Birding and Mammal tour – September 2025
Our first Gabon Birding and Wildlife Tour in September 2025 took us deep into some of Africa’s most pristine rainforests, exploring Ipassa Makokou, Lope, and Loango National Parks. Guests experienced close encounters with rare and iconic species — from African River Martin and Vermiculated Fishing-Owl to Western Lowland Gorillas and Forest Elephants — making this a truly unforgettable adventure for birders and wildlife enthusiasts alike.
This is a trip report summary for our first Nature Travel Birding & Wildlife Tour to Gabon. Gabon is a special destination — located on the west coast of Central Africa, with a small population and a vast portion of its surface area still covered by intact primary rainforest.
It is home to many sought-after birds and mammals, including African River Martin, Forbes’s Plover, Vermiculated Fishing-Owl, Loango Weaver, Bates’s Nightjar, Dja River Swamp Warbler, Gabon Coucal, Gabon Woodpecker, Western Lowland Gorilla, African Forest Elephant, Mandrill, Chimpanzee, and Forest Buffalo.
Although travel and logistics in Gabon require some patience, for any serious traveler or world lister this is a wonderful destination — and you will not be disappointed.
On this trip we focused on three unique parks and ecosystems: Ipassa Makokou Nature Reserve, Lope National Park, and Loango National Park. This report highlights key sightings and experiences from each section of the journey. While primarily a birding tour, we also spent time tracking key mammal species.
Ipassa Makokou Nature Reserve
We started off with two full days exploring the magnificent intact forest areas of Ipassa Makokou National Park, focusing on the Ipassa section and its various trails. The rivers here are some of the most beautiful in Central Africa.
Tracking down forest species requires patience and persistence — especially in a vast forest like this — but we were rewarded with some incredible sightings, including Great Blue Turaco, Gabon Coucal, Latham’s Francolin, Blue Malkoha, Yellow-throated Cuckoo, African Emerald Cuckoo, Congo Pied, Black-casqued and Piping Hornbill, Black Bee-eater, Eastern Yellow-billed Barbet, Gabon Woodpecker, Yellow-bellied Wattle-eye, Shining Drongo, Chestnut Wattle-eye, Bates’s Paradise-Flycatcher, Western Nicator, Lemon-bellied Crombec, Yellow Longbill, Rufous-crowned Eremomela, Yellow-lored Bristlebill, Spotted Greenbul, Eastern Bearded Greenbul, Golden Greenbul, White-bearded Greenbul, Grey Greenbul, Forest White-eye, Rufous Flycatcher-Thrush, Fire-crested Alethe, Brown-chested Alethe, Fraser’s Sunbird, Tiny Sunbird, Bates’s Sunbird, and Dark-backed Weaver.
Around town and in the more open areas, we found several common species such as Black-headed Waxbill, Vieillot’s Weaver, Orange-cheeked Waxbill, White-chinned Prinia, Brown-eared Woodpecker, African Thrush, and Chattering Cisticola. One memorable morning at dawn in a forest clearing brought spectacular views of African Grey Parrots flying overhead. Other species recorded here included Cassin’s Spinetail, Black Bee-eater, Blue-headed Bee-eater, Yellow-throated Tinkerbird, Red-eyed Puffback, Blue-headed Crested Flycatcher, Square-tailed Sawwing, Green Hylia, Johanna’s Sunbird, and Bronze Mannikin.
An afternoon along a stunning river produced our main target, Gosling’s Apalis, with excellent views. Other highlights included African Finfoot, Rock Pratincole, Palm-nut Vulture, and Giant, Pied, and Blue-breasted Kingfishers. Mammal sightings included Putty-nosed Monkey, Moustached Monkey, Red-legged Sun Squirrel, and Greater Cane Rat.
This forest is also home to iconic mammals such as Chimpanzee, Gorilla, Golden Cat, and Mandrill, though finding them here requires dedication and luck — fortunately, Gabon has easier places to look for these species.
Lope National Park
After a rewarding two days in the forest, we headed to Lope National Park. Due to upcoming elections, we couldn’t take the train, so we endured a long, rough drive — but arrived in time for some afternoon birding.
