Straddling the equator on Africa's Atlantic coast, Gabon is nearly nine-tenths rainforest and a rare conservation success, with a chain of national parks shielding forest elephants, lowland gorillas, mandrills and humpback whales offshore. Loango's beaches famously see elephants and buffalo wander the surf, while Lopé pairs ancient savannah with rock art and the Trans-Gabon railway. Oil-funded Libreville sprawls along the sea, and rivers and lagoons open up the interior…
Loango's 'surfing hippos', shot by Michael Nichols for National Geographic at the end of Mike Fay's epic trek, made TIME's list of the 100 most influential photos ever — and helped persuade President Omar Bongo to protect the country.
On 30 August 2002, Gabon created 13 national parks in one stroke — nearly 11% of its land, in a country almost 90% covered by equatorial rainforest.
Watch forest elephants and buffalo stroll Loango's beaches; the Trans-Gabon Railway runs to UNESCO-listed Lopé; in Lambaréné, tour Albert Schweitzer's hospital-museum (1952 Nobel Peace Prize). An eSIM helps: WhatsApp boat and 4x4 pickups with lodges, check train times and keep GPS running deep upcountry.