Gabon Travel Insurance

Libreville is the capital and largest city of Gabon with about a third of Gabon’s population living there. The city covers an area of 65 km² and is a port on the Komo River, near the Gulf of Guinea.

Because of an influx of oil money, you’ll find paved roads, clean streets, unbelievable restaurants, surprisingly good French wine, casinos, and gated communities. Libreville’s foundation has a vibrant African heartbeat with overcrowded, chaotic, and oh-so-fun markets, close-knit communities, and a gorgeous coastline. The city was founded in the mid-19th century by freed slaves (Libreville means ‘Freetown’ in French) and grew slowly to attract a wide variety of people.

Pongara National Park is a national park in Gabon near the capital Libreville, covering an area of 929 km². The park is home to tons of bird species, including the threatened Damara terns.

The forests are filled with monkeys, duikers, buffalo, elephants, and chimpanzees. Pongara Point, the beach area of the park where the estuary connects to the ocean, is home to endangered leatherback turtles. This is the place where they crawl ashore to lay their eggs. If you’re visiting between November and February, you can catch one of the many educational programs from Adventures Without Borders, a group whose aim is to protect the turtles and reduce the threat caused by humans.