Complete Gabon: Rare Birds and Apes

Gabon is home to many rather rare and poorly-known birds – one of the most wanted of them is Vermiculated Fishing Owl.

Overview

Gabon remains a relatively undiscovered birding destination, offering many challenging African bird species. This French-speaking country lies in west-central equatorial Africa. Although Gabon has no endemic birds, it offers several tantalizing species such as African River Martin, Grey-necked Rockfowl, Black-headed Bee-eater, Vermiculated Fishing Owl, and various other Congo-basin species which are often easier to find here than elsewhere.

Almost 70% of Gabon remains covered by lowland rainforest, which is part of the appeal, and, with a country population of fewer than 2 million people, much of this forest remains relatively undisturbed. The country also has a wide range of other habitats, not only tropical rainforest but also coastal lagoons, pristine beaches, large rivers and associated riverine vegetation, montane-type grasslands, and broken miombo woodland, all of which are home to a wide variety of fabulous birds. Gabon also supports spectacular wildlife. It’s relatively undisturbed wilderness areas (such as within the amazing Loango National Park, and the vast Lopé National Park) are home to the likes of African Forest Elephant, the striking Red River Hog, three species of crocodile, Western Gorilla and the iconic Mandrill, amongst others. Our comprehensive Gabon tour visits the country’s key birding sites in search of its many special species.

Black-headed Bee-eater is another of Gabon’s most prized birds – and probably the most challenging African bee-eater to find.

Beginning in Libreville, Gabon’s coastal capital, we fly to Franceville to explore the open landscapes of the Lekoni region and the Batéké Plateau. Here, we search for localized species such as Congo Moor Chat, Black-chinned Weaver, Black-collared Bulbul, and the spectacular Black-headed Bee-eater.

We then transfer to Idjanga Private Reserve, where we hope to find the highly sought-after Grey-necked Rockfowl and observe Western Gorillas visiting the reserve’s forest clearings, known as bais. We also begin exploring Gabon’s lowland forests in search of a range of additional species.

Next, we spend four nights in the greater Makokou and Ipassa region, exploring its extensive forests for species such as Plumed Guineafowl, Gosling’s Apalis, and Bare-cheeked Trogon. We then travel to Lopé National Park, where we target birds including Congo Serpent Eagle and the localized Dja River Scrub Warbler. Optional Mandrill trekking is also available here (permit costs excluded).

From Lopé, we travel toward the coast, stopping overnight in Lambaréné before continuing by boat to Omboué and the spectacular Loango National Park. Boat trips and excursions through this vast wilderness offer excellent opportunities to observe birds and mammals. Target species include African River Martin (though important to mention we won’t be seeing these birds at their breeding colonies Rosy Bee-eater, Vermiculated Fishing Owl, Pel’s Fishing Owl, and White-crested Tiger Heron. Optional Western Gorilla trekking is also available in Loango (permit costs excluded).

We then return to Libreville for the end of the tour.

We allocate time for participants to join two optional ape-trekking activities on the tour. These are for Western Gorilla (pictured) and Mandrill (photo Sue Bryan, past tour participant).

Detailed Itinerary (21 days/20 nights)

Day 1. Arrival in Libreville

Today is your arrival day, and you are welcome to arrive at your leisure (there are no formal plans for birding today). Upon arrival in Libreville, Gabon’s capital, you will be transferred to our hotel, where the tour will begin with a group dinner.

Overnight: Libreville hotel

Day 2. Flight to Franceville and transfer to Lekoni

We will take a morning flight to Franceville, depending on the flight schedule, and then transfer via Bongoville to Lekoni. We will be based here for three nights, using this as a base for our explorations of the wider area. If time permits, we will begin birding in the afternoon and look for some of the species listed under Days 3–4 below.

Overnight: Lekoni hotel

Congo Moor Chat is one of our main targets in the grasslands around Lekoni.

Days 3–4. Birding around Lekoni

The area around Lekoni is rather unique in equatorial Africa – comprising of the higher-lying grasslands of the Batéké Plateau, a habitat zone that seems very much out of place here. Naturally, this somewhat isolated habitat hosts many unique bird species, not found elsewhere in Gabon and more typical of southern African countries such as Angola and Zambia. In addition to these montane-type grasslands there are also small tracts of somewhat-stunted miombo woodland along with patches of montane forest, creating a fantastic birding environment! The most prized bird of the grasslands is arguably the sought-after Congo Moor Chat, which is relatively common and normally fairly conspicuous. Other sought-after species include Finsch’s Francolin, Black-rumped Buttonquail, Plains Lark, the ever-prized Black-collared Bulbul, scarce Black-chinned Weaver, Fawn-breasted Waxbill, and Short-tailed Pipit.

Where the grasslands give way to miombo-type woodlands we will focus on other species more characteristic of this unique woodland belt running through south-central Africa, such as Black-backed Barbet, Red-capped Crombec, Yellow-bellied Hyliota, Tinkling Cisticola, Green-capped Eremomela, White-winged Black Tit, Western Violet-backed Sunbird, Wood Pipit and Cabanis’s Bunting, amongst others. Even small patches of thickets in the wooded areas can support a surprisingly different range of species. We will try for the likes of Bocage’s and Lühder’s Bushshrikes, Angolan Batis, Sharpe’s Drongo and even African Broadbill.

The strange Black-collared Bulbul is a localized central African special.

