South and west of Lambarene the Ogooue spreads into a network of shallow lakes — Lake Onangue, Lake Ezanga, Lake Evaro and several smaller bodies of water — fringed by forest and dotted with fishing villages built on stilts. Exploring them by pirogue is the single best thing you can do here. A full-day trip in a motorised dugout takes you through quiet channels where you have a fair chance of seeing forest elephants come down to drink, troops of monkeys in the canopy, and the African fish eagles whose call is the soundtrack of the river.
Hippos are common, particularly at dawn and dusk, and crocodiles bask on the muddy banks. Bring a hat, plenty of water and a decent camera with a long lens. Half-day trips to the nearer lakes are easy to organise through any of the Lambarene guesthouses; the longer trips need to be booked a day in advance so the boatman can sort fuel.