With its tangled rainforests, legendary rivers and thundering waterfalls; Kongou, Mingouli and Djidji — the Wonders of Ivindo — Ivindo National Park unveils some of Gabon‘s most extraordinary and hidden biodiversity. Yet, little disturbs its reverie except for the magnificent wildlife that amass in the forests, along the river banks and at Langoué Baï — the fifth largest forest clearing in equatorial Africa and one of the most pristine ecosystems in the world. From a safe distance, you will see a gathering of forest elephants, western lowland gorillas, chimpanzee and a multitude of other exotic species including new and old world monkeys and hundreds of birds — even the rare pangolin, golden cat or a leopard, or two. There’s always neverending big-game viewing at every turn. And when you journey by drift boat, pirogue or on foot, you will also discover artisanal traditions embedded deep in the forest — masked places where ancient tribal spirits from the past talk to you.

An intrepid odyssey into Africa’s ‘Last Living Eden.’

Ivindo National Park covers 3000 km2 [300,000 ha] and straddles the borders of Ogooué-Ivindo and Ogooué-Lolo provinces. Hot and steamy, the peak time to navigate Kongou Falls is from November to April.

The park’s average rainfall is 1672 mm, with the rainy seasons between September and December, and February and May. As access to Kongou Camp is by foot, you may want to visit during the short dry season. Activities are year-round, however, including your visit to Langoué Bai, where from our camp’s viewing platform, you will observe western lowland gorillas, herds of elephants and other mammals foraging on saline-rich marshlands.

Ivindo’s equatorial rainforest is home to over 600 mammals and over 2,000 plant species. Undisturbed since time, herds of forest elephants, mandrills, sitatungas [antelope], colourful butterflies, over 400 bird species and the largest concentration of western lowland gorillas on the African continent live in the park’s wild, lush interior.

The saline marshes at Langoué Baï offers a rare glimpse into Africa’s last living Eden. Prized by Ivindo’s abundance of wildlife, the ancient forest clearing was only discovered in 2000 by the biologist, Dr Michael Fay on his now-famous Megatransect expedition. Enscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage-listed site, it is also the fifth largest on the African Continent. Carved by Gabon’s forest elephants over the centuries and spanning one kilometre in length; 300 metres wide, the baï also serves as the base for WSC Gabon’s Forest Program which protects and monitors populations of gorillas and elephants. Here you will see how scientists collect their field data through acoustic monitoring and by motion sensor.

Overnighting just within an hour of the baï is also a rare treat. From our three-tiered camp platform you will observe the nocturnal creatures in numbers not found anywhere else. 

Further off the grid is another forest trail to the Ivindo River where canopy is pitted against canopy. In the treetops you will see monkeys scamper across an entanglement of branches as flocks of African grey parrots take off in feathery flight. And beneath the shafts of sunlight you may come across playful chimpanzees, foraging buffaloes, elephants and even gorillas in lush hideaways; secluded places where Gabon’s wild cats also quietly prowl.

Two hours from Kongou Forest Camp on foot is Kongou Falls. Thundering 56 metres down and spanning three kilometres in width, Kongou’s chutes spills over 900 cubic metres per second; making it one of the most powerful waterfalls in the world along with Djidji and Mingouli — the Wonders of Ivindo. And in the midst of all of this eye-catching splendour is the abundance of wildlife that thrives in pristine habitats; forest elephants, western lowland gorillas, forest buffalo, leopard, red river hogs, duikers, civets, leopard and flocks of exotic birds.

To reach Kongou Falls, you will journey in a pirogue [dugout canoe] from the village of Loa Loa, located 17 km south of Makokou. Everywhere around you is a dense rainforest teeming with primates and forest elephant on the river banks; even pods of hippo and Nile River crocodiles, some are so close that you can almost touch.

Another place we’ll visit is Ipassa Makokou Biosphere Reserve, one of Africa’s most vital ecological refuges for Ivindo’s wildlife. There are over 2,000 species of flora; 600 species of mammals, reptiles, butterflies, endemic and rare bird species in this corner of the park — even more snapping crocodiles — a sense of place with over 15,000 [ha] of protected jungle.

At the forefront of research is the Ipassa Research Station; the oldest in Gabon now managed by Institute for Research for Tropical Ecology [IRET] which serves as the field base for Duke University’s study on Gabon’s pristine ecosystems. Today, Ipassa is part of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves.