Gabon

Gabon is a Central African country of dense rainforests, wild coastlines, and surprising biodiversity. Libreville, the capital, sits along the Atlantic coast with lively markets, beaches, and a laid-back atmosphere. Beyond the city, national parks like Loango and Ivindo protect gorillas, elephants, hippos, and rare birds, offering some of Africa’s best eco-tourism without the crowds. The Ogooué River winds through the interior, linking remote villages where traditional life remains strong. Rich in oil but still deeply tied to its forests and rivers, Gabon feels raw, green, and full of hidden adventures for nature lovers and explorers.

Gabon is one of Africa’s best-kept secrets, a country where dense rainforests, wild beaches, and rare wildlife stretch from the Atlantic coast deep into the interior. It’s a place where you can see elephants and hippos wandering beaches, track lowland gorillas, and glide through lagoons lined with mangroves. Most travelers base themselves in Libreville, the modern and lively capital, before heading to national parks like Loango, Ivindo, or Lopé. Gabon isn’t about big cities or safaris in the classic sense, it’s about slow, wild travel through places where nature still rules.

While a large percentage of visitors are businesspeople who work in the oil industry, ordinary tourists are growing in numbers, drawn by its gorillas, elephants, fishing and natural attractions such as the Mont Iboundji and La Lopez Natural Park. Looking for a real African adventure?

When it comes to giving visitors a real African adventure, Gabon does not disappoint. It has luxurious hotels for the meticulous business traveler as well as cheap lodgings for those on a budget. Its friendly people will help you to find accommodation when asked, pending you speak French of course. Main roads are paved and the infrastructure is fairly well-developed.

Traveling in Gabon is expensive, partly because tourism is still underdeveloped and logistics are complicated. Most lodges and camps are in remote parks, often accessible only by 4x4s, boats, or small planes. Accommodation ranges from eco-lodges and basic camps in the parks to mid-range hotels in Libreville. Food is simple but good: grilled fish, manioc, plantains, and peanut stews are common. Western food can be found in Libreville but is limited elsewhere, and eating out tends to be pricey compared to other parts of Africa.

Getting around Gabon requires patience and flexibility. Major towns are connected by paved roads, but reaching national parks usually needs organized tours or private transport. There’s a train, the Trans-Gabon Railway, that runs inland to Franceville and is one of the more scenic ways to cross the country. French is the official language and widely spoken; English is rare outside tourism professionals. Gabon is safe by Central African standards, though remote travel always carries some risks due to isolation.

Why Go to Gabon?

• Loango National Park’s Beach Elephants: Watch elephants, buffalo, and hippos wander across beaches and swim in the Atlantic surf.
• Lowland Gorilla Tracking: Trek through thick rainforest to see western lowland gorillas in parks like Loango or Moukalaba-Doudou.
• Ivindo’s Waterfalls: Visit spectacular waterfalls like Kongou Falls deep inside Ivindo National Park, a true jungle adventure.
• Lopé National Park’s Savanna & Forest Mix: Explore one of Africa’s oldest ecosystems, combining open savannas with dense rainforest and abundant wildlife.
• Libreville’s Markets & Seaside: Stroll the waterfront, shop at Mont-Bouët Market, and see Gabon’s colorful city life.
• Bwiti Ceremonies & Spiritual Traditions: Learn about Bwiti spirituality and traditional music that still thrive in rural villages.
• Wild, Untouched Adventure: Experience a country with huge tracts of rainforest, few tourists, and some of the richest biodiversity in Africa.

Who Might Not Enjoy Gabon?

• Budget Travelers: Gabon is expensive by African standards. Hotels, domestic flights, dining, and even basic services can be costly, and budget options are limited outside Libreville.

• Backpackers or Independent Travelers: Gabon has very little backpacker infrastructure. Public transportation is unreliable, few hostels exist, and travel to natural parks often requires costly private arrangements.

• Visitors Without a Car: Outside of Libreville and Port-Gentil, public transport is extremely limited. Reaching beaches, national parks, or villages usually requires a rental car and sometimes even a 4WD vehicle.

• Luxury Travelers Expecting Five-Star Experiences: Although Libreville has some comfortable hotels, luxury resorts and polished tourist services are rare. Even high-end properties can feel rustic and inconsistent.

• Travelers Expecting Fast, Efficient Tourism: Things operate slowly. Bureaucratic delays, slow service, and unpredictable transportation are common. Those expecting tight schedules and fast logistics may get frustrated.

• Vegetarians or Vegans: Traditional Gabonese cuisine is heavy on fish, meat, and cassava. Plant-based options are limited, and finding vegetarian meals outside international hotels can be challenging.

• Tourists Wanting Vibrant Nightlife or Shopping: Libreville has a nightlife scene, but it’s limited elsewhere. Shopping is basic, mostly focused on local markets rather than malls or boutiques.

• Those Uncomfortable with French-Only Environments: French is the official language. English is rarely spoken outside major hotels and embassies, making basic communication difficult without some French knowledge.

• Travelers Requiring Reliable Medical or Internet Services: Healthcare is basic outside Libreville and major cities, and internet access can be slow, expensive, or unreliable in many areas.

Highlights

• Mont Iboundji: is the highest summit in Gabon, overlooking a forest landscape from a height of 400 meters. The waterfall on the steep slope is a special attraction, as are the nature walks.
• La Lopez National Park: is one of the main tourist attractions of the country where gorillas, elephants and monkeys abound.
• Monts de Cristal: is an ideal place for hiking with its lush forests and picturesque hills.
• Nyonié Reserve: is the nearest place to Libreville for a safari, providing elephant sightseeing, jungle, savannah and hiking tours. It has an all-you-can-drink bar that is a bigger highlight for some than the animals themselves.
• Makokou: is a beautiful place east of Libreville with a small hotel that overlooks a river where you can fish and drink beer while watching the sunset.

Drinking: try the local beers of Gabon, particularly the cheap and popular Regab. If the mixture of heat and alcohol goes straight to your head, try one of the tasty fruit juices such as ananas (pineapple), pampelmousse (grapefruit) or citron (lemon).

Fishing: bring your own fishing cane and a good rappala before heading off to the Noya or Mitemboni rivers. Big fish are not that hard to catch here, so you can look like a pro even if you aren’t.

Gold pinning: is a popular activity in the forests of Gabon. It is done by panning river sand to look for gold, but you may have to wash through about 10 liters of sand before you get lucky.

Nightlife: Gabon has a number of bars including dancing clubs that plays Latin-African music, karaoke clubs and a variety of bars with music shows.

Nature photography: Gabon is the place to go to capture gorillas, elephants and buffaloes in the wild, with a camera, that is.

Malaria is common in Gabon and preventative measures are strongly advised. If you don’t want to be plagued with red bites up and down your legs, sleeping under a mosquito net is recommended. If you do hit the nightclubs and bars and want to take home someone after, bear in mind AIDS is prevalent and use protection.