Sette Cama

Sette Cama sits on the narrow strip of land between the Ndogo lagoon and the Atlantic at the southern edge of Loango National Park, a village of a few dozen people that was a slaving and then a trading post and is now a base for fishing, wildlife and turtle work. Leatherback turtles nest on the beach in season, elephants and buffalo come out of the forest onto the sand, and hippos use the lagoon.

The landscape

• The beach wildlife - elephants and buffalo coming out of the forest onto the sand.
• The leatherback nesting - the turtles coming ashore between November and February.
• The lagoon - the Ndogo behind the strip, worked by boat.
• The trading post history - the village's past as a slaving and trading station.

When to go

May to September is the long dry season and the best for wildlife on the beach. Leatherbacks nest from November to February. The rains make travel harder.

Practical notes

Access is by boat only and everything must be arranged in advance. Lodges are basic and expensive for what they are. Wildlife on the beach is not guaranteed on any given day.

Nearby

Gamba is across the lagoon, and Loango National Park is north.

Key facts