Gabon travel guide

Albert Schweitzer (1875-1965) was a German physician, organist, writer, philosopher, and philanthrop who did humanitarian and health work from his hospital in the jungle of Gabon. He was awarded with the Nobel Peace Prize in 1952. Today there is a modern hospital on the grounds, while the original buildings have been turned into an interesting museum and a atmospheric hotel. The museum still includes the original operation theaters with all the original surgical instruments (some very macabre). It's only accessible through a guided tour. You can find Albert grave behind the museum.

There are many bad roads in Africa and some of them connect two countries. The border crossing between Gabon and Republic of Congo is one of them. The dirt road starts in Ndende in Gabon, where the immigration also is located, and continues all the way to Dolisie in the Republic of Congo. The distance is just 200 km, but the red dirt road is littered with potholes big enough to swallow small cars. Not that a normal car will make it, because the road requires a proper vehicle with off road capacity.

As you come driving on the road towards N3, you will eventually pass the Equator. Elsewhere on the globe there are usually a monument of some sort, but in Gabon a broken knocked over sign hidden in the bushes on the shoulder of the road will be the only indication that you have crossed the Equator. It might be a good idea to keep an eye with a GPS, so you don't miss it.

Downtown Libreville is so chilled and easygoing that it's hard to believe it's an African capital. The sidewalks are clean and nobody is harassing you as you stroll along the picturesque waterfront. Libreville is flooded with oil money, so it is known as one of the most expensive cities in Africa. However, there aren't any major sights beside some funky looking architecture, so many travelers choose not to spend much time here.

10 % of Gabon is covered by national parks (the highest in the world) and the Reserve de la Lopé is one of Gabon's hidden jewels. There are usually two options for spotting animals. Either a safari drive from the headquarters, where you might see elephants and buffaloes or the monkey/ape trek (lowlands gorillas, mandrills and other monkeys), which requires a 90 minutes adventurous 4x4 drive into the jungle. It's a far less organized experience than the counterparts in Uganda, Rwanda and even D.R.C., where they have a good idea where the gorillas are. In Lope it's a bit more hit and miss, but there is a good chance that you will have to yourself. The road to Lope NP is spectacular, as it passes through rain forest and patches of savannah, but the last 100 km is on a dusty dirt road, so be prepared for a bumpy ride. A more popular option is the train from Libreville, which arrives in Lope in the middle of the night.