Monte Alén National Park, National park in Niefang district, Equatorial Guinea

Monte Alén National Park is a tropical rainforest reserve in the Niefang district of Equatorial Guinea, set across mountainous terrain covered with dense jungle. Near the center of the park lies Lake Atoc, surrounded by forested slopes and ridges.

The park was given official protection in 1990, making it one of the first formal conservation efforts in Equatorial Guinea. That decision helped secure one of the largest continuous rainforest areas remaining in central Africa.

The forests here have been part of daily life for surrounding communities for generations, used for hunting and gathering. Today, some of those same people work as guides, passing on detailed knowledge of the terrain and wildlife to visitors.

Trekking paths are laid out across the park, and the eastern side is bounded by the Niefang-Gabon road, so access is usually arranged through Niefang. Logging inside the park is fully controlled, and by 2005 agriculture, hunting and logging were not allowed there. Bring water and food, as there are no services beyond the entrance.

The Goliath frog, the largest frog in the world, lives in the southern part of the park, and hunting it is prohibited. The park also shelters 16 species of primates, among them mandrills, gorillas and chimpanzees, plus 265 recorded bird species, which led BirdLife International to designate it an Important Bird Area.