Sapo National Park

Sapo National Park, in Liberia's remote southeastern interior, is the country's largest protected area and one of the last significant tracts of pristine Upper Guinean rainforest, a globally important biodiversity hotspot that once stretched across West Africa. This dense, humid, primeval jungle, laced with rivers, shelters an extraordinary array of wildlife, including the rare and elusive pygmy hippopotamus, forest elephants, chimpanzees, several monkey species, and a wealth of birds and rare plants. Barely touched and deeply wild, explored only on guided treks through the forest, Sapo offers a genuine and rewarding rainforest adventure for the intrepid, a precious remnant of a vanishing wilderness.

History

Sapo, in Sinoe County, was the first national park established in Liberia, and it holds the second-largest area of primary tropical rainforest in West Africa, after Taï National Park in Côte d'Ivoire (Wikipedia, Sapo National Park).

What's there

• The pristine rainforest - the last great Upper Guinean jungle.
• The pygmy hippos - the rare, elusive forest hippos.
• The chimpanzees and elephants - the forest wildlife.
• The jungle treks - the guided walks through the rainforest.

When to go

November to March, the drier season, for the most manageable forest travel, as the wet season brings torrential rain; even so, Sapo is deeply remote, reached by long, rough journeys and explored on guided treks with basic camping, so it is a genuine expedition. Wildlife, especially the shy pygmy hippo and chimps, is elusive and takes patience, luck and good guides.

Before you go

For the rare reward of experiencing one of West Africa's last pristine rainforests, with its pygmy hippos and rich wildlife, Sapo is genuinely special and important.

Nearby

The town of Greenville and the southeastern coast are the gateways.

Key facts