Trip to Gabon: culture, nature, and wildlife
A trip to Gabon that combines ethnicities, ceremonies, nature, and wildlife. Gabon is internationally known as the “Eden of Africa,” but beyond its jungles and abundant wildlife, it also offers powerful cultural attractions, many of them unique in the region.
During this 18 days trip to Gabon, we’ll visit some of the most impressive natural sites in all of Africa, such as the Kongou Waterfalls and the Bai de Ivindo. We’ll delve into the sleepless Gabon through Bwiti, nightly ceremonies where participants connect with the spirits through Iboga. We’ll travel by train to a remote part of Gabon for a cultural exploration of Gabon’s indigenous peoples and learn about their ancestral rituals.
Highlights of this trip to Gabon
- Ivindo National Park in Gabon: this pristine and remote place is home to the imposing Kongou waterfalls, which we will visit, and the Bai de Langoue, a wonder of nature where gorillas and elephants can be found for a good part of the year.
- Lope National Park where we will do a classic safari and climb Mount Brazza
- Bwitti ceremony in Gabon. We will attend one of the most powerful and impressive ceremonies in Central Africa. We will try to attend more than one different ceremony.
- Exploring the Puvi (Pygmy) and Mitsogo peoples and their traditions and rituals in the east of the country, the most traditional area of Gabon
- Lambaréne is a pleasant and interesting city steeped in colonial heritage.
Kongou Falls in Ivindo
It will take about 3 hours by canoe to reach the impressive Kongou Waterfalls. The journey there is spectacular as it winds through thick jungle. We will spend a night in a basic but comfortable camp from where we will hike to see some panoramic views of the waterfalls.
The Ivindo River spreads through the jungle creating a myriad of islands and waterfalls. If you are lucky you can sometimes see elephants crossing the river or enjoy a swim in the waterfalls. Depending on the level of the river it is possible to see more or less panoramic views. We will do two walking routes to visit different waterfalls. If the river level is low we will approach the big canyon of Ivindo.
Langoue Bai in Ivindo, Gabón
The Langoue Bai is another true wonder of nature, another of those unique places in Africa. Here the density of elephants is not as high as in Dzanga Bai but it is possible to find groups of elephants coexisting with groups of gorillas and sitatungas during a good part of the year. It is a much more elongated Bai with a river running through it, creating an extraordinary landscape which can be seen from a three-level platform.
Bwiti in Gabón, the forest culture
These ceremonies are a spiritual connection with the ancestors and spirits through the Iboga (bois sacré). Bwiti night ceremonies take place in many parts of Gabon. Depending on the ethnic group, the region or the type of ceremony, there is a wide variety of rituals.
Lope National Park
A mixture of open savannah and rolling grasslands with dense tropical rainforest, Lope National Park is a place where you can easily see forest elephants and forest buffalo on game drives. Lope is also famous for the huge groups of mandrills that inhabit the park.
During your visit to Lope National Park, you will have the opportunity to climb Mount Brazza from where you can enjoy spectacular views of Lope.
Lambarene and Albert Schweitzer
Lambaréne is a pleasant and interesting town steeped in colonial heritage. It stretches along the Ogooue River, with part of the town occupying a large island in the middle of the river. It is famous for its hospital, which was founded exactly a century ago by Dr. Albert Schweitzer. We will visit the historic Albert Schweitzer Hospital, which is still operational. This fascinating hospital complex dates back to the mid-1920s, and the original buildings now house a museum. Albert, a Nobel Prize winner, was a German theologian, philosopher, musicologist, and missionary doctor, and above all, he provided excellent medical service to the local population.
