BIRDING AFRICA THE AFRICA SPECIALISTS Main Tour and Coastal Extension Tour Leaflet 2025

Black Guineafowl © Tasso Leventis 19 September – 1 October 2025 (Main Gabon Tour) 1 – 6 October 2025 (Coastal Extension) Gabon 2025 BIRDING Tour leader: Michael Mills AFRICA THE AFRICA SPECIALISTS Birding Africa Tour Summary Tour Africa Birding Summary Tour Africa Birding

Congo Basin • Superb lowland birding at Ivindo/Makokou/Ipassa and Lope • Excellent grassland birding at Lékoni • Breeding , Black-headed Bee-eater and Rosy Bee-eater Rosy Bee-eater © Tasso Leventis Michael's incredible focus, dedication and ability to African Dwarf Kingfisher © Tertius Gous locate and show Africa's toughest is probably Our Gabon tour provides a comprehensive Finally, the Coastal Extension will visit some of the unequalled on the continent. He has led dozens of itinerary covering the best birding sites in Gabon, best sites in the Gamba-Loango complex to fi nd tours across Africa and his experience in locating including visiting the coastal savannas to see one of African River Martin, Rosy Bee-eater and Black- birds on just the soft est of calls or briefest of views Africa's top spectacles, namely African River headed Bee-eater on their breeding grounds. impresses those who travel with him. Martin on its breeding grounds. Th e Main Tour focusses on the rich Congo Tour Focus Dates (2025) Basin forests of the Ivindo Basin, accessed from Main Gabon Tour 19 Sep – 1 Oct Makokou, and Lope National Park. We also visit Gabon off ers a good list of specials for world listers the diverse grasslands and woodlands of the and a wide array of and other wildlife Coastal Extension 1 – 6 Oct Lékoni area on the Bateke Plateau. On the Coastal for those with a more general interest. Th is trip Extension we visit the savanna-forest mosaics of has a strong focus on watching birds, but there coastal Gabon at Gamba, where African River are opportunities too for some good mammal Pro�isional Prices + Single Martin and Rosy Bee-eater breed. watching and bird photography. On previous trips we have seen Western Gorilla and Mandrill. Main Gabon Tour $TBA + $TBA In the Lope area we will search for scarce lowland Coastal Extension $TBA + $TBA forest birds such as Bates's , Fiery-breasted Let us know if you have target species or want to and Dja River Warbler. Th e Ivindo know more about the species we might encounter. Includes all ground costs except internal fl ights Basin, accessed from Makokou, off ers some of the A species list will be handed out to you at the estimated at $170 (Main) and $350 (Coastal Ext) richest lowland forest birding on the continent, start of the tour and is available beforehand upon and here we hope to see Black Guineafowl, Bare- request. Book online cheeked Trogon, Gosling's Apalis, Brown Nightjar, Th e tour is timed to coincide with the arrival of Spot-breasted Ibis and Yellow-footed Flycatcher. African River Martin on it's breeding grounds, Visit www.birdingafrica.com Finally, in the Lékoni area the grasslands should right at the start of the rains. We expect some rain Deposit ($150) by credit card hold Congo Moor Chat, Black-chinned Weaver, on tour, mostly as aft ernoon thunderstorms. Days Email [email protected] Black-collared Bulbul and the undescribed Teke will be warm to hot. Cisticola.

2 | Gabon 2025 Gabon 2025 | 3 INTRODUCTION

Gabon, lying on the equator in western Central one of the greatest birding spectacles on the Africa Africa, is largely blanketed in lowland Congo Basin continent, and our entire trip is timed so that we Forest. Unlike most of the rest of Central Africa, can witness this spectacle. Other birds we hope to extensive tracts of forest remain even outside see here include Loango Weaver, White-backed protected areas, and good birds can be seen even Night Heron, Black-headed Bee-eater and African

Birding Africa Tour Leaflet Tour Africa Birding during stops on some of the longer drives. Finfoot. Leaflet Tour Africa Birding