The nearby Bongoville forest is excellent, and offers our first opportunity to explore lowland forest. The birding in these lowland forests is notoriously difficult, with the birds often shy and requiring considerable patience and effort to observe – a challenge we will encounter throughout our forest birding in Gabon. Our main target here is the highly sought-after Black-headed Bee-eater (see cover image), which is usually found around the forest edges. We should also be able to find our first Black Bee-eater here as well (another stunning member of this family), along with other forest specials like Yellow-throated Cuckoo, the notoriously difficult-to-see Lyre-tailed Honeyguide, Rufous-bellied Helmetshrike, Spotted Greenbul, Purple-headed Starling, Cassin’s Malimbe and Tiny Sunbird, amongst many others. Barbets and tinkerbirds abound, and we should be able to find the likes of Yellow-spotted and Hairy-breasted Barbets and Red-rumped Tinkerbird, and the calls of Yellow-billed Turacos are usually not far away.

Overnight: Lekoni hotel

Day 5. Transfer to Idjanga

Following the Lekoni area, our next major birding destination is the exciting and virtually unvisited Idjanga Private Reserve, close to Okandja. En route, we may have further opportunities to find any species missed around Lekoni, particularly Black-headed Bee-eater. In the afternoon, we will arrive at Idjanga and settle in, perhaps enjoying our first birding on the reserve, should time allow.

*This newly established reserve is still developing its infrastructure, and guest accommodation is currently limited. There is a high chance of shared rooms and shared bathrooms.

Overnight: Idjanga

Rufous-sided Broadbill is a shy denizen of the forests that we’ll hope to find displaying.

Days 6–7. Birding Idjanga for Grey-necked Rockfowl and more

We have two full days to bird and explore the Idjanga Reserve. Much of our time will be dedicated to visiting the remote rocky forested areas deep in the reserve to hopefully track down the prized Grey-necked Rockfowl, which occur here. Idjanga also has several bais, which are open, often waterlogged clearings in the forests, where high numbers of mammals and birds gather to drink and feed. We’ll be sure to include visits to some of these, and might find our first African Forest Elephants and if we’re lucky, some of the Western Gorillas that call the forests here home.

While these will be our main targets whilst here, there are a number of other exciting lowland species that are possible, and we’ll be getting a good headstart on the Makokou and Ipassa birds, listed below. Notably, we have our first opportunities for the rare Plumed and Black Guineafowls, Bates’s Nightjar, along with several hornbills, various greenbuls, and more.

Overnight: Idjanga

Day 8. Transfer to Makokou

We have a long drive in store for us, on a typically slow gravel road for the most part, which will likely take most of the day. We’ll be able to fit in a few stops for birding in the impressive forest that we’ll drive through for virtually the entire journey. Driving for hours through seemingly untouched tall lowland forest is an impressive experience. As always, we’ll be keeping an eye out for the more special birds like Gabon Batis, Rachel’s Malimbe, Sjöstedt’s Greenbul and Black-headed Waxbill. Closer to Makokou we can also have our first attempt at the scarce Gosling’s Apalis. We anticipate rolling into Makokou in the late afternoon, and we will spend our final night enjoying the amenities of a town before going into Ipassa the following day.

Overnight: Makokou hotel

Gosling’s Apalis is a scarce Central African species that is not easily seen anywhere.

Days 9–11. Birding the Ipassa forests

We have three full days of birding. Most of our time will be spent in and around the Ipassa-Makokou Strict Nature Reserve, where we will explore the forest edges around the old research station and undertake hikes into the heart of the forest. We will explore the forest entirely on foot. Forest birding can be challenging here, but with patience and a little luck, we should find many of the area’s special birds.

The forest canopy and upper levels support some of the larger and more vocal species, and we will search for the massive Great Blue Turaco along with the smaller Yellow-billed and Guinea Turacos. A plethora of hornbills occurs here, including sought-after White-thighed, Black-casqued, Red-billed Dwarf, Black Dwarf and Eastern Long-tailed Hornbills, while Piping and Congo Pied Hornbills are usually more common. Chocolate-backed Kingfishers call from the upper reaches of the massive trees, yet remain as difficult to see as ever. Barbets are also well represented, and we will look for Eastern Yellow-billed Barbet in addition to the other species mentioned already in the itinerary.

An abundance of hornbills frequents the mature and relatively undisturbed forests of the greater Makokou region – here two giant Black-casqued Hornbills fly over the canopy.

The deep calls of Afep and Western Bronze-naped Pigeons ring out throughout the forest, though it normally takes some effort to track these birds down. A number of cuckoos are also present, and our main targets will feature the sought-after Yellow-throated Cuckoo, along with Dusky Long-tailed and Olive Long-tailed Cuckoos, while more widespread species include African Emerald, Black and Red-chested Cuckoos. Not to be forgotten, a number of woodpecker species also occur here, and species such as Yellow-crested, Brown-eared, Buff-spotted, Gabon and Green-backed Woodpeckers all feature. Many passerines also frequent the higher reaches, and we’ll be keeping an eye out for Red-eyed Puffback, Western Oriole, Purple-throated Cuckooshrike, Green Hylia, tiny Rufous-crowned Eremomela, Fraser’s Rufous Thrush, Dusky Tit, Fraser’s and Little Green Sunbirds, and all of the world’s nigritas-Grey-headed, Pale-fronted, Chestnut-breasted and White-breasted Nigritas.

