Loango National Park, Gabon.
Despite the climatic hazards of which it is a victim, Africa contains on its territory riches of incredible diversity and beauty. If only in the field of natural tourist attractions, they compete with each other. And sometimes in one and the same country. Among these, we can mention twenty (20) great Nature Destinations that are really worth the detour and deserve to be discovered.
6 - Bakassi forests in Cameroon
In the South West of Cameroon, among the forests that border the coasts, is an area of extravagant beauty that extends from the North of the Sanaga River to the Bakassi Peninsula through the Cross River. This is an area which is the subject of special attention by Cameroon through the Ministry of Forests and Wildlife and benefits from a protection program based in Limbé. But it covers several regions known as the South-West and Littoral Regions. Not only is it a region where nature is lush and teeming with animals, but it also contributes to the stability of the global climate thanks to its ecosystems.
In these forests, there is an important biodiversity. It is made up of various and endangered species of fauna and flora such as Coffea Monte Kupeensis & Ancistrocladus korupensis, the drill, the chimpanzee, the pure elephant to name but a few. In this region, there is also and above all a whole aquatic and mangrove environment which makes this whole area of the National Parks of Bakossi, Korup, and Mount Cameroon, as well as the Wildlife Sanctuary of Bayang – Mbo a preserved nature with high economic and climatic value which deserves the visit.
7 – Zambezi Falls between Zambia and Zimbabwe
Already considered a wonder of Nature, they are one of the seven (7) natural wonders of the world. Victoria Falls or Mosi-oa-Tunya (the roaring smoke) is located in Southern Africa on the Zambezi River between Zambia and Zimbabwe. They are among the largest and most impressive waterfalls in the world and have been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1989. This wonder of the world is one of the most iconic and popular landscapes in Africa.
The Zambezi Falls are 1708 meters wide and have a maximum depth of 108 meters. Their flow rate is 500 million liters per minute. They are considered the largest water curtain in the world. Due to their impressive flow, they produce spray, this kind of fine rain formed by the agitation of the water and which allows a luxuriant flora to develop around it.
Depending on the period, the steam that emerges from the Zambezi Falls can rise up to 800 meters, but more generally above an altitude of more than 400 meters. However, it can be seen within a radius of more than 50 kilometers around. During the full moon, it is possible to see a rainbow moon (instead of the rainbow), which is generally visible during the day. On the other hand, it is impossible to see the bottom of the falls during the rainy season because of the enormous steam that emanates from it.
8 – Loango National Park in Gabon
Loango National Park, Gabon.
From Libreville, you must first arrive in Port-Gentil (by plane or by boat). Then, you have to take a boat (3 hours 30 of navigation) then a 4x4 (1 hour 30 of chaotic track). You can also take the road to Libreville via Lambaréné, Fougamou, Mandji, Rabi and Loango. In any case, it is located 300 km south of the capital.
Loango National Park is considered the jewel of Gabon. Those who have visited it have always left with images forever etched in their memory. We are talking about extraordinary and unique scenes in the world, hippos taking a bath in the waves of the Atlantic Ocean or buffaloes and elephants basking in the sun on the beaches. It is a park that contains an impressive fauna and flora. Among the fauna, we must mention: bush pigs, varieties of monkeys, duikers, reptiles, gorillas, leopards although they have become rarer. But there is also the marine fauna, with humpback whales, dolphins in season (July to September), leatherback turtles, fish such as tarpon, captain, barracuda.
9 – The Drakensberg in South Africa
Dubbed the “Mountain of the Dragon”, the Drakensberg is one of Africa’s iconic peaks. Summits over 3000 m on nearly 3000 km of coastline. This southern African mountain range is located in eastern South Africa, Lesotho and Eswatini, and geographically corresponds to the eastern part of the Great Escarpment. Its highest point is 3,482 m at Thabana Ntlenyana. It is a dizzying ascent to the clouds and the kingdom of the Sotho shepherds, on the Drakensberg ridge. As one would say, it's an endless serpent of land stands between the ripples of a deep green ocean and spears of black basalt. With its XXL dimensions, its panoramas recall those of several countries: Canada, the American Far West, the Alps, tropical Africa.
The Drakensberg is considered the country par excellence of the San People also called Bushmen. On these ancestral lands, where they lived for four millennia, the Bushmen or San left several testimonies. Like the multitude of cave paintings relating to their cosmological beliefs. Moreover, there is also the impressive biodiversity of the region which motivated the creation of the Maloti-Drakensberg Park, which UNESCO has listed as a World Heritage Site since 2000.
10 – Serengueti National Park in Tanzania
It is one of the most famous African national parks in the world: the Serengeti National Park. It is located in northern Tanzania, and its Naabi Hill Gate entrance is 255km (4h30 drive) from the city of Arusha, the former capital of Tanzania, itself an hour's drive from Kilimanjaro airport. Everyone agrees that it is best to visit the park at the beginning of summer, at the time of the great migration, when the animals cross it on their way to the Maasai Mara.
The park is considered a must for Safaris in Africa and in particular for those who visit Tanzania. It is above all the astonishing and impressive migrations of wildebeest during the dry season that have made it both famous throughout the world and essential. Among other species that it shelters, there are: lions, leopards, hyenas, zebras, buffaloes and elephants. With an area of more than 15,000 km², it is one of the largest in the country. It is close to another equally famous site, namely the Ngorongoro Conservation Area. It is an old volcanic crater, a site of predilection and importance for the study of the evolution of the human species.
Covering an area of 14,763 km2, the Serengeti National Park belongs to the so-called Serengeti ecosystem. It is made up of the zone encompassing that of the annual migration. Its ecosystem is said to be intact. It takes into account the Ngorongoro Crater Conservation Area, Maswa Game Reserve, Grumeti and Ikongo Game Reserves, Maasai Mara National Reserve in Kenya and Loliondo Game Controlled Hunting Area.
By Serge Félix N’Piénikoua
