Trekking to Kangou Falls in Gabon

The late President Bongo of Gabon famously preserved 11% of the nation’s territory as a national park; only Costa Rica boasts a higher percentage.  This provides a wonderful (not to mention, dense and lush) foundation for adventure tourism in Gabon.  FIGET, (International Foundation of Eco-Tourism,) located in the North East province of Ogooue Ivindo,  has begun leading tours for ecotourists and scientific researchers. Their goal is to create local development, and they already employ 16 local people. Their camp is located on the river Ivindo, in the national park of the same name, and this is where the four day excursion out to Kangou Falls begins.

Makokou, the village that is the starting point, is a two hour flight from Libreville or a 7 hour train ride.  A longer and cheaper option is the share taxis that bump along dusty roads blasting West African tunes.  To reach the camp, motorized dug out pirogues or canoes, take you upriver, meandering through tributaries and around floating islets.  Kangou falls, stretching a kilometer across the river, are said to be some of the most beautiful in Africa -  a light mist constantly enshrouds the falls, kicked up as the water explodes over the edge and lands with force into the swirling pools below.

During your stay at the camp, there are smaller falls to visit as well as jungle walks on winding, overgrown paths that sometimes require your guides to whip out machetes to clear the way.  It’s likely you’ll spot some rare birdlife, like the Anhinga of Africa or African Ombrette.  During the course of the walks, the guides will happily chat about life in the forests.

For more info, contact Joseph Okouyi at okouyi_joseph@yahoo.fr.

Click here to read about medical precautions to take when visiting Gabon.