Passport/Visa Requirements: Citizens of Canada and the U.S. need passports, visas, proof of onward travel and sufficient funds. (Be aware that visa applications may take four or five weeks to process.) Reconfirm travel document requirements with your carrier before departure.
Population: 1,221,175.
Languages: French (official), Fang, local dialects..
Predominant Religions: Christian, Animist, Islamic..
Time Zone: 1 hour ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (+1 GMT). Daylight Saving Time is not observed.
Voltage Requirements: 220 volts.
Telephone Codes: 241, country code;
In restaurants, tip 10%-15% unless a service charge is included in the bill. Taxi drivers do not expect a tip.
The best time to visit Gabon is June-September, the dry season. (It's also the best time to see animals.) Late December-January is the second-best time. October-mid December and late February-May are the rainy seasons, though we suggest that you take along a collapsible umbrella no matter what time of year you visit. Gabon is hot and humid year-round—the average temperature is 84-73 F/29-23 C.
Leon M'Ba International Airport (LBV) is 7 mi/12 km north of Libreville. Air Gabon offers domestic service, using Libreville as a hub. Domestic air charters are available to most areas of the country. (Be aware that internal air travel is very expensive.)
The Transgabonese railroad, which runs from Libreville to Franceville (325 m/525 km southeast of the capital), is used primarily for shipping minerals, but passenger trains also run on the line and make stops in Ndjole, Booue and Lastoursville before reaching Franceville. Seasoned travelers will enjoy the trains; however, we still recommend booking first-class, even though the price rivals flying. (Buy tickets in advance, as they cost twice as much if purchased on board.)
Ferry service from Libreville to Port Gentil is available six days a week (about a four-hour trip). River barges also take passengers between various cities, but only the adventurous will want to take them: No food is sold on board, and there are no cabins—everyone just hangs out on deck.
There are more than 4,400 mi/7,000 km of roads, but less than 250 mi/400 km are paved. Four-wheel-drive vehicles are often necessary during the rainy seasons. We think the best way to see Gabon is to fly between cities and then hire a car with driver upon arrival. Be very careful if you're driving yourself: The local drivers seem to take unnecessary risks as a matter of bravado. When taking taxis in the cities, negotiate the price before getting in the cab. Be sure to specify what type of fare you want: a "course" takes you door to door without picking up additional passengers; a "demi-course" (about half the price of a course) also takes you door to door, but permits the driver to take on extra passengers en route; a "place" costs only CFA100 or so, but takes you just a very short distance. Most taxi drivers automatically double their fares after 9 pm.
Tourist Offices
Gabon does not have tourist offices in Canada or the U.S. Contact the nearest embassy for tourist information.
Gabon Embassies
Canada: Embassy of Gabon, 4 Range Road, Ottawa, ON K1N 8J5. Phone 613-232-5301. Fax 613-232-6916. E-mail ambgabon@sprint.ca.
U.S.: Embassy of Gabon, 2035 20th St. N.W., Washington, DC 20009. Phone 202-797-1000. Fax 202-332-0668.
Embassies in Gabon
Canadian Embassy, Quartier Batterie IV, Libreville. Phone 241-737-354. Fax 241-737-388. E-mail lbrve@dfait-maeci.gc.ca.
U.S. Embassy, Boulevard de la Mer, Libreville. Phone 241-762-003. Fax 241-745-507.
Travels in West Africa by Mary Kingsley (National Geographic). The classic account by a middle-aged woman who left Victorian England to explore Africa.
One Dry Season: In the Footsteps of Mary Kingsley by Caroline Alexander (Knopf). A contemporary traveler follows the path of the pioneering British explorer.
Albert Schweitzer: A Biography by J. Brabazon (Gollancz).
African Silences by Peter Matthiessen (Vintage Books). Part of the book is devoted to Matthiessen's study of forest elephants in Gabon.
Africa on a Shoestring by Hugh Finlay (Lonely Planet).
Gabon Today by Mylene Remy (Editions J.A., Paris). Although out of print, this guidebook is available in some libraries.