I haven't been to Africa since 2006, so I'm very glad that I was able to today use my Delta SkyMiles to book a trip to West and Central Africa, into Lagos (Nigeria) and back from Douala (Cameroon), but I'll be spending most of my time in Gabon (Lope National Park).

There's been at least some info on Gabon on this forum, but if anyone has info on Lagos or climbing Mt. Cameroon (or any other tips in the region around Douala), I would appreciate it.

Only 80,000 Delta SkyMiles for the ticket (but almost $300 in taxes!).

Can't keep up with you Michael.
Do you ever work? Guess so, if you can afford to travel.

We still have to "do lunch" or bruch or whatever!

Irwin leaves in 3+/weeks.

Awesome Michael, I'll be very interested to read about this trip. Hope you have some great luck with mandrills in Lope, I'm not sure there is a more colorful mammal.

When do you go?

Can't wait for you trip report. I know it will be a great trip. Give us the rundown on the itinerary and dates!!

Please err on the side of detail in your note taking and report when you come back.

80,000 + $300 is a good deal.

I dont leave until next August -- basic itinerary (and I need to add detail) is

JFK via CDG to Lagos (only two days in Lagos to visit the markets and to see the Benin bronzes at the national museum)

Lagos to Sao Tome (one or two days visiting colonial buildings and plantations)

Gabon -- three days in Lope NP, tracking mandrills (I need to coordinate trip so that I can take train from Libreville to and from Lope)

Fly via Cameroon to Principe (the other half of the two island nation) -- mostly snorkeling, beach and whale watching

Back to Cameroon -- have decided yet, but maybe trek or climb Mt. Cameroon (depending on time)

Back to JFK via CDG (spend day in Paris)

***************

Im in Zurich and using a strange keyboard so apologies if any text or characters appear weird (just had dinner under a Miro at Kronhalle -- it was closed on my last visit to Zurich, but I am glad I went tonight -- one of the two or three best restaurant art collections (collected, not purchased) I have seen)

FRA_JNB on award tickets means 278€ in taxes! that's almost 400$
so you are not doing that bad ;-)

div

Hi Michael. How have you made arrangements for this trip? Directly with suppliers? Tour Operator? Where will you be staying?

Sounds fascinating.

Found some info (regarding Gabon) in your other posts. Still would like to know more about transportation and hotels.

An interesting article from Nigeria.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090123/...odd_goat_thief

Michael, we will be in Gabon on a birding tour in early March and were looking forward to seeing mandrills. But we just found out the Wildlife Conservation Society, the agency organizing the mandrill tracking excursions in Lope, has cancelled all future mandrill tracking trips. This on top of not being able to visit Langoué Bai (it's been closed for a while) is a big disappointment. Oh well, TIA...This is Africa!

Hope they start up the mandrill treks again by August when you'll be there.

Dying to hear about Gabon. It's been hyped in a lot of publications as the next big "out there" wildlife destination and I'm skeptical. So, yes, the more details the better.
Lagos I don't quite get, but to each traveler his own!

On another thread I indicated that I cancelled this trip and replaced it with a trip to Scotland's northern islands in August. Frankly, it became a chore to try to book the trip to Gabon -- the agent was uncommunicative and unresponsive, and perhaps my demands were unrealistic. Also, as I learned more about Gabon, the more I wanted to see, so I started cutting other countries from my itinerary, until I was left with a Gabon-only itinerary, but I then found that the train schedule to Lope would force me to spend three days in Libreville, which I was unwilling to do.

So, Africa will have to wait. I had initially considered a trip to Africa at the end of this year, but I just booked and ticketed a year end trip to Australia (only Tasmania and Kangaroo Island), Vanuatu and New Caledonia.