We spent an amazing weekend on the other side of the estuary where the water and the beach is clear and the forest is full of animals. The area is called Nyonyé and Beti, a Frenchman created a host-spot in a paradisiac environment next to a village to kill 3 flies with a stone: employing locals, giving himself a job and enjoying life. It’s a very well thought and affordable safari/relax package. First you start with taking a speedboat early Saturday morning for an hour. As the boat is not covered, we got half lucky, as we only got soaked during the first 30 minutes with horizontal pouring rain in the face. Approaching the mangrove the sky cleared and the sun dried us very quickly.
A real pleasure in Gabon that whatever happens to you, you can be 100% sure that you are never cold. The 6 families on 2 boats arriving at the same time were then loaded into 2 open jeeps with the drinks and food for the weekend. The fun safari ride already started on the deep, muddy dirt road through the rainforest and green savannah to reach the village.
It was like being on an eco-rollercoaster with fresh air. The chauffeurs were amazing handling the tires and the wheel, couple of times we even stopped to clear lianes, fallen branches and trees with machetes. We saw a moustached monkey family, forest buffalos, then appeared a female elephant with her baby. It was a mesmerising scene to see them free in the wild.
But then, problem! The cute baby elephant started running towards our jeep, followed by the protecting Mamma! The chauffeur did not hesitate much and started the engine asap, as we heard the adult trumpeting, arriving some meters from the vehicle! As we managed to escape, they were running parallel with us for a while, it was astonishing and beautiful. In Bety’s village there are 2 dozens of tiny straw shacks facing the ocean and a covered veranda with a long dining table for all, with a 24-hour self-service bar.
After settling into the little hut (quickly replacing the sheets not to have bad surprises) we had a convivial lunch at the common table with a nice breeze. Our neighbours were a team of eco-guides from a remote Gabonese national park: 3 young Gabonese guys with their tiny Japanese woman boss was quite an unusual combo but seemed to work very well. It was actually a study tour for them to check out how others organise eco-turism. As Beti, in fact, is a legend in Gabon, everybody knows him as he created this place 30 years ago and it’s still blooming and successful. He’s an ex Basque chef, so you can be sure to be treated well at lunch and dinner. He does not cook anymore as he trained the locals to make his simple but delicious recipes. After lunch is time for the 3-hour safari, so off we go, back in the jeeps again.
It’s so much fun to be shaken on the bumpy road, speeding into the deep green forest then out onto the wide savannah always accompanied by colourful butterflies. Very moving to observe several herds of elephants (15-20 of them young and old) or being observed by herds of buffalos. The latter ones could be also very silly, jumping left to right like drunk cows. There were cranes standing on their backs: perfect example of the symbiosis from our 4th grade biology book.
Then we approached a hilltop slowly, but what’s behind is still invisible….then a fantastic view: hilly, bumpy savannah, like it was covered by moss, and the sea in the background; colours are striking also because a huge storm is preparing.
As we are heading back to the camp the rain starts to pour, and we are handed an old tarpaulin that we hold manually with 2 other families, laughing our heads off, trying to peek out of it. The next morning we (only adults) wake up at 5h and go off to a walking safari.
We did not get lucky with seeing animals but the walk was very enjoyable and after, breakfast tastes 3 times better. We still have time for a stroll along the endless beach with the girls, checking the waves, the rocks, the fine sand and the huge crabs.
A superbe family weekend.
Fruzsi
Tanad stories from Gabon 