Mont Péko National Park

Mont Péko protects around thirty-four thousand hectares around a forested massif in the western cocoa country, and its recent history is the story of Ivorian forest generally: a large proportion of the park was cleared and planted with cocoa by settlers over two decades, tens of thousands of people were living inside it, and from 2013 the state removed the occupation and began replanting. Chimpanzees and forest elephant were recorded here historically and the recovery is early.

What you actually see

• The remaining forest - the surviving closed-canopy blocks on the massif.
• The replanted areas - restoration on ground cleared for cocoa.
• The massif - the hill the park is built around, rising above the plain.
• The recovery - an early-stage restoration of one of West Africa's most damaged parks.

When to go

November to March is the dry season and the practical window. The rains from April to October make the tracks difficult. Mornings are best for any wildlife.

Honest expectations

A large share of the park was cleared for cocoa and the forest that remains is fragmented; expectations should be set accordingly. Wildlife is very scarce. Access requires permits and there is no visitor infrastructure.

Nearby

Duekoue is nearby, and Man is northwest.