Species that prefer the mid-strata and vine tangles hanging from the canopy include the sought-after Bare-cheeked Trogon and secretive Rufous-sided Broadbill, alongside African Dwarf and Blue-breasted Kingfishers, Blue Malkoha, Fraser’s Forest, Yellow-footed and Chestnut-capped Flycatchers, Bates’s Paradise Flycatcher, Gabon Batis, Yellow-bellied and White-spotted Wattle-eyes, Western and Yellow-throated Nicators, Yellow-browed Camaroptera, Grey Longbill, the sought-after Gosling’s Apalis, Maxwell’s Black Weaver, and Crested, Blue-billed, Red-bellied and Cassin’s Malimbes. Tangles, thickets, and bushy growth in the lower strata play host to many shy species, and we’ll have our work cut-out for us as we try to find the likes of Blue-headed Wood Dove and the beautiful Yellow-breasted Forest Robin, as well as Brown-chested and Fire-crested Alethes, Brown and Pale-breasted Illadopsis, Olive-green Camaroptera, Banded Prinia and White-tailed Ant Thrush.

We will also be able to hone our bulbul skills immensely here, with a vast number of different species occurring within the forest, including sought-after species such as Sjöstedt’s, Golden and both Eastern Bearded and White-bearded Greenbuls. Other possible species include Ansorge’s, Yellow-whiskered, Falkenstein’s, Honeyguide, Spotted, Little Grey, Icterine, Xavier’s and Red-tailed Greenbuls, along with the noisy Swamp Palm Bulbul and shy Yellow-lored and Red-tailed Bristlebills possible as well.

The diminutive Yellow-throated Cuckoo is a sought-after lowland forest bird.

Keeping an eye out for raptors flying overhead can produce species such as Cassin’s Hawk-Eagle, Congo Serpent Eagle, Long-tailed Hawk, Red-thighed Sparrowhawk and Red-chested Goshawk. Where such openings in the canopy are present, we will also scan the skies for aerial feeders, and hope to find Mottled, Cassin’s and Sabine’s Spinetails and the scarce Forest Swallow, along with Square-tailed Saw-wing. Flowering trees in these zones, as well as in the forest proper, play host to large numbers of sunbirds, featuring Tiny, Carmelite, Grey-chinned, Collared, Blue-throated Brown, Olive-bellied and Superb Sunbirds.

The grassy verges to the roads and tracks in the area may host a variety of colorful seedeaters, amongst them is the possibility of Black-bellied Seedcracker and Western Bluebill, while the likes of Black-headed and Orange-cheeked Waxbills and Black-and-white Mannikin are usually more commonly seen. While here, we can also try our luck for some of the prized (though decidedly uncommon) nocturnal birds, which may include the localized Sjöstedt’s Barred Owlet and Fraser’s Eagle-Owl, as well as Bates’s and Brown Nightjars.

We will need to be very fortunate, however, to come across the poorly known Spot-breasted Ibis, both Black and Plumed Guineafowls, rare Black-collared Lovebird, sought-after African Piculet, along with the likes of scarce Black-necked Wattle-eye, Yellow-capped Weaver, and both Rachel’s and Red-crowned Malimbes – but all are possible.

After dark, we’ll be looking for species like this Fraser’s Eagle-Owl.

One of our afternoons we’ll take a boat trip along the Ivindo River, which should allow us to find large numbers of Rock Pratincoles that typically call the rocky sections of this river home. We’ll also search for African Skimmer, and might even find our first Grey Pratincole (although we have better chances of finding this species later in the tour). We’ll also search for African Finfoot and Hartlaub’s Duck, and if we’re lucky the mythical Vermiculated Fishing Owl. We’ll also keep a special eye out for any possible Spot-breasted Ibis flying over the river.

*Note that the Ipassa research station has basic facilities, with shared bathrooms and no hot water. Staying here is essential to the tour however.

Overnight: Ipassa research station

Day 12. Transfer to Lopé

After three full days of birding in the lowland forests around Ipassa, we will journey to the vast Lopé National Park. This will again be a full travel day, with a long road to negotiate, and the road typically slow. We expect to reach our lodge on the outskirts of the park in the late afternoon. If time permits, we can take a walk around the grounds. It will be a welcome change to stay in a comfortable hotel again, following our time in Ipassa.

Overnight: La Lopé Hotel

Days 13–14. Birding and Mandrills in Lopé National Park

This is one of the biggest national parks in Gabon, offering a mix of rivers, bush savanna, open plains, and forest. Given the reserve’s size, we will only be able to explore a fraction of it, focusing on some of its most exciting areas. We will have two full days to explore. Afternoons will generally be set aside for those that wish to trek in search of Mandrills.

A fine male Mandrill watches over the enormous troop of mostly females wandering about. This photo was taken on our 2024 tour and gives an exciting in-situ image of the experience.

In the open areas we will try for species such as Senegal Lapwing, Blue-breasted Bee-eater, Compact Weaver, and Red-headed Quelea, while a distant swamp is home to arguably our biggest target – the localized Dja River Scrub Warbler. In the various small forest patches (and along their edges) we will seek out Long-tailed Hawk, Red-chested Owlet, Lyre-tailed Honeyguide, Fiery-breasted Bushshrike and the superb Eastern Long-tailed Hornbill, along with a great many others. We will also be sure to keep an eye on the sky for the sought-after Bates’s Swift flying overhead. The massive river flowing past our lodge usually has a few waterbirds such as White-crowned Lapwing, African Skimmer, and Rock Pratincole. After dark, we can search for Bates’s and Swamp Nightjars in the surround area. Lopé is sure to be a good change of birding, with its mix of habitats, and we will likely have seen the bulk of the more common and widespread species – but this is a good backup chance for us to look for any species we may have missed so far. Lopé is home not only to many bird species but also to populations of African Forest Elephant and Cape (Forest) Buffalo, along with a wide variety of primates, including Putty-nosed, Crowned, and Moustached Monkeys, Grey-cheeked Mangabey, Black Colobus – and most importantly, the rare and stunning Mandrill.

