Ivindo and the Kongou Falls

Ivindo National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site deep in the equatorial rainforest of Gabon's interior, protects a pristine wilderness of dense jungle laced by the Ivindo River and its tributaries, crowned by some of the most spectacular waterfalls in Central Africa. The mighty Kongou Falls, a broad, thundering cascade tumbling through untouched forest, and the tall, dramatic Mingouli Falls are the park's centrepieces, while its rivers and forest clearings, or bais, draw forest elephants, gorillas, mandrills and a wealth of birds and wildlife. Remote and barely touched, it is a magnificent, wild rainforest destination for the intrepid.

What you actually see

• The Kongou Falls - the broad, thundering rainforest cascade.
• The Mingouli Falls - the tall, dramatic waterfall.
• The forest clearings - the bais where elephants and gorillas gather.
• The pristine rainforest - the untouched equatorial jungle and rivers.

When to go

June to September, the drier season, for the most manageable travel through the rainforest, though the falls are powerful year-round; the park is deeply remote, reached by air, road and boat, and visited on guided expeditions. Wildlife at the forest clearings takes patience and good local guides to encounter.

Honest expectations

Ivindo is extremely remote and undeveloped, reached by long, difficult journeys and explored on guided expeditions with very basic facilities, so it is a genuine adventure for dedicated travellers rather than a comfortable trip, and access to the falls themselves can be hard; wildlife is elusive in dense jungle. For the reward of spectacular waterfalls thundering through some of the most pristine rainforest on earth, alive with forest elephants and gorillas, though, it is magnificent and unforgettable.

Nearby

The town of Makokou and Gabon's interior forests are within reach.