Our lodge, set right on the river, offered great views and abundant birdlife. A short walk around the lodge produced Blue-spotted Wood-Dove, Great Blue Turaco, Bates’s Swift, White-crowned Lapwing, Rock Pratincole, African Skimmer, Senegal Lapwing, Goliath Heron, Blue-breasted Bee-eater, Chattering Cisticola, Fan-tailed Grassbird, Winding Cisticola, Black Sawwing, Red-throated Swallow, Splendid Starling, Reichenbach’s Sunbird, Copper Sunbird, Black-necked and Orange Weaver, Orange-cheeked Waxbill, Long-legged Pipit, and Yellow-throated Longclaw.
The following morning, we enjoyed one of the trip’s mammal highlights — tracking Mandrills, a truly sought-after primate in Central Africa. We located them without much difficulty and spent about an hour observing the group with the research team. Seeing Mandrills in the wild is one of Gabon’s most rewarding experiences and well worth the effort to get there.
During the same day, Congo Pied Hornbill, Black-casqued Hornbill, and African Grey Parrots kept us entertained. That evening’s night drive produced an unforgettable on-foot encounter with Forest Elephants, numerous Forest Buffalo, and a surprise group of Red River Hogs. We also had a brief glimpse of a Yellow-backed Duiker. Our target bird that evening, Bates’s Nightjar, was eventually located — two birds giving excellent views.
We spent one more full day exploring Lope’s valleys and forests, alternating between game drives and guided walks. The main birding target was the very localised Dja River Swamp Warbler, which we found quickly after a 45-minute walk to its habitat. While watching the pair, we were treated to an unexpected sighting of a non-habituated Chimpanzee family, including a young individual closely following its mother — an unforgettable moment.
Other mammals seen included Northern Bushbuck, Grey-cheeked Mangabey, Black Colobus, Putty-nosed Monkey, Crowned Monkey, and Sitatunga.
Bird highlights included Eastern Long-tailed Hornbill, African Pygmy, Blue-breasted and Grey-headed Kingfisher, Velvet-mantled Drongo, Western Black-headed Oriole, Red-tailed and Icterine Greenbul, Black-headed Paradise-Flycatcher, Red-tailed Ant-Thrush, African Forest Flycatcher, Blue-throated Brown Sunbird, Blue-billed Malimbe, Dark-backed Weaver, Long-legged Pipit, Chestnut-capped Flycatcher, and Croaking Cisticola.
After a short but brilliant stay, we moved on to Loango National Park, overnighting at a lovely beachside resort in Libreville.
Loango National Park
After a short flight, followed by a drive and boat transfer, we reached our lodge inside Loango National Park, beautifully situated right on the water — the perfect base for exploration by boat, vehicle, and on foot.
That afternoon, a boat cruise in search of Vermiculated Fishing-Owl proved successful after sunset, thanks in part to the thermal scope. Other nocturnal highlights included Lord Derby’s Anomalure, Northern Talapoin Monkey, Red-capped Monkey, and West African Dwarf Crocodile. Daytime sightings included Hartlaub’s Duck, Sjostedt’s Greenbul, African Finfoot, Klaas’s Cuckoo, White-crowned Lapwing, African Woolly-necked Stork, Yellow-billed Stork, Shining Blue Kingfisher, and Hadada Ibis.
The next morning, we visited the local Gorilla research centre and joined the team to track Western Lowland Gorillas. We were fortunate to find a relaxed family close to the water, allowing excellent views and a remarkable hour observing their daily activities — truly one of Africa’s most iconic wildlife experiences.
That afternoon’s game drive explored the grassy areas between forest patches and produced Forbes’s Plover, Pink-backed Pelican, Congo Pied Hornbill, Woodland Kingfisher, White-bibbed Swallow, Violet-tailed Sunbird, Brown-throated Wattle-eye, Eastern Long-tailed Hornbill, Banded Martin, Long-tailed Hawk, Red-chested Cuckoo, Black-casqued Hornbill, Great Blue Turaco, Winding Cisticola, Yellow-lored Bristlebill, Rusty-spotted Genet, Red River Hog, Forest Elephant, Sitatunga, and Cape Buffalo.
Our main avian target, however, was the African River Martin, alongside the spectacular Rosy Bee-eater colony — two of Loango’s signature species. Visitors early in the rainy season also have a chance to witness Hippos in the surf and Elephants on the beach.
On our final morning, a short boat cruise produced our last major target, Loango Weaver, along with White-backed Night-Heron and Hippo. We then made our way back to Port Gentil and Libreville, marking the end of a short but unforgettable Gabon adventure.
If you have a sense of adventure and a passion for exploring Africa’s most pristine rainforests, Gabon should be high on your bucket list.
