Gabon

Is Gabon safe to visit?

Mostly, if you take the precautions you would in any big central African city. Gabon has no conflict areas, no recent terrorism and no part of the country that the UK advises against visiting. The US advisoryUS travel advisoryThe US State Department's rating of each country from Level 1 (exercise normal precautions) to Level 4 (do not travel).More in the glossary is Level 2, "exercise increased caution", last updated on 30 March 2026, for unrest, crime and health. We score Gabon 60, ahead of Angola and Cameroon, and close to Peru.

The data behind that score are thin. There is no recorded homicide figure for Gabon, only a WHO modelled estimate of 8.0 per 100,000 for 2021, and the road death rate is also a WHO model estimate, so our confidence is low and the score leans on what the US and UK governments say.

Crime in Libreville and Port-Gentil

The crime that reaches visitors is concentrated in the two main cities. The US says robbery, vehicle break-ins and burglary are common there; the FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary adds armed attacks, rape and carjackings in Libreville. If someone tries to take your car, hand it over.

Shared taxis are the specific trap. Cabs in Gabonese cities work like buses, stopping for extra passengers and taking roundabout routes, and the FCDO reports violent assaults and robberies of passengers. Use licensed taxis, ask the driver to take you alone, or use the car service of your hotel or tour operator.

On foot, the advice is ordinary but worth following: no expensive jewellery, phones out of sight, and no quiet beaches around Libreville after dark. Card fraud is common outside the big hotel chains, so carry some cash and use ATMs inside banks or hotels.

Politics since the 2023 coup

On 30 August 2023 the military ended 56 years of rule by the Bongo family. The transition has been calmer than many feared: a new constitution passed by referendum in November 2024 with 92% of the vote, and General Brice Oligui Nguema won the presidential election in April 2025 with about 90%. The nightly curfew was lifted in December 2024. The 2026 Global Peace IndexGlobal Peace IndexAn annual ranking of 163 countries by how peaceful they are, based on conflict, crime, militarisation and political instability.More in the glossary ranks Gabon 100th of 163, up 17 places, the second-largest improvement of any country, though it notes concerns about press freedom and the judiciary.

There is one leftover from the coup period to know about. The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary says some tourists were held and questioned after the takeover, and some had their passports taken and were briefly stopped from leaving. The situation has settled, but officials may still treat tourists with suspicion, so carry your passport or a certified copy, keep your hotel booking to hand and never photograph government buildings, military sites or airports.

Protests are uncommon but can turn violent quickly; the US names Libreville and Port-Gentil as the usual places. Pirates have attacked ships in the Gulf of Guinea, so take care on boat trips in coastal waters.

Roads, flights and getting around

WHO estimatesWHO road-death estimateThe World Health Organization's estimate of road traffic deaths per 100,000 people in a country, adjusted for deaths that police statistics miss.More in the glossary 12.5 road deaths per 100,000 people in 2021, the figure we use for every country. Its older series put Gabon at 23.9 in 2019, and the two use different methods, so treat the roads with more caution than the 2021 number suggests. Roads in central Libreville are generally good; inland they are poor, often unlit and, in the rains from October to mid-December and mid-February to May, many need a 4x4. Do not drive at night.

Domestic flights are the obvious alternative for reaching the parks, but the FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary says British government staff avoid Gabonese airlines unless there is no other option. For Loango, Lopé or Pongara, the simplest plan is a lodge or tour operator that handles transfers.

Malaria and medical care

CDC recommends malaria tablets for all of Gabon, and you must show a yellow fever vaccination certificate on arrival. Dengue and Zika also occur, and dogs with rabies are common. UNAIDS estimates that 3.8% of adults live with HIV, compared with about 0.2% in the UK.

The US says medical facilities are limited and may lack basic medicines outside the big cities. The FCDOFCDO travel adviceThe UK government's travel advice for each country, which can advise against all travel or all but essential travel to specific areas.More in the glossary lists several ambulance numbers, including 117, notes that operators may only speak French and says none of them is guaranteed to work. Bring enough of any prescription medicine for the whole trip, and travel insurance that covers evacuation.

How we scored it

Health (42) and petty crime (50) are the weakest factors. Natural hazards (72) score highest, roads (62) sit mid-table on the WHO 2021 estimate, and conflict (68) is far better than in neighbouring Cameroon (30). Violent crime (62) rests on advisory descriptions and WHO's modelled homicide rateHomicide rateThe number of people killed on purpose each year for every 100,000 residents. It is the most comparable crime figure between countries.More in the glossary of 8.0 per 100,000 for 2021, since there is no recorded count. The weighted average is 60; our cap of conflict plus 35 (103) does not bind.