Lope National Park is among the parks found in the centre of Gabon and was the first protected area following the creation of the Lope – Okanda Wildlife Reserve in 1946. Finally, the park was declared the in 2002; it covers a total land area of 4910km² and mostly covered with rain forest. The park is bisected by the Ogooue River to north of Lope.
The park is a habitant to most of the major animals including forest elephant, western lowland gorilla, chimpanzee, mandrill, forest buffalo, sun-tailed guenon, leopard, black colobus, sitatunga and yellow-backed duiker.
Birders also enjoy the park due to the varied bird species including the rosy bee-eater, crowned hawk eagle, Dja river warbler, great blue Turaco, grey-necked rock fowl, the chocolate-backed kingfisher, emerald cuckoo and black guinea fowl. Excursions to observe the mandrills with radio tracking devices have proved to be worthwhile around the Lope Hotel, and some good photographs may be taken by those who always live to remember.
