Gabon Transportation Tips by kokoryko Top 5 Page for this destination

on water!

In the rain forest there is rain, >>>>>>> which means lots of water >>>>>>>rivers and lakes. The small dugout canoes (pirogue) are the most efficient means of transport, specially in small rivers. These can be found and hired in most of villages. Probably the same applies today;the prices certainly changed, but negociation skills for for discussing the price help a lot.

Mode: AROUND

Type: Ship/Boat

Bigger boats

For short distances on rivers you may use the pirogue, but for longer distances you can use bigger boats like the one here in Lambarene which made the trip between Lambarene and Port Gentil on the coast.
Tugboats like the one on the other picture are sometimes used by locals when by chance it goes the way they want and the captain is in good mood to stop to pick them up; I never used a tugboat.

Mode: AROUND

Type: Ship/Boat

The taxi brousse

Beside the boats on rivers the taxi brousse is the usual transport mean in Gabon, when people need to go far distances. These vehicles are generally cheap and in Gabon I never have seen a European in this kind of vehicle. The drivers as I could see them on the road are very fast but they stop at every settlement and it may take one day to travel 300 km. . . Ah, and a good driver is the one who has no casualties when there is an accident; accident is not important, the important is that there are no casualties. . . that the driver has the good and strong gri-gri (magic protection). Or is it the name or the decoration which are important?

Mode: AROUND

Type: Other

The trans Gabon train

In the beginning 80's the Trans-Gabon railway was under construction and I could only see the portion between Libreville and Njole. This train now links Libreville with Franceville (420km). it is mainly used for goods (wood, ore, ) transportation,and there is a passenger service which seems irregular.
With colleagues from the ministry of mines we had a tailored trip to look at the outcrops along the railway before the vegetation came back .

Mode: AROUND

Type: Train

The old roads.

The forestry people have cut many roads into the forest to reach the places where they could exploit the forest; when they have finished after a few years they leave the area and nobody maintains the roads. The bridges are sometimes the only trace after a few years and the forest comes back and covers quickly the roads where some foot paths may be kept.

Mode: AROUND

Type: Other

By raft

My colleague Lothar made build a raft to cross over a small river. I could put this in the warning and dangers as he almost lost his vehicle when we began to pull the raft over the water.We finally decided to repai a bridge nearby. Well this is only for the picture of this guy dreaming to cross the river with his car on the raft. . . .

Mode: AROUND

Type: Ship/Boat