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Trip to Gabon, Congo and DRC (Zaire) – August 2021 (Primate expedition)

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The tracking and sighting of wild bonobos in former Zaire and of western lowland gorillas and mandrills in Gabon will be the main focus of this trip to Gabon, Republic of Congo and Zaire (DRC) But we will undoubtedly have the opportunity to contemplate many more wild animals in the depths of the forests and savannahs of Central Africa, as well as getting closer to the different cultures and populations of these countries.
TRIP HIGHLIGHTS
  • Expedition with prospective portion
  • Starting date: Monday, August 2nd, 2021 in Libreville, Gabon
  • End: Friday, September 3rd in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo
  • Duration: 33 days
  • Group size: minimum 6 – maximum 8
  • Price: 3.750 € + 1.200 € of local payment (includes different primate visiting permits) *The amount of 1.200 € of local payment is for visiting permits of: gorillas in Loango, baboons in Lope and bonobos in Congo – Zaire. This cost is subject to change depending on the price offered by the national parks entities at the time of the trip.
  • Countries visited: Gabon, Congo and DRC (Zaire)
  • Transport: fully equipped Kumakonda 4×4 overland truck

Trip to Gabon and the Congos, primate expedition

The fascinating and rich wildlife of this part of Central Africa will be the focus of this pioneering and unique trip to Gabon, Congo and the Democratic Republic of Congo, formerly known as Zaire. In this "Primate Expedition" the great wild apes will become the focus of our interest.

We will go out in search of wild gorillas in the Loango National Park in Gabon. We will walk in the Lope National Park in search of baboons, here during the months of July and August they usually gather in groups of about 300 individuals.

Crossing the Congo River on a remote border, we will enter the Democratic Republic of Congo, where the Malebo Site is located, home to several wild bonobo families.

Wildlife of Central Africa

Besides the impressive visits of the great apes of Central Africa, with all probability in this trip to Gabon, Congo and Zaire, we will have many more encounters with the different wild life of the region, since we have matched this Primate Expedition with one of the best months to enjoy the abundant wild life of Central Africa

Trip to Gabon

Loango National Park and Akaka Jungle, Gabon

The months of July and August are a great time to go sailing on the Gabonese coast and watch humpback whales.

Inside the Loango National Park, in Gabon, there is a paradisiacal place known as the Akaka jungle. During the months of July and August, the dry season, the waters descend considerably, leaving behind appetizing grasses and numerous insects, which attract a large number of elephants, buffalo and many other herbivorous mammals.

In the Akaka jungle it is also possible to see different primates such as chimpanzees, baboons and lowland gorillas, as well as crocodiles and even predators such as the leopard.

In this natural paradise of the Akaka jungle we will spend two nights.

Trips to Gabon
Herd of buffalo by the beach. Visit to Loango National Park

Loango Gorilla Project

Continuing with the trip to Gabon, we will visit the gorilla housing project in the Loango National Park in Gabon. Run by the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, the Loango Gorilla Project has managed to habituate a group of western lowland gorillas for tourist observation and is currently in the process of habituating a second group. If you want to know more about gorilla habituation processes visit our gorilla post

Loango Gabon

Lope National Park, Gabon

Located in the heart of Gabon, the Lope National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, has an extraordinary and unusual combination of savannah pastures and tropical rain forests, a formidable diversity of fauna and flora and important archaeological remains such as cave paintings.

Possibly the highlight of the Lope National Park is the "Mandrill tracking".

Tracking of mandrills in Lope (Mandrill Trekking)

Mandrills are known for being the largest of all monkeys, for the large number of individuals that form their groups or troops and especially for the incredible colors of the adult males.

Because mandrills regularly cross the savannas, Lope National Park is one of the few or only sites where researchers and travelers can more easily observe them in the wild, making tracking mandrills in Lope one of the best experiences on a trip to Gabon. We must not forget that the largest group of primates ever recorded, was a group sighted in Lope of more than 1,300 baboons, a real treasure.

The sighting of mandrills in Lope is easier during the months of July, August and September when they cross the savannahs and the males that live the rest of the year in solitary conditions, join the enormous groups to reproduce, but as usual in this type of visit the encounter is not guaranteed. The visit is realized on foot following the coordinates that send the radio collars that have been placed in some specimens, which facilitates the finding with the troop of mandrills. They are usually found in a group of about 200 or 400 individuals.

We will spend two full days in Lope where we will be doing the follow up of the mandrills (included in the price of the trip to Gabon and Congos) and making some optional visits or activities.

Trip to Gabon

Tracking and sighting of wild bonobos in Congo DRC (Zaire)

Along with the common chimpanzees, bonobos are our closest living relatives and share more than 98% of our DNA. They are only found in the Democratic Republic of Congo, south of the famous Congo River. Bonobos are known for their matriarchal nature, peaceful behavior and lively sexual activity.

Not far from the Congo River in the southwest of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire) there is the Malebo Site.

Malebo is home to several families of wild bonobos and the third main objective of this trip to Gabon, Congo and Zaire.

Bonobos Congo

Malebo Site in DRC

In the community forests of the villages of Nkala and Mpelu, known as Malebo Site, live several families of wild bonobos.

Malebo is located in a unique habitat formed by a mosaic of forests and savannas, a fantastic place for the traveler to enjoy watching these primates in the wild.

In Malebo, there are three groups of wild bonobos that are habituated (visit our post to learn more about a primate habituation process). Malebo Site has an eco-tourism project managed by the local communities where accommodation is offered in the village. In addition to visiting the bonobos, we will enjoy the opportunity of sharing with the inhabitants of the village for several days. We will spend the days doing some optional activities such as: bicycle routes, night walks in the jungle, fishing outings, etc. or just relaxing.