Some of the best lowland forest Vermiculated Fishing Owl © Tasso Leventis birding is to be had in the Ivindo Basin, which we will access from Makokou. An impressive diversity of rarely-seen forest birds can be found here, and will be the main focus of our trip with three full days here. Highlights could include Black Guineafowl, Plumed Guineafowl, Rachel's Malimbe, the sought-after Congo Serpent Eagle, Gabon Batis, Bare-cheeked Trogon and African Piculet, to name just a few. The other main forest site we will visit is Lope National Park, which protects a rich area of savanna-forest mosaic. Forest mammals, including several Black-headed Bee-eater © Tasso Leventis species of primate, are a strong attraction here and on the birding Accommodation and meals International flights front we hope to find Dja River Accommodation and meals are generally fairly Please plan to fly in to Libreville by the night of Warbler, Fiery-breasted Bushshrike good by African standards, and vary from private the 19 September 2025 for the Main Tour and 1 and Rufous-bellied . lodges and to small hotels, although the hotel at October 2025 for the Coastal Extension. An extra dimension is added to the Lékoni is quite run down. Rooms mostly have Departure from Libreville is possible from 10 Main Tour by visiting the grasslands private facilities and hot water, when electricity is pm on 1 October 2025 for the Main Tour and 10 and miombo woodlands of the available. Service is often slow. pm on 6 October 2025 for the Coastal Extension. Bateke Plateau at Lékoni. A good list Meals are generally Western-style. Please advise Due to potential delays with internal flights we of open-country birds can be seen if you are vegetarian and what foods you enjoy, so recommend that participants fly out on 7 October. here, including Finsch's Francolin, that we can cater for you. Black-collared Bulbul, Black-chinned Please email [email protected] a copy of Weaver and the undescribed Teke Water is not safe to drink so we supply your proposed flight details for approval before Cisticola. complimentary bottled water in the vehicle. paying for your ticket. Finally, on the Coastal Extension we visit the coastal savannas of southern Walking Group size Gabon where large number of African River Martin and Rosy Bee- This tour requires a moderate degree of fitness. Maximum 9 participants. eater congregate from late September Most walks will be done at a gentle pace on flat to breed in colonies by burrowing terrain, although there will be a couple of longer into the white coastal sands. hikes lasting 3–4 hours. Conditions underfoot can Watching their courtship displays is be a bit muddy at times.

4 | Gabon 2025 Gabon 2025 | 5 ITINERARY AND MAP Gabon Itinerary Day 1 19 Sep 2025 Arrive. Overnight in Libreville. Day 2 20 Sep 2025 Fly Libreville to Franceville. Overnight in Franceville.

Birding Africa Tour Leaflet Tour Africa Birding Day 3 21 Sep 2025 Franceville to Lekoni. Overnight in Lekoni. Leaflet Tour Africa Birding Day 4 22 Sep 2025 Full day in the Lekoni area. Overnight in Lekoni. Day 5 23 Sep 2025 Lekoni to Franceville. Overnight in Franceville. Day 6 24 Sep 2025 Franceville to Makokou. Overnight in Makokou. 7 – 9 Makokou Day 7 25 Sep 2025 Full Ipassa and the Makokou area. Overnight in Makokou or at Ipassa. 1 + C1 & Ipassa Day 8 26 Sep 2025 Full Ipassa and the Makokou area. Overnight in Makokou or at Ipassa. Libreville Day 9 27 Sep 2025 Full Ipassa and the Makokou area. Overnight in Makokou or at Ipassa. 10 Day 10 28 Sep 2025 Makokou to Lope National Park. Overnight at Lope. 13 Day 11 29 Sep 2025 Full day at Lope National Park. Overnight at Lope. 6 Day 12 30 Sep 2025 Full day at Lope National Park. Overnight at Lope. Lope 11 – 12 Day 13 1 Oct 2025 Lope to Libreville. Tour ends. C2 C6

2 Coastal Extension Itinerary 4 Day C1 1 Oct 2025 Arrive. Overnight in Libreville. Lekoni 3 Day C2 2 Oct 2025 Fly Libreville to Port Gentil. Transfer to Omboue. Overnight Omboue. Franceville 5 Day C3 3 Oct 2025 Omboue to Loango National Park. Overnight in or near Loango. Day C4 4 Oct 2025 Full day in Loango NP. Overnight in or near Loango. Omboue & Loango Day C5 5 Oct 2025 Loango National Park to Omboue. Overnight Omboue. C3 – C5 Day C6 6 Oct 2025 Drive Omboue to Port Gentil. Fly to Libreville. Tour ends.

6 | Gabon 2025 Gabon 2025 | 7 DAY-BY-DAY ITINERARY

------Main Gabon Tour ------Day 3: Franceville to Lékoni An early start will see us driving the relatively short This itinerary is for guidance only; the distance from Franceville to Lékoni. However, en sequence of sites visited may be adjusted route there is plenty of good birding to be had,