*The cost of the Mandrill trekking permit is excluded from the tour cost, and is optional. We will typically have the afternoon set aside for those who wish to do the Mandrill trekking. In Gabon, group sizes are typically limited to four to six participants, so we’ll likely need to divide the group.

Overnight: La Lopé Hotel

Day 15. Birding and transfer to Lambaréné

We will spend the final morning birding near our hotel, before driving to Lambaréné. The road to Ndjolé is extremely slow, and passes through some forested habitats that may give us Bates’s Swift and Forest Swallow. At Ndjolé we should find the scarce Grey Pratincole on distant sandbars visible from town (though the birds are usually far away). After arriving at our comfortable hotel, we will settle in for the afternoon.

Overnight: Lambaréné hotel

Pel’s Fishing Owl is incredibly one of two fishing owls we’ll be trying very hard for in Gabon.

Day 16. Boat transfer to Omboué, and Mpivié River birding

Saving the best for last, we begin the eventual journey to the magical Loango National Park – though today, we will not get into the park itself, and will stay in the quaint village of Omboué, on the outskirts. From Lambaréné this morning, we’ll take a boat trip with our luggage, for several hours to Omboué,. We have a fair distance to cover, and we’ll likely be going fairly quickly on the boat, with limited birding opportunities along the way. Once at Omboué, we’ll check into our comfortable hotel, and in the afternoon, we’ll take a birding boat trip on the nearby Mpivié River. This is one of the most accessible areas in the country to find the highly prized White-crested Tiger Heron and the sought-after Pel’s Fishing Owl. We are also likely to see several other great birds, including the local African Finfoots, which are usually darker than those seen elsewhere, Shining-blue Kingfisher and Hartlaub’s Duck.

Overnight: Omboué hotel

Days 17–19. Rare birds and wildlife of the Loango National Park

We’ll transfer the short distance to Loango National Park itself in the morning, where we will have three nights in this incredible wilderness area. This is one of Africa’s greatest remaining Edens (as described by Time magazine). We will spend our time between two lodges located within the park, giving us the best opportunities to access the excellent coastal savannas, thick riparian swamp forests and vibrant lagoons that make up this wilderness.

Two African River Martins are perched with glorious Rosy Bee-eaters. These two species often mix together at this time of year along the parks waterways, just prior to the river martins commencing their breeding seasons. 

The very remote (and more rustic) Akaka Camp (reached by a long, several-hour-long boat ride, deep into the park) is idyllically situated on the Akaka River, where it overlooks a floodplain and is otherwise surrounded by prime lowland forest. We have several key birding targets here, with arguably the most important going to the highly localized African River Martin. These rare birds should have begun arriving during our time here, and while they will not be at their colonies breeding yet, are usually present in groups on the river, often associating with the vast flocks of Rosy Bee-eaters which are around. The rarely seen Vermiculated Fishing Owl is another of our major targets here, and some time in the evenings will be dedicated to seeing this incredible bird. We will undertake day boat cruises whilst here, and will be on the lookout for other targets like Violet-tailed, Reichenbach’s and Mangrove Sunbirds, White-backed Night Heron, several kingfishers and a range of other waterbirds.

The lowland forests in this part of the park are also home to some exciting birds and give us a chance at seeing rare birds like Black and Plumed Guineafowls, Bare-cheeked Trogon, Eastern Long-tailed Hornbill and even Sjöstedt’s Barred Owlet, if we are lucky (though we’ll need to remain alert for elephants while walking). Spending some time sitting on the camp deck, overlooking the area, is a great way to see many birds with great species like the enormous Black-casqued Hornbills regularly flying by, along with several raptors and so many others – even African River Martins at times!

African Forest Elephant is one of several important mammal targets we’ll be searching for – fortunately they are common in Loango. We will also be looking for others including the stunning Red River Hog.

Aside from the many birds we’ll be seeing, the park is arguably more famous for its other wildlife and general wilderness. Herds of African Forest Elephant and Cape (Forest) Buffalo roam freely and widely throughout the park. We will keep a special eye out for the spectacular Red River Hog, though these are perhaps better seen in the more open savanna regions of the park, and Central African Slender-snouted Crocodile are often seen along the waterways

*One of the main mammal highlights for us is the opportunity to track the habituated Western Gorillas in the park. As with the Mandrill trekking at Lopé, the number of participants allowed on each gorilla trek is limited, and the group will likely need to be divided. Those participants who are not trekking that day, will go out birding, and vice versa (see more information under the “Gabon General Information”).

Moving away from Akaka, we’ll spend time at the very comfortable Ndola Camp, closer to the savanna portions of the park and at the head of the Iguela Lagoon. Just as with Akaka, the birding from the lodge deck is superb, and the immediate surroundings often have a wide array of birds including several sought-after sunbirds and shy Leaf-loves, among others. Our time here will likely consist of a mix of boat trips and drives in open-top safari vehicles. These will take us through the mosaic of beautiful coastal grasslands and small lowland forest patches.

Delightful Rosy Bee-eaters abound in Loango. We’ll be seeing hundreds in the air and at one or two of their breeding colonies, which should be active at this time of year.  They are a firm trip highlight!

