Loango Lodge and National Park

The Road Chose Me Volume 2 OUT NOW!!
The Road Chose Me Volume 2: Three years and 54,000 miles around Africa

I roll into Loango Lodge uncertain of what to expect. Immediately I can tell this is a five star lodge, and is fancier than anywhere I have set foot in my entire life. The manager turns out to be the friendliest person in the world, and immediately invites me to camp right there on the grass of the lodge, to hang out, use the facilities and generally enjoy myself.

Loango Lodge – amazing!

My campsite, right on the side of the lodge

After chatting back and forward a while I organize to tag along with a couple already going into the Park the next day, and so I set about relaxing and enjoying myself as much as possible.

Loango Lodge seen from the water

The following day we catch a boat across the small tidal river, and within five minutes spot forest elephants, and then more and more. After roaming around all afternoon among the majestic elephants we make our way down to the sandy beach, where we spot many more. None are actually walking in the water, though they are within thirty yards and clearly will be spending the night here near the beach.

Covered in mud and muck, they look right at home!

BIG forest elephant keeping an eye on us

This guy was mad, flapping his ears and mock charging

In the evening we head out on a boat tour in the pitch black, where one of the local guides is going to show us some baby crocs. We move deep into the mangroves, and I am stunned when the guide jumps into the waist deep water and snatches up a baby in his bare hands. When the baby stars crying for it’s mother I get downright uncomfortable. The guide assures me no local has ever been attacked by a crocodile here, though I am certain he is really pushing his luck!

Baby Croc scooped out of the water

The rain starts to fall one afternoon and does not stop for many, many hours. The manager explains this should have come at least a month ago, and everyone in Gabon has been desperately waiting for the rains to begin.

A couple of days later I head deep into the park with the manager to check out one of his wilderness camps, a supremely beautiful place where people can stay a few nights deep in the wilderness. Over the course of the day we spot many more elephants, buffalo, red wild boars, leopard tracks and magically even see a couple of wild gorillas watching us from a clump of trees.

Inside the national park, breathtaking

I have always been fascinated by carnivorous plants.. this one is out in the wild

Elephants on the beach sand

The waterfront at the lodge

Loango Lodge – paradise on earth

An elephant family by the ocean

I am grinning from ear to ear to be in the middle of this enormous Eden, surrounded by huge African elephants.

-Dan