Birding Africa Tour Leaflet Tour Africa Birding before the tour. and we'll search for Black-headed Bee-eater at the Leaflet Tour Africa Birding interface between forest and savanna. The morning Day 1: Arrive Libreville will be spent in more forested habitats, and in the afternoon we'll bird the grasslands and woodlands Welcome to Gabon! Once you have dealt with nearer to Lékoni. Overnight in Lékoni town. arrival formalities and collected your luggage, proceed to the arrivals hall, watching out for a Day 4: Lékoni board showing your name or 'Birding Africa'. From the airport we transfer to our hotel for an The Lékoni area is famous for spectacular overnight stay in Libreville. grassland birding, with patches of miombo and forest adding to the mix. The best birds in the Day 2: Libreville to Franceville grasslands are Finsch’s Francolin (very hard to see), Black-collared Bulbul, the undescribed 'Teke The tour starts with a morning flight from Cisticola', Congo Moor Chat, Black-chinned Libreville to Franceville in the south-eastern Weaver and Short-tailed Pipit, all of which we'll Gabon. In the afternoon we'll start our birding in make a concerted effort to see. Other grassland the vicinity of Franceville, which lies in a mosaic of birds may include White-bellied Bustard, Black- forest and savanna. Overnight in Franceville. bellied Bustard, Black-rumped Buttonquail, Congo Moor Chat © Tasso Leventis Temminck's Courser, Horus Swift, Blue-breasted Brown Nightjar © Tasso Leventis Bee-eater, Rufous-naped Lark (the subspecies Day 5: To Franceville inside Ivindo National Park, and we'll take at least here called Malbrant’s Lark), Flappet Lark, one boat trip up a forested river. We'll be based in , Dambo Cisticola (rare), Sooty We have a full second morning to bird the Lékoni Makokou during all of this time. Chat, Yellow-mantled Widowbird, Fawn-breasted areas, before returning to Franceville in the Waxbill, Locust Finch (rare) and Long-legged Pipit. afternoon. Overnight in Franceville. The primary forest at Ipassa will be our main focus, with a long list of spectacular birds on offer, Patches of miombo woodland are scattered around, Day 6: Franceville to Makokou many requiring patience to see. Mouthwatering and add a good variety of extra species, such as possibilities include Black Guineafowl, Plumed Red-throated Wryneck, Western Black-headed The long drive though the forest zone from Guineafowl, Latham's Forest Francolin, Olive Ibis Batis, Souza's (rare), White-winged Black Franceville to Makokou is the only thing on our (rare), Blue-headed Wood Dove, Sjöstedt's Owlet, Tit, Grey , Red-capped Crombec, mind today. Birding en route can be particularly Bare-cheeked Trogon, Lyre-tailed Honeyguide Neddicky, Salvadori's Eremomela, Green-capped good and we will take regular leg stretches that will (very hard to see), African Piculet, Rufous-sided Eremomela, Western Violet-backed Sunbird, Wood allow us to see a good variety of species. In the past Broadbill, Gabon Batis, White-spotted Wattle- Pipit and Cabanis's Bunting. we have seen Rufous-bellied Helmetshrike, Thick- eye, Bates's Paradise Flycatcher, , Forest Finally, smallish patches of dense, dry forest hold billed Cuckoo, Yellow-throated Cuckoo, Western Penduline Tit, Yellow-footed Flycatcher and a variety of forest birds, of which Batis, Bronze-naped Pigeon, Gabon Coucal and Gabon Rachel's Malimbe. A supporting cast is provided by (sometimes splits as Perrin's Batis en route. Overnight in Makokou. Western Bronze-naped Pigeon, Chocolate-backed Bushshrike) and Black-backed Barbet are the most Kingfisher, African Dwarf Kingfisher, Blue-headed interesting, although we may also see Western Days 7–9: Makokou area Bee-eater, Thick-billed Honeyguide, Buff-spotted Bronze-naped Pigeon, Double-toothed Barbet, Woodpecker, Brown-eared Woodpecker, Gabon The Ivindo Basin around Makokou holds some of Bocage's Bushshrike, Black-shouldered Puffback, Woodpecker, Bioko Batis, Chestnut Wattle- the best lowland forest birding on the continent. Lühder's Bushshrike, Square-tailed Drongo and eye, Red-bellied Paradise Flycatcher, Sjöstedt's Our time will be divided between the Belinga Road Snowy-crowned Robin-Chat. Honeyguide Greenbul, Yellow Longbill, Grey (one hour to the east) and Ipassa Research Station

