Loango National Park
Gabon's Atlantic wilderness, where rainforest, lagoons and savanna run down to an empty beach.
Protected coast, forest, savanna and lagoon
Year the national park was created
Ogooué-Maritime Province, on the Atlantic
The long dry season and the usual time to go
One park, almost every habitat on the coast
Loango is unusual because its habitats sit so close together. Ocean, beach, coastal forest, mangrove, lagoon, swamp forest, savanna and papyrus all fall within one protected area.
That mix explains the park's reputation. Forest elephants and buffalo can appear on open sand, hippos use the lagoons and sometimes the sea, and great apes live in the forest behind the coast.
Gorilla trekking
Researchers spent years accustoming one western lowland gorilla group to people, making Loango a rare place to see them.
Surfing hippos
The famous images are real, but hippos in the waves are a lucky sighting. Lagoons and rivers are far more reliable.
Wildlife with room around it
Visitor numbers are low and sightings are never staged. A good trip here is about time in the landscape and what it happens to give you.
Wildlife of Loango
Forest elephants, buffalo, red river hogs, chimpanzees, crocodiles and a rich birdlife in a remote setting.
Planning a trip
Compare the dry and wet seasons, and match your months to the wildlife you most want to see.
Most journeys combine Libreville, a domestic or charter flight, and a boat or 4x4 transfer.
Beds are few and operators change. See what we could confirm before you make plans.
Visas, yellow fever certificates, costs, malaria and what to expect on the ground.
Accommodation in Loango has changed repeatedly in recent years. Always confirm with an operator before booking flights.
Protected, but not out of danger
Gabon's national parks agency manages Loango alongside research and conservation partners. Poaching, habitat pressure and the cost of protecting remote land remain real challenges.