, and swamps so expect to get wet and muddy. It is necessary to be physically fit to visit the gorillas.
Boat Safaris and Lagoon Tours: Loangos interior jungles offers boat safaris through lagoons in the dry season. Bird watching is excellent.
Hiking: Penetrate thick forest on foot in search of huge diversity of plant and animal life.
Whale Watching: Humpback whales visit the coastline of Loango and Pongara from mid July to mid September for breeding and calving.
Turtles: Search for nesting Leatherbacks & Olive Ridley during November - February. Density is higher in Pongara than Loango.
Sport Fishing (extra cost): Advance reservation required. A catch of 220 pounds is not unusual. Fishing is regulated by Parks board.
Safaris, boat trips, conservation, gorilla tracking
Our Louri camp, an hour south of N'dola, borders Louri Lagoon, a 16 km lagoon along the beach where it's not uncommon in the morning to have close encounters with forest creatures: monkeys, duikers, river hogs, birds and elephants.
The camp offers a variety of activities, including boat trips on the Louri lagoon, kayaking, hiking, game drives and combined safaris. The lagoon is home to large Nile crocodiles, which can be seen on night excursions. The beach is within easy reach by boat, adding to the diversity of the area.
Support research in Louri
We have teamed up with the Gabon Parks Council and an NGO to conduct research at Louri base camp. Camera trapping, DNA sampling, phenology and tracking of wild chimpanzees, gorillas and red-headed mangabey are among the research activities in which guests can participate.
Nights at Louri Wilderness Camp
The intimate Louri Camp offers 6 comfortable canvas tents. Each is equipped with LED lights, pedestal fans and charging points for cameras, tablets and phones. The tents have semi-open bathrooms with forest views, and a spacious terrace for peaceful mornings. Louri Camp stands out for its absolute peace, stunning views over the Louri lagoon and easy access to the beach just a few steps away, with fresh catering and a wilderness camping atmosphere of absolute comfort.
After the Iguela lagoon, the Rembo Ngowe plunges you into the heart of the Loango rainforest. Akaka is a must, home to a variety of species. Hikes in the forest allow you to observe monkeys, sometimes chimpanzees and gorillas, and rarely leopards. Night-time activities on the river offer the chance to see Loango's fine-snouted crocodiles, Pel's fish owls and vermiculated short-eared owls.
About Akaka Forest Camp
This exclusive camp overlooks the confluence of the Ngowe and Eshiera rivers. Our six safari tents offer comfort, private bathroom (hot shower), comfortable beds and spacious terrace, equipped with fans, LED lighting and charging points.
The large panoramic terrace is ideal for morning coffee or sunset views over the Akaka plains. Our well-stocked bar and extraordinary forest cuisine are part of the experience.
Visit to the Loango Gorilla Project
This last morning in Loango National Park will leave you plenty of time for a morning activity before continuing your tour. Whether you've spent the last night in Louri or N'dola, or Akaka, you'll leave the camp at 12:00 pm, for a boat ride to meet the driver for your road transfer to Port Gentil. You'll arrive in Port Gentil in time to check in for your return flight to Libreville.
Take a boat to Pongara lodge this morning.
The lodge is nestled in the heart of Pongara National Park, with a variety of landscapes ranging from beaches to swamps and lagoons. You'll discover a wide variety of wildlife, including forest buffalo, elephants, red river hogs and various monkeys. The nearby savannahs are ideal for game drives and kayaking trips on the nearby lagoon.
About Pongara Lodge
Pongara Lodge offers 11 air-conditioned rooms with private bathroom and terrace. The bar and restaurant are close to the beach, with quality cuisine and regular barbecues. The beaches are perfect for walks, and bicycles are available. Sunsets are a highlight of the day, and the sun loungers on the beach are ideal for siestas. Our guides will plan your daily activities.
Possible activities: Cycling (with or without a guide) - Hiking in the forest - Excursions in a 4x4 buggy - Fishing (equipment rental) - Kayaking - Turtle-hunting excursions (in season).
Cycling, hiking, kayaking and more
This last morning at Pongara Lodge can be devoted to another activity, suggested by the guides, or you can spend the morning enjoying the surroundings of the lodge and Pongara's incredible beaches.
You'll have lunch before your transfer back to Libreville at around 2:30 pm.
Transfer to the airport for your flight back home.
