ovenbird

Hopefully we will be going to Gabon in Sept 2008, and also have a strong desire to go to Rwanda. We've just started to look at logistics and have found traveling by air between Kigali and Libreville is not easy, quick or cheap. The shortest in duration I could find was over 12hrs via Addis Ababa, with most others being more than 24hrs. Does anyone know of a better, shorter route to fly between these 2 countries? Unfortunately, this combo isn't looking too good.

MonicaH

Ovenbird-

Please keep us updated on your trip planning as I am very interested in going to Gabon. Rwanda, by the way, is truly awesome.

Monica

sniktawk

Getting to Libreville is bad enough! Internal transfers within Africa are almost impossible, as the main hubs are very limited Nairobi, Joburg. I think you are attempting the virtually impossible. If your main wish is to go to Gabon there appears to be plenty to do do there to fill a few weeks!

maxwell

Ovenbird - have you started working with an agent yet for Gabon? Operation Loango is the only one I've seen recommended on this board. Just curious if you had made any headway in your planning.

matnikstym

check out exploreafrica.net I met the owner of exploreafrica at Somalisa last year, nice woman. Lots of info and stories. She would know the answers to your questions.
Haven't worked with her on any trips, so not recommending her other than for advice and knowledge.

maxwell

Thanks Dennis!
On their website now and it has some great information.

ovenbird

Sorry for the delayed reply. We returned two days ago from a 1 mo trip to PNG during which time our broadband router died at home but is now fixed. We will likely go to Gabon with a birding tour company, so I'm not sure who the ground agent will be. We'll keep you posted on our planning, but I suspect Rwanda will probably not be in the picture in 2008 as the logistics seem to be too complicated.

junglenana

We are trying to plan a trip to Gabon for a month mid July to Mid August 2008. Getting there seems to the problem. I can't make plane reservations till later this month. No point in planning yet as I want a ticket in hand first. Would appreciate any help from someone that has been there already. This is new territory for us..have been to Africa 35 times between the two of us. Understand there is little infrastructure in the parks, and getting from one park to the other also difficult.

sniktawk

These sights should be useful
http://www.operation-loango.com/
http://www.gabonnationalparks.com/

Getting there is another thing not many international airlines fly into Libreville
There is Air France from Paris
Inter Air from Joburg
and lots of small flights from nearby countries.
One of our neighbours (a wildlife vet) has been there and says that it is wonderful, but very underveloped in terms of facilities.

Good Luck!

Louise

I, also, was told by friends who were there last year that the tourist facilities are very underdeveloped.

zumirezsurfer

Avoid Operation Loango. You can't trust management. Disorganized. Inconsiderate. No customer service. If you complain, they will threaten you with a lawsuit. It happened to me.

Momliz

details, zumirez? it helps the rest of us learn what not to do...

missy10

I was in Gabon in Aug of 06. We used Operation Loango and were very happy with them... you can read my review on Virtual tourist http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/97866/e12/

gatoratlarge

I didn't use Operation Loango (I went throught I-Explore which uses Mistral Voyages) but at least two different groups/couples I met were very pleased with their trip organized through OL.

It looks like I-Explore doesn't offer Gabon anymore and although competent, MV was not easy to work with----it's frankly a difficult country where tourism is still a fledgling industry...many French with connections to the oil and mining industries, but not to the wildlife parks...

I enjoyed my trip...but your expectations need to be right...I saw no gorillas although I bet I'm the exception for those travelling to Ivindo and Langoue Bai. A couple that arrived a day early watched a family of Lowland gorillas for quite a while in the Bai...a spanish couple saw 35! a week prior...just bad luck on my part...

What I did see was an Eden...an area practically untouched...prehistoric looking long tusked forest elephants...monkies filled the trees...although, again, I saw a lot of sillouettes...

I added some adventure to my trip by going to Kongou Falls...logistically in the same park as Langouie Bai but I had to return to Libreville to get to Makoukou by plane and then to the falls...as far as an experience, I found it extraordinary. Imagine the most impressive falls in Central Africa all to yourselves...a motorized dug out pirogue down the rapids...swimming, fishing, forest walks to catch glimpses of forest elephants and mandrills...but glimpses is what you'll get...if you are lucky...

As far as prolific wildlife...it's no East or South Africa by a long stretch...but it is unique and offers some great forest experiences I've not had elsewhere in Africa.

If I had another week there I would have gone to Loango (and used Operation Loango) as I like the fish---tarpon in the south of the park...great whale watching in July, August and the jungle that meets the beach...the gorilla rehab was a high light as well for the spanish couple I met...they got to interact with a baby gorilla at Evengue? Island...Lope used to be the only game in town but I have heard plenty of complaints re: guiding and a lack of sightings there...

AlwaysOnTheRoad

South African Airways flies JNB-LBV on Wednesdays and Saturday. Interair operates on other days. You can also get to LBV via Lagos - but I would not want to fly that sector.

ovenbird

Thanks for the info. Unfortunately our trip to Gabon didn't work out. One of the ground operators, who apparently has a monopoly for certain areas in Gabon, was giving our tour company a difficult time. So the owner finally got frustrated enough that he told them to take a hike. He cancelled this tour plus 2 others that were already scheduled to go. So, maybe next year it'll be better and we'll try again.

In the meantime, we might take the expedition to the Snow Hill Emperor penguin colony in Antarctica Oct/Nov. If so, that will complete our Penguin Sweep...our 17th out of 17 penguin species!

atravelynn

I've seen the words monoploy and Gabon used together before. Could you tell us what company?

I'm thinking in the next few years, using a company like Mountain Sobek or Wilderness Travel (Calif) may be the way to see Gabon because of these ground operator problems that have come up.

Oh well, I'm sure you'll enjoy Antarctica!

ovenbird

atravelynn: Oh no, I just now discovered your post! Mea culpa.

Sorry, I don't know the name of the ground agent. Our tour company is a birding tour company...not sure if you're that gung ho on chasing birds! It sounds like Operation Loango, now called Africa's Eden, does a good business in Gabon.

We are going to try to make it to Gabon in March 2009 with the same birding tour company. Hopefully, we'll have more luck this time.

Where are you off to next?

madisonmichelle

I spent four months in Gabon in 2002 doing research for my master's thesis. I was living and working with the conservationists (Mike Fay, Lee White) at WCS that convinced President Bongo to create the national parks. Though it has been some time, I would be happy to provide any information I can.

I lived in Libreville--going back and forth between Lee White's house and the Tropicana. I spent three weeks in Franceville, a few days in Okondja, and took short trips to Lope, Lambarene, and down the coast for some whale watching.

Gabon is a beautiful country with so much to see, but it is extremely difficult to get around. Even with my connections with conservationists throughout the country, it was a difficult place to navigate and I didn't get to see nearly as much as I would have hoped in four months.

Libreville is an odd city....I felt like I was living in a French colony, not a country that had been independent for 40+ years. I've also lived/worked in Uganda and LOVED Kampala. In fact, if you haven't already done much traveling around Africa, I would definitely go to Uganda before Gabon. Much easier to navigate, incredibly wonderful friendly people, and so much to see--that you can actually get to!

atravelynn

Oven bird--off to Rwanda & Uganda in Aug 2009. To Gabon in the next 20 years maybe. I think I'd go with a group.

MadisonMichelle, As in UW-Madison for the thesis? Oh boy, a resident expert on Gabon. Tell us about the wildlife you did see and where. Thank you.