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GABON AFRICA’S ‘LAST EDEN’


Gabon is a rare natural beauty. With 13 national parks encompassing 11% of its land, this is a place where elephants and hippos roam free; where dense inland forests, which make up 80% of its landmass, are home to critically endangered western lowland gorillas. A remote central African spot, not all of Gabon’s


national parks are readily accessible, but beach- blessed Loango is a boon for wildlife-lovers. Set on a lush river, just inland from Gabon’s Atlantic coastline, Loango Lodge offers electrifying encounters with a local population of western lowland gorillas. Closely regulated, just one group of four visitors per day is permitted to set out into the forest to try and find them; an exclusive, sustainable wildlife experience that’s hard to top. In the north of the country, near the coastal capital of Libreville, Pongara is one of five national parks protecting important sea turtle habitats. Beachfront Pongara Lodge is the place for front-row views of critically endangered leatherbacks and migratory whales and dolphins. Global investment in the country’s transportation networks should soon make Gabon easier to reach; a sustainable development strategy that also promises to expand eco-tourism — helping ensure the country’s wildest places stay wild. loango-tourism.com gabonwildlifecamps.com TRAVELER NETHERLANDS


FROM LEFT: A view over Drake Bay, near Corcovado National Park, Costa Rica; mandrill baboon, Gabon PREVIOUS PAGES: Gazing at the Perito Moreno Glacier, Los Glaciares National Park, Argentina


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