Lope National Park

Overview

Covering an area of 4,910 sq km, Lope National Park was the first protected area in the country following the creation of the Lope-Okanda Wildlife Reserve in 1946. This massive wilderness and one of the biggest National Parks in Central Africa, s situated in central Gabon and has a predominantly rainforest terrain. To the north the park are the last remnants of grass savannas created during the last Ice Age.

Lope National Park’s fauna is typical for central Africa forests punctuated with a few hills and patches of savanna. Ogooué River, running through the north of the park with wonderful trees gently rolling down to the rivers edge, habours a wide range of birds and giant mammals (63 species of mammals).

The Park came into being in 2002 when former President declared over 13 national parks in the country. It attained the UNESCO World Heritage status later in 2007. In the neighbouring areas of the park are several indigenous pygmy groups occupying forests in the South.

Wildlife

Lopé National Park boasts several important primate species more importantly the western Lowland Gorilla, chimpanzee and the Mandrill; Forest Elephants, Sitatunga and Red River Hog. There is also an endemic sun-tailed monkey living in the Park that was discovered in early 1984. Other mammals available in the Park include Forest Buffaloes, yellow-backed Duikers and Leopards. There is always the chance of an encounter with Western Lowland Gorilla and Mandrill and Chimpanzee on a simple wildlife tour here because of their abundance.

Several Bird species available include rosy bee-eater, crowned hawk eagle, Dja river warbler, great blue turaco, grey-necked rock fowl (pitacarthes), the chocolate-backed kingfisher, and emerald cuckoo and black guinea fowl

Climate

Lopé National Park experiences tropical climatic conditions with warm weather year-in year-out. The Park is relatively dry climate compared to most other equatorial rain forests because of its position in the rain shadow of the Chaillu mountain range. The southern zone of this 4910 sq km extensive park is covered by natural green rainforests. Insignificant patches of savannas appear in the Northern sections. These unique patches of savannas are attractive rare remnants from the last Ice Age over 18,000 years ago

Accommodation

There are also several fundamental camp lodges surrounding the park where you can stay on a safari excursion. Some of the lodges include

• Mikongo Camp- situated deep in the forest but close to research centers. It is set in a small clearing in the primary forest constructed with wooden bungalows and private wash room facilities.
• Lope Hotel-a tranquil venue with bungalows and private bathrooms as well as air-conditioned rooms. It overlooks the Ogooué River which tumbles over a series of rapids. However important to note is there is limited accommodation in Lopé National Park. The available is pretty prized.

Lope NP Wildlife Tours

Visitors explore the Lope National Park mainly in 4×4 open game drive jeeps and at times on foot. In this area the park comprises open savannah grasslands with extensive forest pockets. Visitors explore the forest along a well-developed network of paths, with the assistance of trackers and guides. Bird watching is excellent. For the bird watchers, an amazing bird to search for is the Grey-necked Rockfowl. However you will need a two hours walk through primary forest along a maze of narrow elephant trails before reaching any rocks of any decent viewing position.

Getting There

Visitors to Lopé National Park can get there by chartering aircrafts (has its own airstrip), train or on road using 4WD cars. The Park lies 350 km to the east of the capital, Libreville and it’s a 7-hour ride by car or 4 hours by express train. We recommend that your visit to the park be guided by a knowledgeable tour expert. Wildlife Tours into the park are safer and best enjoyed with 4WD jeeps.