8 | Gabon 2025 Gabon 2025 | 9 ------Coastal Extension ------February, when hundreds of thousands of African River Martins and Rosy Bee-eaters migrate to the coast and set up their breeding colonies in Day C1: Arrive in Libreville the coastal sands. During our visit they will just Welcome to Gabon. From the airport you will be be starting to breed, and we should see some transferred to our local hotel where you will meet spectacular displays. Lots of other birds are on up with the rest of the group. offer too, and we have chances for African Finfoot, White-backed Night Heron, Hartlaub's Duck, Pel's Birding Africa Tour Leaflet Tour Africa Birding Leaflet Tour Africa Birding Day C2: Fly to Port Gentil. Drive to Omboue Fishing Owl, Vermiculated Fishing Owl, Long- tailed Hawk, , Forbes's Plover, Today we commence the Coastal Extension with Royal Tern, Black-headed Bee-eater, White- a flight from Libreville to Port Gentil and then thighed Hornbill, Loango Weaver, Red-tailed continue on to Omboue. Overnight in Omboue. Leaflove, Grey-rumped , White-throated , Mangrove Sunbird, Reichenbach's Days C3–C5: Loango National Park Sunbird, Carmelite Sunbird, Western , Black-bellied Seedcracker and Quailfinch. We have three full days to explore the rich coastal grasslands and forests of Loango National Park. Day C6: Omboue to Libreville Staring around our lodge we should find breeding Loango Weaver. However, the best birds are to Today we return to Libreville, first transferring be had on the coastal grasslands. In fact, one of to Port Gentil town and then taking a flight to Rufous-sided Broadbill © Tertius Gous Africa's greatest ornithological spectacles occurs Libreville where the tour ends. here every year between late September and Longbill, Brown Illadopsis, Red-tailed Ant is the best place to see the localised Dja River Thrush, Rufous Flycatcher-Thrush, Grey-throated Warbler, which we'll search for in small forest Black-bellied Seedcracker © Tasso Leventis Tit-Flycatcher, Brown-chested Alethe, Johanna's swamps. Other forest birds we hope to find include Sunbird, Bates's Sunbird and Blue-billed Malimbe. Bates's Nightjar, Bates's Swift, Black-casqued Hornbill, Lyre-tailed Honeyguide, Rufous-bellied Forest along the Belinga Road could produce Helmetshrike, Fiery-breasted Bushshrike, Black- many of the aforementioned species, plus chances shouldered Puffback, , of seeing Black Dwarf Hornbill, Preuss's Weaver, Western Black-headed Oriole, Forest Swallow, Long-tailed Hawk, Congo Serpent Eagle, Red- Buff-throated Apalis, Blackcap Illadopsis, Forest bellied Malimbe, Red-crowned Malimbe, Gosling's White-eye, Black-bellied Seedcracker and Western Apalis and White-throated Blue Swallow. Bluebill. After dark we'll take a boat trip in search of Spot- The grasslands can be productive too, with breasted Ibis, Brown Nightjar, Bates's Nightjar and Forbes's Plover, Lapwing, Swamp Nightjar, Vermiculated Fishing-Owl. Pectoral-patch Cisticola, and Quailfinch. Gallery forest and river front hold Day 10: To Lope Water Thick-knee, White-crowned Lapwing, Red- With a long drive ahead of us we'll make an early chested Swallow, Violet-tailed Sunbird, White- departure from Makokou to get to Lope before browed Forest Flycatcher. breeds sunset. En route stops may turn up Cassin's in our hotel gardens and Black-faced Canary is Malimbe. Overnight on the edge of Lope. sometimes seen there too. Night on the edge of Lope Reserve. Days 11–12: Lope National Park Day 13: To Libreville The savanna-forest mosaic of Lope National Park offer some excellent mammal watching, plus the After some final birding at Lope we return to opportunity to see several rare birds. We have Libreville, pausing along the Ogooué River to two full days to birds its varied habitats. Lope search for Grey Pratincole.

10 | Gabon 2025 Gabon 2025 | 11 INCLUDED IN THE PRICE OF THE TOUR • services of Birding Africa tour leader and local guides • entry fees and activities as per itinerary • ground transport and airport transfers Birding Africa Tour Leaflet Tour Africa Birding Leaflet Tour Africa Birding • internal flights are billed separately • accommodation and all meals starting with dinner on the first night and ending with lunch on the last day • bottled water in the vehicle and one soft drink per meal • general tips

BOOKLET AND CHECKLIST Birding Africa provides: 1. Tour Details leaflet with detailed itinerary (this document). 2. Tour Information Pack, emailed to you. 3. Tour Booklet with checklists, provided in hard copy at the start of the tour.

QUESTIONS? Please email the office, [email protected], to reserve a place or ask questions (you can also cc [email protected] and callan@birdingafrica. com who are both involved in the planning of this tour.

HOW TO BOOK 1. Complete our easy online booking form. 2. Secure your booking deposit by credit card on our 3D secure online payment site ($150) 3. Settle the balance by bank transfer 150 days before the tour. We will email you a reminder and the banking details.

12 | Gabon 2025 Gabon 2025 | 13 African Dwarf Kingfisher © Tertius Gous