 The birdlife here is quite different, and we’ll be on the lookout for the likes of Forbes’s Plover, Senegal Lapwing, Pectoral-patch Cisticola, Quailfinch and Blue-breasted Bee-eater in the more open areas. Rosy Bee-eaters also nest in these areas, and there is usually an active colony present at this time of the year. African River Martins also breed in these areas, but later in the season and we do not expect to find them at their breeding colonies on this tour (but they should be present elsewhere in the park, as mentioned above). The mega Black-headed Bee-eater can also be found in the area, should we still be missing this bird, as can the scarce Congo Serpent Eagle.

A remote island in the area holds a small number of breeding Loango Weavers, which we’ll be on the lookout for, while the coastline here will give us many new additional waterbirds. The tern roost at the mouth regularly attracts African Skimmer and Damara Tern.

*Please note that while the rooms are comfortable with private bathrooms, there are limited rooms in Loango, especially at Akaka camp. Depending on the group configuration, single rooms may not be available and shared rooms may be required.

Overnight: Loango National Park (Loango Camps – Akaka & Ndola, or similar)

Day 20. Final birding in Loango National Park, and transfer back to Libreville

This is the penultimate day of the tour. We will spend our final morning in Loango National Park searching for any species we have yet to see or enjoying further encounters with iconic birds such as Rosy Bee-eater. Around midday, we will likely need to bid farewell to the park, and start our journey back to Port-Gentil, from where we will take an evening flight back to the capital, Libreville. After checking into our hotel in Libreville, we will enjoy a final group dinner and reflect on the tour’s birding and wildlife highlights.

Overnight: Libreville hotel

Day 21. Departure from Libreville

This is your departure day, and you are welcome to leave at your leisure. Please note that there are no formal birding plans for the day, and the tour will officially conclude after breakfast.

Overnight: Not included

Please note that the itinerary cannot be guaranteed as it is only a rough guide and can be changed (usually slightly) due to factors such as availability of accommodation, updated information on the state of accommodation, roads, or birding sites, the discretion of the guides, and other factors. In addition, we sometimes have to use a different guide from the one advertised due to tour scheduling or other factors.

Gabon is notoriously expensive, and the standard of service does not always reflect the cost. Some accommodation is basic, with shared rooms and bathrooms and no hot water. It is important to mention that our tour price includes all the domestic flights, three nights within the pricey Loango National Park, and more days than most other itineraries to allow for a more enjoyable, less rushed trip. Additionally, it is possible to do both Mandrill and Western Gorilla treks on this route, and time is specifically set aside for this. All of which increase the cost, and differentiates our tour to most other birding tour offerings.

Gabon Rare Birds and Apes: General Information

INTRODUCTION

Gabon is located in west-central Africa, lining the coast, and has long been an exciting destination for birders as much of the country is preserved and vast tracts of forest still remain. This is in part due to Gabon’s low population. It must be noted that Gabon, due to its oil wealth, is also a notoriously expensive destination, and birding tours are no different, and costs are high (even for extremely basic services and amenities at times). This high cost in Gabon is prohibitive and is one of the major reasons as to why infrastructure, especially tourism infrastructure, is virtually non-existent.

Gabon has become a safe bet in terms of west-central African birding, offering many exciting birds like Black-headed Bee-eater, Vermiculated Fishing Owl and African River Martin, along with many of the same sought-after specials as can be found in the far less safe Cameroon – and, as such, is the preferred destination of travel to this part of the world. Added to this is the fame that the luxurious Loango National Park has built up, with its incredible conservation success, especially for Western (Lowland) Gorillas. All these ultimately make Gabon a very attractive and sought-after country for ecotourism.

Our tour starts and ends in the capital city, Libreville (on the coast). There are essentially two legs to the trip, with the first involving travel around the interior of the country (to sites like Leconi, Makokou and Lope National Park). This is the “difficult” leg of the trip, with long and hard travel days and basic accommodations and amenities throughout. Most of the birding (though importantly, not all) is done in forested areas, and is thus also challenging at times. The second leg of the trip is to and within the excellent Loango National Park. Here, safari lodges ensure our comfort, and boat rides are practically a daily occurrence, with an abundance of birds and mammals to keep us occupied. Loango National Park is a truly stunning area and is the perfect way to round off this tour.

*It needs to be stressed that this is a challenging tour and is designed for more dedicated birders who are prepared to spend long days out in the field, mostly in forests, looking for rare and poorly known species. There are two important mammal activities as well, Mandrill and Western Gorilla trekking, which are included, but the bulk of this tour is birding focused. You should also expect humid conditions throughout and, especially in the interior of the country, very long and difficult travel days (on extremely poor roads).

PASSPORT AND VISA

Your passport must be valid for a period of at least six months after the date of your arrival in Gabon. Please make sure that there is at least one full empty page available in your passport. Please make sure that you also bring a photocopy of your passport, to be kept in a different location from your passport, in case of loss.

Most countries require a visa which needs to be arranged in advance. Please make sure you find out accordingly, and well in advance of your tour. Birding Ecotours can assist in providing documentation to confirm your participation on the tour, in support of your visa application. The onus is on you, as a client, to secure your visa to travel here. Kindly do liaise with us, as we are happy to assist with this process.

TRAVEL INSURANCE

We require (see Birding Tours Terms and Conditions – Birding Ecotours) that you purchase trip cancellation insurance in case you have to cancel due to illness just prior to the tour departure date, to protect yourself against accidents, illness, loss of valuables, luggage etc. and travel interruptions or delays of all kinds. Allianz Travel and Generali Global Assistance are two options to consider.

