Itinerary - 22 days
Loango National Park / Lopé / Sao Tomé / Principe
The first week of the program is similar to the 8-days itinerary for Loango National Park (arrival Douala). For this reason the description is limited; for a further explanation of the program per day we would like to refer to this page.
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Day 1. Saturday: Arrival in Douala – flight to Port Gentil – flight to Loango Lodge
Day 3 + 4. Monday and Tuesday: Tassi bush camp (during wet season from october till april) or
Akaka bush camp (during dry season from may till september)
Today will be spent on Evengue Island. Besides visiting the gorilla family, time can be used to discover the island on foot or by kayak, or simply enjoy the tranquillity and fantastic views from the terrace.
Day 9 + 10. Sunday and Monday: Departure for Lopé National Park – safari possibilities
On Sunday you will leave for Lopé by night train (via Libreville) or plane (depending on availability). A member of the Lopé Hotel will pick you up from the train station or the airstrip.
This World Heritage site is one of the largest and most beautiful national parks in Central Africa. 4-wheel drive vehicles will take you on tours to marvel at the huge variety of wildlife: red buffalo, elephant herds, antelopes, wild boars, varieties of birds and more. Footpaths are also available for hikers to take a closer and more intimate look at monkeys and the smaller mammals.
Accommodation: Lopé Hotel, splendidly located at the foot of Mount Brazza, is a charming hotel with bungalows, swimming pool and restaurant. The rooms all have air conditioning and hot water in the mornings and evenings.
Day 11, 12 and 13. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday: Mikongo camp
The Mikongo Camp, approximately 1.5 hours from the Lopé hotel by 4x4 jeep, was established as an ECOFAC research camp and forms a perfect location to search for primates. Before venturing into the forest, Ecofac researchers will instruct visiters on the behaviour to adopt during gorilla tracking. Accompanied by a guide and tracker, you will set out on an exciting two-day search for mammals, especially the large primates: gorillas, chimpanzees and mandrills.
Accommodation: Mikongo camp is a very basic camp with wooden bungalows and rudimentary facilities. The camp is run by the Wildlife Conservation Society and ECOFAC and is the home base for researchers.
Day 14. Friday: Back to Lopé Hotel - flight to Libreville – flight to Sao Tomé
A 4x4 jeep will bring you back to Lopé Hotel, where you will be picked up for the flight to Libreville. From Libreville it will take 45 minutes to fly to the beautiful island of Sao Tomé. Coming nights will be spent in a hotel of your choice.
Accommodation: Recommended hotels: Rolas Island Resort (upper range), Miramar (upper range), Club Santana (moderate).
Day 15, 16 and 17. Saturday, Sunday and Monday: Sao Tomé
The next three days you will have time to explore Sao Tomé Island. Amongst the possibilities are a visit to the Portuguese whitewashed cathedral, the Obo National Park and the national museum, which has a good range of displays on agriculture, religion, handcrafts and a hard-hitting display on the slave trade. Of course, it is also possible to simply relax on one of the beaches.
Day 18, 19 and 20. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday: Principe
At 7:45 a.m.in the morning your flight will depart to Principe, where it will arrive 50 minutes later. This island is an excellent place to relax on one of the white sandy beaches that seem to come straight from a rum or chewing gum advertisement. It is also a perfect base for sport fishing or diving. If a cultural experience is prefered, a visit to one of the plantation houses is recommendable. For people that would like to sample the inland beauty of this island, a hike to one of the peaks is amongst the possibilities.
Accommodation: Recommended hotels: Bom Bom Island Resort (upper range), Pension Residential La Palhota (moderate).
Day 21. Friday: Flight to Libreville and connecting flight to Port Gentil
Early in the morning you will fly back to Sao Tomé and a few hours later the connecting flight to Libreville will depart. The last night of the stay will be spent in a hotel of your choice.
