Quick Facts

Country name: Republic of Cameroon
Area: 475,440 sq km (183,569 sq mi)
Capital city: Yaoundé (pop 730,000)
Languages: 24 major African language groups, English, French
Religions: Indigenous beliefs, Christian, Muslim

Wildlife at Cameroon

Cameroon has a number of national parks created with the intention of protecting wildlife and flora. In many parts of Africa it is said the tourists outnumber the animals. Not so in Cameroon, where visitors are limited, and the parks are pristine.

Waza National Park in the extreme North covers an area of 170 000 hectares, and is home to the "big five" animals of Africa. Safaris are conducted there by several companies, and visitors can see the animals roam free in near pristine conditions.

Boubandjidda National Park covers 220 000 hectares, and is the most remote , and beautiful, being located on the border with Chad. It is home to the black rhinoceros and antelope. Lions roam freely throughout the area. Dinosaur fossils are also located in the park.

Stacking Your Postcards

Benoue National Park
Near the town of Garoua, Benoue is open December-July. Crocodiles and hippos live in the Benoue River, while land animals graze on the banks. 425 mi/685 km northeast of Yaounde

Douala
Douala has done a lot to earn the sobriquet 'armpit of Africa' - dull architecture, stifling humidity, crime and economic chaos. So why go? The main reason is that it's a good base for exploring much more interesting places nearby. Kribi, Limbe and Mt Cameroon are all within a few hours' journey. Given that Douala is also Cameroon's main hub for air travel, you'll probably end up spending some time in the city.

Douala does have a couple of interesting sights of its own, including the landmark Hôtel Akwa Palace, located in the heart of town, a few hundred metres south-east of the shore of the Wouri River. It's the perfect spot to hang out on the terrace with a morning coffee and croissant, sizing up your fellow travellers. A kilometre to the south-west is the Musée de Douala, located in the hôtel de ville (the town hall). Though disorganised and filled with mostly mediocre Bamoun and Bamiléké pieces, the museum's free and by studying its exhibits you'll be better able to judge the craftwork for sale on the streets.

The best place for artifacts is the Artisianal Camerounais, an open-air crafts market located about halfway between the Akwa Palace and the town hall.

Kribi
Set on the Atlantic coast, Kribi (pop. 10,000) has excellent white-sand beaches with good restaurants overlooking the sea. The area isn't very crowded, so it's a good place to spend a couple of relaxing nights. 70 mi/115 km south of Douala.

Limbe
This ocean-side resort has wide, flat, black-sand beaches, botanical gardens and pleasant accommodations. Take a look at the old Limbe zoo, now a primate rescue center. In the evening, taste the barbecued mackerel and bass that are sold at stands along the road. The drive from Douala to Limbe (pop. 31,000) is an easy one that takes you past working rubber, banana and palm oil plantations. 65 mi/105 km southwest of Douala.

Parc National du Waza
Waza has some of Central Africa's best wildlife, though its scrubby, flat terrain isn't particularly scenic. The major attraction is the hundreds of pachyderms that congregate at Mare aux Eléphants, the main watering hole. Visitors are also likely to spot lions, giraffes, hippos, antelope, kob, baboons and monkeys. The park's many species of birdlife include hornbills, ostriches, crested cranes, herons and storks. The best time of year to see animals is from March to May, which unfortunately is also the hottest season. Driving to the main watering hole takes at least three hours from the entrance at the north-western edge of the park, a few kilometres south-west of the village of Waza. Waza is in the far north of Cameroon, just a few kilometres from the borders of Nigeria (west) and Chad (east). The best way to get there is to take the train from Douala or Yaoundé to N'Gaoundéré (about 18 and 12 hours, respectively) and either take a rental car or bush taxi the rest of the way. Sleeping in the park is forbidden, but you can camp at the park entrance or stay in Waza.

Destination Guides

Foumban
This town is a center of the Bamoun people. Visit the impressive Palace of the Bamoun Sultans and the Museum of Bamoun Arts and Traditions. Foumban is an excellent place to buy indigenous crafts such as embroidered cloth, masks, baskets, pottery and bronze statues (often forged by hand). Most visitors, however, opt to stay in Bafoussam because Foumban has few hotels. 140 mi/225 km northeast of Douala.

Yaoundé
Yaoundé is now a bustling urban centre of meandering streets and undulating hills, offering an unusually cool climate, excellent museums and really good grilled chicken. Ave Kennedy is the main commercial corridor. At its northern end are the Place Kennedy and the Centre Artisinal, a giant tent filled with local artisans and their handicrafts. The lively African quarters of Messa, Mokolo and Briqueterie, a few kilometres north-west of downtown, are where you'll find many of the city's unlicensed chicken houses, serving the best grilled chicken this side of the Côte d'Ivoire.

A few kilometres north of the city centre is the Benedictine Monastery's Musée d'Art Cameroonais, a highlight of any visit to the capital. Despite its small size, it's got one of the best collections of Cameroonian art in the world, including masks, bowls and Bamoun bronze pipes. Even the monastery's chapel is decorated with a beautiful array of local textiles and crafts. The monastery is near the foot of Mt Fébé and is accessible by bus or taxi from downtown.

Nkongsamba
Nkongsamba, city, western Cameroon, at the eastern foot of the volcanic Manéngouba massif. A road and trade center, Nkongsamba is the terminus of the railroad to the port of Douala and is surrounded by coffee and banana plantations. Industries in the city include sawmilling, palm-oil processing, and brewing. Nkongsamba has a teachers college and technical schools. The railroad was built to the city, then called Samba, in 1912 under German administration. Occupied by the British in 1914, the city came under French rule in 1916 and in 1923 became an administrative center, succeeding nearby Baré. Population (1991 estimate) 130,000