SAFETY

This tour does not spend much time in large cities and we generally stay in areas which are considered safe. We recommend that you do not leave personal items of value in the vehicle while it is unattended (while the vehicle is parked at the hotel overnight, for example) – if you are ever in doubt, please check with the tour leader.

Much of Gabon is very rural, and we spend the bulk of our time in these rural areas/small villages and such. Petty theft is a risk, though most of the people we encounter are friendly.

HEALTH, PESTS AND DANGEROUS ANIMALS

While out birding on foot in some areas there could be ticks (and other biting flies and insects) around, and so it is mostly recommended to wear long trousers and especially check yourself for ticks after the day out in the field. Additionally, it is a good idea to spray your legs/trousers and particularly boots/socks with anti-tick spray/similar.

Rabies (although rare) does still exist in some areas and, although the chances of encountering rabid animals on this trip is very low, we strongly advise against touching/petting domestic animals while out in rural areas. Please consult your tour leader if you are ever unsure.

We will be visiting areas inhabited by venomous (and non-venomous) snakes although, as usual, we will be very lucky to see any. To minimize the risk of snakebites or other stings and bites (which is very low), we recommend hiking boots, jeans/long trousers, and a good dose of care, to minimize the danger.

Large mammals are present in Gabon, although they are mostly confined to the larger national parks – where we usually have park rangers with us. There is a chance we may encounter animals such as African Forest Elephants, Western Gorillas, Mandrills, Cape “Forest” Buffaloes, and many others, whilst out birding. *Note that we do have two scheduled activities, Mandrill and Western Gorilla trekking – which takes us close to these animals, under the guidance of rangers and staff that study and work with these animals. As always, our tour leaders and local guides are there to help, should any dangerous situation arise.

Please carefully read the UK Foreign Travel Advice for Gabon and the Center for Disease Control (CDC) information for travelers to Gabon (or your government’s equivalent health travel advice for Gabon). Below, we have mentioned a couple of specific items but, first and foremost, be informed with the updated information at the above links.

Required immunizations for travel to Gabon: yellow fever vaccine.

It is recommended that you are up to date with all routine vaccinations, such as Polio and Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR). Additionally, it is also recommended to get vaccinated for Hepatitis A and B, Meningitis, Rabies and Typhoid. Please keep in mind that if you have never had one of these illnesses, you should be inoculated at least six weeks prior to your trip for the best protection.

Malaria

We strongly recommend anti-malaria drugs for travel to Gabon. Note that as per the CDC, Chloroquine prophylaxes are not effective here. The following chemoprophylaxis are recommended: atovaquone-proguanil, doxycycline, mefloquine and tafenoquine. Please consult your doctor.

Mosquito repellant, long trousers/jeans and long-sleeved shirts, particularly at night when malaria (Anopheles) mosquitos bite, are advised, in addition to the drugs.

MEDICAL CONDITIONS

Please make sure that you are covered with medical insurance in case of an emergency while on these trips. Without insurance the cost of medical care can be extremely high.

Please notify us at the time of registering for the tour of any medical conditions you think we should know about (including allergies, heart conditions, epilepsy, etc.). This will greatly help us in catering for your needs.

*Importantly, all participants will need to get a doctor’s signed authorization certificate that certifies your physical capabilities, in order to participate in the Mandrill and Gorilla trekking activities. If you do not complete this, and thus cannot participate in these activities, you will not be refunded for these items (unless arranged in advance of your tour). Birding Ecotours will issue these certificates shortly before the tour, for your doctor to complete and sign.

WATER/FOOD

We provide unlimited bottled water in the tour vehicles, and you are welcome to take water from the vehicle for the evenings, when not provided in the hotel rooms. More expensive bottled water available at restaurants is excluded from the tour cost and is for your account, but (again) you are welcome to take water from our tour vehicle whenever you want.

*While within the high-end Loango National Park, all drinks are included (except a few, but the staff will make you aware of which are included/excluded).

The bulk of our breakfasts and lunches will be enjoyed at our hotels and lodges throughout the tour. Very occasionally, packed breakfasts and packed lunches will be required. Dinners are always held at our hotels or lodges. *Meals on travel days will be more limited and often consist of basic picnic-style sandwiches/similar, eaten on the road.

Kindly note that breakfasts are usually held early in the morning (before sunrise and our birding; between 05h00-06h00). There are generally big gaps between meals (6+ hours), and bringing various snacks (such as cereal bars, trail mix etc.) is recommended.

It is also important to note that meals are simple, not very exciting, and without variety, especially on the first leg in the interior of the country, The main options are usually chicken/fish and rice. Breakfasts are often bread and eggs. Once we get to Loango National Park there are upmarket lodges, and the services and meals are of a much higher standard and the food is usually excellent.

As always, please inform us if you have any food allergies or other dietary requirements. Unfortunately, we cannot guarantee that these can be accommodated throughout the tour. Gabon is a rural African country with extremely limited availability (or none at all) of specialist foods (such as for gluten intolerance etc.). If you have special requirements/allergies, we kindly ask you to bring your own appropriate/replacement foods, since it is often impossible to purchase such in the country.

CURRENCY AND MONEY

The Central African Franc (CFA) is the official currency, and we recommend that you have sufficient cash in local currency to cover expenses such as drinks, tips, and other items of a personal nature (such as gifts). Credit cards are not widely accepted for payment.