Highlights of the trip to Gabon, Congo and Zaire

  • Humpback whale watching trip, Gabon
  • Loango National Park, Gabon
  • Camping in the Akaka jungle and hiking trails to discover the abundant fauna, Gabon
  • Visit of the western lowland gorillas, Loango National Park, Gabon
  • Hospital, Dr. Scheweitzer Museum, Gabon
  • Lope National Park, Gabon
  • Mandrill Tracking in Lope National Park, Gabon
  • Lekedi Wildlife Reserve, Gabon
  • Poubara liana bridge, Gabon
  • Leconi Canyons, Gabon
  • Crossing the Congo River in local canoes
  • Two excursions for the sighting and tracking of wild bonobos in the DRC
  • Traditional dances in DRC
  • Bicycle routes in the forests and savannas of Malebo, DRC (optional)
  • Lesio Louna Reserve and Blue Lake, Congo
  • Explore Brazzaville, the capital of the Congo and enjoy a party. We will try to meet some "sapeurs" and get to know their culture

Travel Notes

The different visits that we will make in this trip in Central Africa of gorillas, mandrills and bonobos must be made in small groups, normally of a maximum of 4 people, with possible daily limitations and/or sometimes to make the visit in alternate days not to bother or to modify the habits of the primates.

This expedition is planned with 4 or 5 days of flexible margin in case we have to wait some day to make a visit. These days will be free days available to each one, in which each traveler will be able to carry out some optional activities or relax where we are staying.

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DETAILED ITINERARY

Days 1, 2 Libreville

  • Arrival in Libreville
  • Transfer to the hotel
  • Accommodation in hotel Tropicana or similar

Days 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 Libreville – ferry to Port Gentil – Omboue – Parc National de Loango – Akaka

  • Regular ferry to Port Gentil where our truck is waiting
  • Humpback whale sighting excursion
  • We will travel through sand and savannah to the entrance of Loango N.P.
  • Two days and two nights in the jungle of Akaka, known as the last Eden
  • Visit to the lowland gorillas in Loango
  • Local hotels and camp in Akaka

Days 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 Omboue – Lambarene – Lope National Park

We will arrive at Lambarene, a city with a strong colonial heritage
We will stay at the Albert Schweitzer Hospital near Lambarene.
The hospital complex dates from the mid 1920s and the original buildings now contain a museum, preserving the hospital, its equipment and the Schweitzers’ homes. 
We will go out in search of baboons in Lope
Optional visits in Lope
Local hotel in Lope and camping en route

Days 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 Lope – Lastourville – Lekedi Reserve – Franceville – Leconi Canyons – Congo border

We will travel to the Congo border through N3
We will deviate from the route to visit the Lekedi Wildlife Reserve and the Poubara vine bridge
We will visit and spend the night camping on the cliffs of Leconi, close to the border with Congo
Local camping and hotels

Days 19, 20, 21 Republic of Congo

We will travel for several days through the Republic of Congo until we reach the border post by the Congo River where we will cross to DRC (Zaire)

Days 22, 23, 24, 25, 26 DRC – Zaire

We will spend 4 or 5 days in RDC (Zaire) visiting the Malebo Site bonobos and doing different activities
We will live with the inhabitants of the villages in the area, attending dances and participating in their daily activities
We will perform two scans in search of wild bonobos
Accommodation on a community farm in the village

Days 27, 28, 29 and 30

Back in the Congo, we will travel to the capital Brazzaville
Break in the Blue Lake located in the Lesio Luna Reserve where there is a project for the conservation and protection of gorillas and other animals.

Days 31 and 32 Brazzaville

Days to explore Brazza
Hotel

Day 33 End of the trip

End of the trip at 9:00
Transfer to the airport

IMAGES GALERIE

THIS TRIP INCLUDES

  • Transport in overland 4x4 truck during the whole route
  • Spanish driver (guide / organizer of the Spanish trip, responsible for Kumakonda)
  • All accomodation indicated. 
  • Pick up and transfer to the airport
  • Ferry Libreville - Port Gentil and taxis to and from the port
  • Loango National Park, entrance fees, boat transfers and activities for 2 full days
  • Gorilla permit in Loango, 1 hour
  • Visit to the Akaka jungle with camp. Full board during our stay in Loango.
  • Whale watching (3 or 4 hour trip)
  • 1 night in the communal hostel of Dr. Scheweitzer Hospital, Gabon
  • Dr. Scheweitzer Hospital Museum, Gabon
  • Mandrill tracking permits in Lope N.P.  Gabon
  • Visit to the Lekedi Wildlife Reserve, Gabon
  • Visit to the vine bridge of Poubara, Gabon
  • Camping and visit to the cliffs of Leconi, Gabon
  • Transport in local boats to cross the Congo River, to and from
  • Two visiting permits for the tracking and sighting of wild bonobos in the DRC
  • Mantsio-mubaru dance and ceremony, DRC
  • Visit and night in the Blue Lake in the Lesio Louna Reserve (Congo)
  • All meals en route: we will eat at local places. and if there is no facility we will cook for you.
  • Tents for two people
  • Mats
  • Equipped kumakonda expedition overland truck.

THIS TRIP DOES NOT INCLUDE

  • Flights
  • Travel and cancellation insurance
  • Cabs to move around the cities
  • Visas and Procedures
  • Letter of invitation if necessary for visas.
  • Optional activities in the national parks or during the trip
  • Meals when we are staying or camping in places with facilities or that have restaurants or where meals are served
  • Drinks, mineral water, soft drinks, alcoholic beverages.
  • Tips for local guides, rangers, porters, etc
  • Fees for "formalities" at the different police controls we will meet on the route and at the borders (about 50 €)
  • Everything not in includes

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