There are very few places left in Equatorial Africa where you embark on a safari and experience ‘Big Five’ game yet Loango National Park’s remarkable range of biodiversity and pristine ecosystems provide nature lovers and intrepid travellers with such extraordinary occurrences. Famous for its beachcomber forest elephants and surfing hippos that roam its wild coastline, the national park is also brimming with other resplendent guises; mangrove forests, mirrored waterways, speckled tidal lagoons and a vast track of savannah —  epic locations that are always picture-ready for thrilling wildlife viewing. Vast herds of forest elephant, forest buffalo, monkeys, chimpanzee, red river hogs, hippo, sitatunga, duiker, crocodile and hundreds of bird species that sweep across the landscape. On a gorilla trek, you will also have a breaktaking introduction to a troop of habituated western lowland gorillas that thrive in what is considered one of the world’s most intact primate habitats.

Another slice of Loango’s magic lies with the much-anticipated arrival of migrating dolphins, whales and nesting sea turtles — thousands of leatherback and olive ridley that swim the world’s currents to lay their eggs on Loango’s shores. But it is at dusk, when the boma fires and paraffin lanterns begin to flicker and the sun’s last golden rays dip beyond the horizon, do you realise that the park’s all-consuming splendour lends itself to another time. A refuge of unspoiled splendour.

Loango National Park has distinct dry [December to January and May to September] and rainy seasons [February to April and October to December].  Yet each season in unveils its particular brand of magic with plenty of opportunities to come face-to-face with wildlife.

November to March: The arrival of nesting turtles and hatchlings. November to April: Elephants and hippos venture on the beaches; July to September: Migratory whales arrive during the breeding season; November to April: Best time for sports fishing; March to May: To view the Atananga gorillas; September to June: Best time to view the wildlife in the northern end of the park during the rainy season: June to September: During the dry season, wildlife migrate to the southern region of the park.

The arrival of migratory whales and dolphins hits its stride from mid-July to mid-September. You can enjoy a day on a chartered boat viewing playful bottlenose dolphins or humpback whales from any vantage point —  especially when they breach at great heights or as they encircle or swim beneath your boat. 

If you arrive between October and February, you can head out at night and view the largest population of leatherback sea turtles nest on Loango’s beach. Also joining them on the move during the migratory season are hundreds of olive ridley and hawksbill sea turtles. The nightly tours are conducted by eco-guides who safeguard the turtles and their hatchlings throughout this epic cycle.

Loango National Park’s safari circuit offers prime game viewing, which starts along the palm-fringed beaches of the Atlantic — one of the last remaining wild coastlines of West Africa. Here you will see forest elephants and if you’re lucky, hippos venturing towards the surf along with sightings of monkeys and chimpanzees in the distant trees. In fact, the park itself is immense, covering 1,550km² of lagoons, jungle and savannah, and it is blessed with ever-moving wildlife — reptiles, birds and many large and small mammals including a troop of habituated western lowland gorillas. Then there’s the abundance of flora. On a slow boat or pirogue — even by foot, you will immerse yourself in the lushness of it all; towering trees covered in lichen; exotic ferns and colourful mushrooms that burst out from the forest floor. 

A ribbon of waterway intersects Loango National Park; an expansive lagoon dotted with pocket islets with each begging to be explored. From any rippled space along the water you will view an abundance of animated wildlife on the banks; several different species of monkeys and many rare bird species — rosy bee-eaters, quail finch, Loango weaver and Congo River martins. As you pass Iguela lagoon, you will also hear of great sports fishing tales including the park’s catch-and-release program and record catches of barracuda and tarpon. Even the occasional shark.

But for many guests, the long-standing tradition is to view wading hippopotamus, forest elephant, forest buffalo and if you’re game, three different species of crocodile.

At the forefront of our park activities are a series of conservation programs, which we tailor for guests. Leading the Loango Gorilla Project is The Max Planck Institute of Evolutionary Anthropology, which we partner in association with Agence Nationale Des Parcs Nationaux Du Gabon [ANPN]. Our eco-tourism safari includes an educational presentation at the research centre and visiting the Atananga troop — a family of protected western lowland gorillas and the first to be habituated in Loango.

To safeguard them from minimal disturbance, visitation is restricted to four times a week and you will be required to be in good health and wear a mask. No more than four guests can visit the troop at any given time.

Very few places offer spectacular and exclusive sports fishing experiences with a variety of catch that could fill an entire ocean. Just 10-minutes from Loango Camps is the point where the estuary empties into the ocean — a prime fishing spot that contains some of the largest game fish in the world including gargantuan-sized barracuda and cubera. But to catch the fish, you must be ready to cast off before dawn. 

Loango Camps guests also have exclusive access to the park’s smaller lagoons and superb fly-fishing. Our catch-and-release packages include accommodation, fly and tackle gear, fishing guide, fishing permit and extended overnight and multiple-day safaris at any of our other satellite camps on Loango’s safari circuit.

With each GWC campsite and lodge exclusively positioned near the coast, in the forest, alongside the river or in the savannah, you will have an authentic wilderness experience right outside your door. Spend days trekking a diverse landscape of intersecting savannah, rainforest and dense mangrove swamps where you will spot forest elephant, chimpanzee, forest buffalo, red river hogs, assorted monkeys, birds and sitatunga. Another safari highlight is our a gorilla trek, where you will see a troop of habituated gorillas in their natural forest habitat — just as nature intended. Like all coastal sanctuaries, sunsets in Loango are often viewed either on the beach or by the water.  Perhaps enjoy an evening boat trip along the estuary, where you will glide past submerged crocodiles, hippos and serenading frogs on lily pads.