We suggest you get all your local currency immediately when you arrive into Gabon – either exchanging foreign money like US Dollars or Euros at the airport, or withdrawing from an ATM  in Libreville. ATMs are uncommon, restricted to the big towns which we pass on only one or two days of the tour, and many don’t work. Note: US and Canadian Dollars and Pound Sterling cannot be used for purchases. Euros, however, are often accepted (often at an unfavorable exchange rate).

WEATHER   

It will be hot and humid throughout the tour. The maximum is often near 95⁰F/35⁰C, with high humidity. It is advisable to have some warmer clothes, as some folks may feel the need for a jersey/jacket in the evenings, and a raincoat. Although we visit towards the end of the dry season, early rain is possible. Previous tours (run during the Aug/Sep period) have experienced lots of cloud/overcast weather, mostly with no rain.

Please be aware that the high heat and humidity make this tour challenging.

ELECTRICITY

The standard voltage is 240 V. If you intend to recharge camera batteries etc. in your hotel room, you will need an international adapter. In Gabon the power plug sockets generally make use of Type C (Click here).

All our hotels/lodges have access to electricity throughout the day/night, and many have backup generators, in case of power failures or power outages. Remember, this is rural Africa, and sometimes the electricity does go out – we sadly don’t have control over this.

A good torch will be useful if you wish to join us for a night walk or drive. If you intend to join any nocturnal activities , you’d be advised to bring at least one good torch, preferably with a strong beam. All the places we stay at will have electrical outlets for chargers and laptops.

INTERNET/WIFI

Wi-Fi internet is not widely provided at the hotels and lodges throughout the tour (only provided at a few), although cellphone signal is usually good. Where available, Wi-Fi is often not accessible from your room, only in the main reception area/dining area.

Should you wish to remain connected, we advise you either:

• Purchase an eSim compatible with your phone (such as those available on AloSim.com, for example).
• Purchase a local sim card with data at the airport, on your arrival.

TRANSPORTATION & LENGTH OF DRIVES

This tour takes place in a third-world country, and roads are often narrow, potholed and very busy. Do not expect highways and quick travel between destinations.

Transportation is complex on this tour, with multiple internal flights. We will generally make use of two (or in some instances, three) 4×4 vehicles to transport the group. This is to cope with the dreadful roads, which are virtually impossible to drive on with the usual mini buses that we use on most of our other tours. These 4×4 vehicles are generally OK and mostly comfortable, but since this is rural Africa, with limited maintenance and servicing capabilities, these vehicles can be rugged.

We will spend quite a lot of time driving, as there is often a transit time to get from our hotel to the birding area. *We have three especially long travel days, where virtually the whole day will be spent driving on bad roads. A small seat cushion/back support may be useful here.

As with all our birding tours we make use of a seat rotation policy within the vehicle. This will be explained by your tour leader at the start of the tour.

Air-conditioning is available in our tour vehicles.

Some roads are dusty, so please consider bringing a scarf (or other measures) in case you are birding along an unpaved road and a car goes past putting up dust.

*Our drives within both Lopé and Loango National Parks are usually in the lodges’ open-air-style safari jeeps/vehicles, commonly used in most parts of Africa. These generally have canopies overhead but are open-sided (with no widows), and sometimes require a bit of clambering to get in/out.

*We will undertake several boat cruises (on boats of varying sizes, depending on our group), especially while in Loango National Park and Omboue. Boats are the main form of transportation in Loango and when we transit to our lodges our luggage will be with us (it is usually stored in the boat’s various compartments).

WALKING

We do quite a bit of walking on this tour – both for the birding, and the ape treks. We usually drive to a point, then get out the vehicle and walk around, birding on foot. Sometimes, we will be out for several hours at a time (especially when we are at Makokou, and birding in the Ipassa forests). Although we usually don’t walk very far, the most tiring aspect is the time spent standing/on your feet while trying for a shy, skulking bird/similar.

*There is one notable, long and difficult birding walk planned – to look for the mega Grey-headed Rockfowl. This walk is to a new site and is somewhat unknown – but it is envisioned to be multiple hours each way, covering a lot of distance. It is best to bank on this being a hard and challenging walk, through dense forest, not on dedicated trails.

There is lots of forest-birding – some of which is on interior trails, the rest of which is from roads cutting through the forest, aside from the rockfowl walk mentioned above. Sometimes, we will go off trail to track down a bird. Apart from these, all other walking for birding is not particularly “difficult” with most of the walking on level ground, or with only slight undulations.

*Aside from our birding walk, we will also have two ape treks (Mandrill and Western Gorilla). These are unknown entities, the walking can either be very easy and quick (short distance), to incredibly difficult and long (covering a large distance). Both of these occur off trails and involve much bush walking. The gorilla trek, especially, can be difficult, depending on where they are that day (they can occasionally be in swampy areas that are difficult to access, and can require walking in water (up to waist high), through vine tangles and dense forests etc.). This is why we require a signed doctor’s certificate (which will be provided – see under “Medical Conditions” above).

Participants should be able to manage these conditions and, most importantly, be comfortable on their feet for many hours at a time.

PACE OF TOUR

This is an intense and difficult tour, with long days virtually every day, and will only appeal to more dedicated birders. In addition, the birding (and travel) conditions are mostly difficult as well. The roads are bad and the birding is mostly forest-based, thus, views of birds can be obstructed and/or brief and/or poor – often leaving folks wanting more.

We will generally start the days off early, with a pre-dawn breakfast before spending the full morning birding – as we try to maximize the morning coolness, before the heat sets in. We usually return to our hotels/lodges for a lunch break (and a short siesta during the oppressive midday heat). We then typically resume in the mid/late afternoon, but note that the afternoons are usually hot. Due to the rural nature of Gabon, most of our birding sites require some driving to reach them from our hotels/lodging.

