"Elephant!" A single word, a raised hand and we stopped. All I could see beyond my guide, Franc, was a tightly woven tapestry of branches and lianas. I breathed out and felt my feet sink into the moist leaf litter. The word almost seemed to swell in the sultry air of Loango National Park's rainforest, deep in the south-west of Gabon, until it hung there, full of anticipation.
Franc turned to me, his face beaded with sweat, and gestured towards a scant path that led into the forest.
"If he comes, you go this way," he said, plotting an escape route through the tangled green chaos.
It was then that we heard a branch snap and spied a movement in the leaves ahead. A wrinkled grey hide flashed among the mottled shadows, then a yellow sheen of ivory appeared against the moss-covered bark. Slowly but silently, a bull elephant morphed from the forest, his ears fanned open, his unblinking amber eyes seemingly staring straight at us. He couldn't have been more than ten metres away. Then his trunk squirmed as he caught our scent.
"Go! Go now!" Franc stood his ground while I slowly backed away. The shrill pulse of cicadas seemed to rise an octave as I crabbed through the undergrowth. But I never let my gaze slip from the elephant. He simply stood there - lord of the forest, shrouded in his cloak of leaves.
It was a hard-earned sighting, which fell right at the end of my trip. But Gabon is not a typical safari destination. I had learned quickly that wildlife encounters here require time and patience.
BEST-LAID PLANS
この記事は Wanderlust Travel Magazine の August/September 2023 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
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この記事は Wanderlust Travel Magazine の August/September 2023 版に掲載されています。
7 日間の Magzter GOLD 無料トライアルを開始して、何千もの厳選されたプレミアム ストーリー、9,000 以上の雑誌や新聞にアクセスしてください。
すでに購読者です? サインイン
Vermont, USA
The Wanderlust team relocated to New England for part of this issue, as we explored a lush state filled with outdoor escapes, historic towns... and lashings of maple syrup
Unique North America
See a side to the USA and Canada beyond the big cities and discover incredible stories and special wildlife with our pick of the trips
The call of the Rockies
From historic ski lodges to rustic backcountry cabins and a mock-Scottish castle, we pick the stays in Canada's Rocky Mountains that make the most of their setting
A new dawn for the Garifuna community
When the Garifuna people settled in Belize, they had to carry their traditions and culture with them; now a new trail is inviting visitors to explore this heritage through local communities
On the edge of history
In south-west Colorado lies the largest archaeological preserve in the USA, a series of vast cliff dwellings whose residents 'vanished' overnight. But was the answer to their disappearance in plain sight?
Tigers burning bright
As India celebrates 50 years of its Project Tiger conservation scheme, we visit the reserves of Madhya Pradesh to see how its success has impacted a tiger population that once looked in danger of disappearing
SEASON'S GREETINGS
From fiery fall foliage to art fairs and harvest festivals, opens up a wealth of across the USA and Canada autumn experiences
Waking a sleeping GIANT
A slow drive along the North Wales Way, from the English border to Anglesey, reveals not only a land of incredible local food and castles, but a region that is slowly reimagining itself
The rebirth of old JEDDAH
As efforts to restore Al-Balad, Jeddah's historical district, take hold, we get an exclusive peek at how art and culture are taking centre stage
Star-studded escapes
Wilderness, history and wildlife combine at some of Britain's most iconic stargazing sites, as more and more travellers are looking to the heavens
