Beyond Monrovia, the roads narrowed, the air cooled, and a day's journey ended beneath the slopes of one of West Africa's most remarkable mountains where rainforest swallows the remains of an iron ore empire. This is the road to Nimba.

There is a place where the pulse of Africa beats loud, where dense canopies swallow the light and the air is thick with the sounds of creatures few have ever seen. These are the wild frontiers of Gola: an ancient “glacial refugium” sheltering species that have survived since the ice ages.

Pitchfork bandits, banana beer and brain amoeba. A breathtaking and occasionally alarming introduction to the vast and verdant landscapes of Africa's forgotten island.

Virunga National Park is home to an exceptionally active volcano, Mount Nyiragongo. Fiery and volatile, this dramatic volcanic giant is very much alive and likes to let you know it.