GABON

With an impressive 11.25% of the country proclaimed as national parkland, Gabon offers a spectacular array of wildlife in its dense rainforests and open savannah to enthral nature enthusiasts.

Add to that superb white-sand beaches, rushing rivers and ethereal landscapes, and you have an Eden-like travel experience in an unexplored part of Africa.

Gabon is the region’s most progressive and traveller-friendly destination, although tourism remains extremely DIY.

You’ll either have to put yourself into the hands of a travel agency, or negotiate the poor roads, infrequent transport options and the almost total lack of reliable infrastructure yourself. Outside the cosmopolitan Libreville and Port-Gentil, the country’s largest cities, Gabon is an undiscovered wonderland not to be missed.