Loango National Park National Park

Loango National Park is a coastal national park in western Gabon in the Ogooué-Maritime administrative area, protecting a mosaic of rainforest, savannah, mangroves and beaches along the Gulf of Guinea. It is known for juxtaposed habitats where forest meets the sea.

The park is famous for sightings of large mammals such as forest elephants and occasionally hippos and buffalos that range close to the shoreline, and for diverse marine life including nesting sea turtles. Tourism is low-density, focused on wildlife safaris and guided visits from a few lodges and research stations.

Loango was designated as a national park as part of Gabon’s national parks network and is managed to conserve its unique coastal and terrestrial ecosystems. Protection measures aim to maintain corridors for wildlife and preserve marine-coastal interfaces.

Located on Gabon’s Atlantic coast in Ogooué-Maritime Province, the park stretches along a long coastal strip and includes beaches, lagoons and inland forested areas reachable from regional coastal towns.

• Coastal wildlife: Coastal beaches and shallow marine waters are notable for sightings of hippos, elephants and other wildlife near the sea, a feature often highlighted in wildlife guides.

• Aim for the dry season (roughly July-October) when beach and forest wildlife viewing is at its best and trails are easier to navigate.
• Access typically needs logistical planning - expect to arrange flights to regional hubs and onward charter or lodge transfers well in advance; book eco-lodges early for guided boat and beach safaris.
• Ask lodge guides to include coastal and canoe excursions: Loango's unusual beach-forest wildlife interactions (e.g., terrestrial mammals on coastal sands) are a highlight many day visitors miss.