TRAVEL AFRICA
There are countless stories to tell in Gabon, but this journey focuses on two places that best reveal its soul: the coastal capital, Libreville, and the historic river town of Lambaréné. Together, they offer a travel experience shaped by contrast. Salt air and dense forest, modern life and deep history – a duo that captures Gabon’ s understated magic.
GABON IS A COUNTRY THAT HOLDS SOME OF AFRICA’ S MOST EXTRAORDINARY NATURAL AND CULTURAL TREASURES. THE BEAUTY OF IT IS THAT YOU DON’ T NEED TO TRAVEL FAR TO FEEL THE SHIFT. IN JUST A FEW HOURS, THE RHYTHM CHANGES FROM OCEAN BREEZE TO RIVER SILENCE, FROM CITY HUM TO RAINFOREST CALM.
LIBREVILLE: GABON’ S CAPITAL
Libreville is a small city surrounded by thick rainforest. From above, it looks tiny compared to the vast wilderness all around. It means“ Free Town”, and was founded in 1849 as a settlement for freed slaves, similar to Freetown in Sierra Leone. The city sits on the Komo River and is home to nearly a third of Gabon’ s population, with around 915 000 people. It is a major modern port city renowned for its French colonial heritage, bustling markets, and proximity to nature.
How did Gabon get its name? It is believed to be named after the Portuguese word“ gabao”, meaning“ hooded cloak”. Portuguese navigators in the 1470s observed the shape of the river’ s estuary and thought it resembled this type of garment. This term was later used for the surrounding region, becoming the name“ Gabon”.
MARCH 2026 / INBOUND SA 79