The forest region in the far south-east, bordering Côte d‘Ivoire, Liberia and Sierra Leone, is by far the greenest and most luxuriant area in Guinea.
Exactly diagonally opposite the Fouta Djalon, which lies at the extreme north-western tip, it is its tropical counterpart, with a humid, tall-tree primary nature, emerald green highland grasslands, mountain chimpanzee sanctuaries and above all, unlike the entirely Islamicised Fouta Djalon, a treasure trove of sacred forest spirits, who still hold the secrets of masks and magical liana bridges.
Its Richard-Molard peak is the highest and reaches 1752 metres. It is part of the Nimba Mountains, which are shared with the neighbouring countries of Liberia and Côte d‘Ivoire.
The area is part of the Strict Nature Reserve and is a protected area, so much so that following the concession by the previous Guinean government to open an iron mine on the mountainside, UNESCO declared it a World Heritage Site in Danger. The Nimba Mountains Nature Reserve was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1981 for its extraordinary biodiversity and breathtaking landscapes of primary forests and stretches of highland grasslands, which have allowed the survival of some special endemic wildlife species, such as chimpanzees, some families of invertebrates and the rare and characteristic potamogalinae (similar to the otter).
Being a reserve in the strict sense of the word, tourist activities are not permitted, but a permit to climb to the summit is issued on request. The summit can be reached from the village of Gbakoré, 18 km south-east of Lola, and offers truly unforgettable views. The hike takes about 4 hours, through winding and steep paths, among incredibly rich wildlife.
The Bossou Environmental Research Institute attracts hundreds of researchers from all over the world to study the behaviour of the chimpanzees living in these areas. Since this animal species is monitored on a daily basis, the chances of spotting them are very high.
