Packing list for Gabon, travel insurance for Gabon and taking your belongings

What to take to Gabon: brief

To pack and check:

• Documents and money: a passport that is valid for at least 6 months and a visa arranged in advance. Bring copies of your passport, visa, vaccination certificate, and travel insurance. Proof of yellow fever vaccination is required on arrival. Gabon uses the Central African CFA franc (XAF). Bring enough cash, as credit cards are mainly accepted at larger hotels and businesses in Libreville, and access to cash withdrawals can be limited.
• Clothing: lightweight, quick-drying clothing for the hot and humid climate. Lightweight long trousers and long-sleeved shirts are useful for protection against mosquitoes and other biting insects. A light rain jacket or poncho is definitely worth bringing during the rainy season.
• Shoes: comfortable shoes or sandals for Libreville and other cities. For walks in the rainforest and national parks, sturdy hiking shoes or quick-drying hiking shoes with good grip are a better choice.
• Toiletries and hygiene: high-SPF sunscreen, lip balm, hand sanitizer, tissues, and wet wipes.
• Packing and protecting your belongings: a good rain cover for your backpack and waterproof bags for your phone, passport and electronics.
• Insects and animals: a good insect repellent containing DEET is important.
• Sleeping: bring an impregnated mosquito net when you are staying in basic accommodation or spending a lot of time in nature.
• Medication and travel first aid kit: a well-stocked first aid kit with oral rehydration salts (ORS), plasters, blister plasters, painkillers, anti-diarrhea medication, hand sanitizer, a thermometer and any personal medication.
• Outdoor and useful items: sunglasses, a sun hat or cap, a reusable water bottle with a filter and a small daypack.
• Technology and equipment: a travel adapter for type C sockets (and sometimes type E). A power bank and headlamp are useful in case of power cuts.
• Safety and theft: photography of government buildings, military locations or airports is forbidden and can lead to arrest. Also be careful when photographing checkpoints or police.

To consider:

• Binoculars for gorillas, elephants, monkeys and birds in the national parks.
• A lightweight dry bag for boat trips and rainforest walks.
• A UV-protective shirt for activities in full sun.
• A few words of French.
• Some understanding of the seasons and road conditions. Gabon is fantastic for nature travel, but during the rainy season, “driving a little further” can take several hours.

Are there mosquitoes in Gabon?

• There are many mosquitoes in Gabon, and there is a year-round risk of malaria and other mosquito-borne diseases. Mosquito protection is therefore very important.
• The mosquitoes that transmit malaria are mainly active between dusk and dawn. Other species, including mosquitoes that can transmit dengue and yellow fever, can be active during the day.
• Insect repellent and lightweight long clothing are therefore important throughout the day, as is sleeping under an impregnated mosquito net or in a well-screened room.
• More about protection against mosquitoes and insects.

Are there sandflies in Gabon?

• Yes, sandflies occur in Gabon, but Gabon is not considered a major endemic area for leishmaniasis. So there is a presence of sandflies, but they're mainly just a nuisance.
• For travelers spending time in the rainforest or other natural areas, other biting insects are at least as relevant. Gabon also has biting flies that can transmit other diseases.
• The good thing is that a good insect repellent and covering your skin with lightweight long clothing can also help protect you against other biting insects.
• More about sandflies and sand fleas.

Are DEET, or other insect repellents, available in Gabon?

• Insect repellents are available in Libreville and other larger towns, but the range is not equally big everywhere.
• When you are traveling to national parks, the rainforest or remote areas, it is therefore a good idea to bring enough insect repellent of your choice with you.
• More about DEET.

Is it legal to buy a joint or weed in Gabon, or bring it with you to Gabon?

• No. Drugs are strictly prohibited in Gabon. Possession, use, trafficking and importing drugs are all illegal and doing anything like it can result in severe penalties.
• Bringing cannabis, CBD products or any other illegal drugs with you to Gabon is therefore a huge risk.