Wonga-Wongué Presidential Reserve

Wonga-Wongué covers around five thousand square kilometres of coastal savanna and forest mosaic south of Libreville, set aside in the 1970s as a presidential hunting reserve, and it holds forest elephant, buffalo, sitatunga and a large mammal population precisely because access has been so restricted. It remains a presidential reserve rather than a national park, and general visitors are not admitted. Conservation researchers work there under agreement.

What you actually see

• The savanna mosaic - open grassland running into forest across the reserve.
• The elephant population - forest elephants in country where they can be seen in the open.
• The coastal position - the reserve running down to the Atlantic shore.
• The restricted status - a presidential reserve rather than a public park.

When to go

June to September is the dry season, though access is restricted year round. Permission is required and rarely granted. Researchers work under specific agreements.

Honest expectations

This is not open to visitors: entry requires permission that is very rarely given. Anyone told they can arrange a visit should check carefully. It is included here because it is a significant piece of protected country, not because it can be seen.

Nearby

Libreville is north, and Port-Gentil is south.