We will do a few nocturnal trips, looking for scarce owls and other birds and mammals, but these aren’t a regular/daily feature.

It is possible to opt out of some activities should you not feel up to it, but this generally isn’t possible on the days when we transit between accommodations. We don’t do much birding on our travel days in Gabon.

MANDRILL & GORILLA TREKKING

As mentioned previously in this document, these activities are included in the tour price and give unparalleled opportunities to see these rare apes. A doctor’s signed medical certificate is mandatory to take part in these. (You will be refused – and no refund issued – if you do not have this completed and signed by a doctor). We will issue these to clients shortly before the tour begins, to be filled out and signed by your doctor.

For those who have trekked Eastern (Mountain) Gorillas and Chimpanzees in East Africa (like Uganda, for example), please note that the trekking in Gabon is quite different.

• A maximum group size of four per day is allowed (therefore, our group will likely be split up over two days – those folks who are not trekking will be taken out birding, and vice versa).
• The trekking is far more “wild” than East Africa, in that there is usually considerable effort needed to locate the animals.
  • The Mandrill trekking can take a while, with lots of driving around, and radio-telemetry usually needed to locate the Mandrills, before the hiking to get to them begins.
  • The gorilla trekking, likewise is not as easy as in East Africa (where trackers spend lots of time with the various gorilla families, keeping track of exactly where they are). There is only a single group that is habituated, and they wander widely through the forests. There are occasions where they are not found that specific day (although we are then usually allowed to try again in the days following, until we have seen them).

These are exciting activities (but can include challenging walking conditions to find them), that we feel that no trip to Gabon would be complete without them.

ACCOMMODATION

The accommodation used on this tour ranges from ‘standard’ to ‘basic’ (and below the standard we use on virtually all our other tours, especially those we use on our southern/East African tours). Air-conditioning is available at most places (although it sometimes doesn’t work). En-suite bathroom facilities are available throughout the tour. *We do all we can to ensure that we stay at the best places possible. We do not stay at the very rustic Ipassa research station or basic Lekoni hotel. Our hotel in Libreville and our lodges within Loango National Park will be of a good standard and are usually rather comfortable.

Especially on the interior leg of the country, in the more basic places at Bongoville and Makokou and the very old La Lope Hotel, there are regular “issues”, such as hot water pumps not working, plug points not working, air-cons not working, and inadequate light in rooms, amongst other typical issues with rural African travel. Please bear with us in such situations – it is often not easy to fix such issues in rural countries like Gabon.

WHAT TO BRING

Clothing Casual and informal dress is fine in the hotels. Loose, lightweight, breathable field clothing works best, with a warm fleece or jacket for cooler weather/evenings. As mentioned previously, some warmer clothing is recommended, certainly a minimum of a warm fleece and a rain jacket. Rain is a possibility, so an umbrella and/or rain gear is always useful to have.

* Note that cotton clothing is not recommended, and  quick-dry nylon, linen or bamboo clothing items are usually best.

Laundry can be done at all establishments throughout the tour (at your expense) – but please note that a lead time of at least one day is needed (it is therefore not possible to get laundry done if we stay at a hotel/lodge for only a single night – but it is possible if we have two nights or longer).

Sunglasses, sunhat and sunscreen (rated SPF 30 or higher) are essential. A pair of trousers (or several) or a long skirt, and a long-sleeved shirt should be included to help protect against forest vegetation and the sun. Swimwear can be brought since there are swimming pools at some of the lodges.

We have lots of boat trips in Gabon (especially Loango National Park), but none of these are expected to be wet landing/embarkings. Sandals are usually necessary for such scenarios, since your feet may get wet.

We recommend lightweight walking boots for when out on foot, and a second pair is often useful. Please ensure that your footwear is comfortable, as much time is spent on your feet on this tour. You may consider sandals/Tevas as well, for use around the hotels/lodges, and for getting in/out of the boats.

Do not forget – BINOCULARS, prescription drugs (also bring the generic names for these drugs), toiletries, prescription glasses (and a spare pair), insect repellant, camera, flashlight, batteries (for electronic equipment and chargers for the re-chargeable batteries), plug adaptors, alarm clock, mosquito repellant, money pouch, field guide(s), a soft-sided duffle-style luggage bag is recommended (hard-sided luggage is not always ideal), daypack/backpack, and your favorite road snacks!

Key documents and cash – Passports, your travel or health insurance cards (you can send us copies to file in case of emergency), credit cards – Visa and Mastercard are best – see above, US dollars, euro or pounds can be exchanged for local currency at the airport as you arrive into the country (if you prefer not to simply draw from ATMs), cash for drinks, gifts, tips, items of a personal nature etc.

Luggage – Due to restricted space in the vehicles, please pack as lightly as possible. A medium-sized, soft-sided duffle bag (not the hard-sided cases) works best for packing in the vehicles. This allows us to better fit the bags. Please bring a daypack to keep items that you wish to use or need on a daily basis.

*Additionally, we make use of several domestic flights in Gabon, and these are usually on small aircraft with a strict one check-in bag, weighing ~40 pounds (20 kilograms) per person.

Books – We recommend purchasing a copy of “Birds of Western Africa – Second edition – Borrow, and Demey, 2014”. Also, it is always worth reading Birding Ecotours’ blog on recommended field guides.

Download Gabon: Rare Birds and Apes Information