Akanda National Park

This park is a Ramsar site of international importance for migratory birds. Located to the north of Libreville it is only accessible by boat, either by sea or by way of the rivers and creeks of the Mondah bay complex.One needs to fortify oneself with a picnic lunch and take a boat from Libreville through the mangroves to the mouth of the Moka River on the edge of the Akanda National Park. This is one of the finest places in Gabon for estuarine migrants and the mangrove and tidal flat landscapes of the Mondah and Corisco bays are especially fascinating. The undersea pastures of the Corisco bay are important feeding zones for turtles, which come from as far afield as Brazil. Birdwise along the wayyou should findRosy Bee-eaters lining the river banks and a goodfind would be White-crested Tiger Heron too. Loango and Slender-billed Weavers occur here too, as do Shining-blue and Malachite Kingfishers. Exposed sandbars might have numbers of African Skimmers, perhaps some Grey Pratincoles, terns and waders including Terek and Marsh Sandpipers, Grey Plover and Little and Western Reef Heron.