Africa
Surfing hippos, beach-going elephants and rainforest to the sea.
Gabon is one of Africa's greenest countries, with rainforest covering most of its land and a network of national parks. Loango National Park is famous for elephants and buffalo on the beach and whales offshore, while Lopé National Park mixes savannah and forest with mandrills and gorillas. Libreville, the capital, is a modern city on the Komo estuary with seafront restaurants.
Travel is expensive and logistics can be complex, so most visitors book lodges or operators that handle transfers by road, boat or small plane. Expect grilled fish, chicken nyembwe with palm nut sauce and plenty of French influence. The dry season from June to September is best for wildlife and humpback whales; turtles nest on the beaches in the wetter months around December.
July, August, September.