Gabon Travel Guide

Gabon is a Central African country with a remarkably small population of a little over a million inhabitants. This lack of people is explained once you see the impressive and awe-inspiring equatorial jungle which covers 90% of the land area. It is so dense that an entire unit of US Army Green Beret's in training got lost and died after stepping a few feet off the jungle path during a piss break.

This forest also feeds the wealth of the country, which is guarded tightly by El Hadj Omar Bongo, the longest running "President" in all of Africa... since 1967! According to Wikipedia, Bongo is the world's seventh longest running ruler (in between the Sultan of Brunei and Muammar al-Qaddafi). According to popular myth, El Hadj Bongo changed his name from Albert Bernard and his religion from Christianity to court OPEC leaders.

A visit to Gabon must include a visit to the equatorial forests. The tourism industry is still very undeveloped in Gabon due to the formerly protectionist policies of the President (this is both a huge blessing and somewhat of a curse). Since there are not many tour operators yet in Gabon, you may have to do a lot of the footwork yourself. If you visit rural areas in Gabon, let people in charge, such as the Mayor of town or anybody with an official title, know where you are visiting and for how long. This is courteous and safe.

Your best guide to the forests are the Pygmies, obviously! These remarkable people have lived deep in the jungles for centuries and know the forest like the back of their hand. As hunters and gatherers they have a special ability to track animals through the dense undergrowth and to find all the honey combs in the forest. A visit to the Fan people will get you acquainted with town life and the many practical uses of the forest materials, from spiritual invocation to trading.

Note: Gabon's roads are an absolute mess, but the deeper in you go, the more mysterious it gets!

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