The Center & EastYaoundé, the capital city, stands on seven hills. There are modern hotels and many markets, shops and cinemas. Museums include the Musée des Bénédictins, a collection of traditional arts and crafts housed in a Benedictine Monastery on Mont Fébé, and the newer National Museum of Yaoundé. To the northwest, jungle-clad mountains rise to an altitude of 1000m (3280ft). Mont Fébé, which overlooks the city, has been developed as a resort, with a luxury hotel, nightclub, casino, gardens and golf course. Its high
altitude ensures a pleasant climate.
Further on are the Nachtigal Falls on the River Sanga ; continue to Bertoua, Yokadouma and Moloundou with its abundant wildlife, most notably a small population of lowland gorillas.
The WestDouala, Cameroon’s economic capital, is 24km (15 miles) from the sea, on the left bank of the Wouri and dominated by Mount Cameroon. The cathedral, the shopping avenues, the Artisanat National (a craft/souvenir market), Deido market, the harbor, the museum, Wouri Bridge and the electric coffee-grading plant are worth visiting.
Buéa is a charming town situated on the slopes of Mount Cameroon (4095m/14,435ft), West Africa’s highest mountain and the highest active volcano in Africa. For those interested in climbing the mountain, which is relatively easy, a permit from the local tourist office is necessary (these are not issued during the rainy season from March to November).
Limbé (formerly Victoria) is a pleasant port with a botanical garden and ‘jungle village’. There are beautiful white sandy beaches a short drive out of town. The tourist season runs between November and February.
Dschang is a mountain resort at an altitude of 1400m (4600ft) where the temperature is pleasantly cool. The road southwards to Nkongsamba and Douala passes through some splendid scenery – spectacular valleys and waterfalls. Bamenda, in the highlands north of Dschang, has a museum and a craft market. Foumban, northeast of Dschang, has many traditional buildings dating from its period of German colonization, including Bafut Fon’s Palace, which includes a craft center. There is also the Musée du Palais, whose collection includes bejewelled thrones, armaments, musical instruments and dancing masks, the Musée des Arts et des Traditions Bamoun, and a market. The town serves as an excellent base for experiencing the Bamileke region’s colorful Bamoun festivals and feast days.
Kribi, a small port and beach resort south of Douala, has perhaps the finest beach in Cameroon, Londji Beach. It is also a convenient starting point for tours to local villages and the Campo Game Reserve region. Buffaloes, lions and elephants roam the virgin forests inland.
The NorthNorth Cameroon presents unexpected natural landscapes, with an average altitude of 1500m (4900ft) and plains, reaching an altitude of 300m (1000ft), covered by savannah.
Maroua is located in the foothills of the Mandara Mountains, along the Mayo River. Places worth visiting include the market, the Diamare Museum (mainly an ethnographic museum where local craftwares are on sale: jewelry, tooled leather articles etc), the various African quarters and the banks of the Mayo Kaliao. There is a National Park nearby (see below).
Mokolo is a picturesque town in a rugged rocky landscape. Approximately 55km (34 miles) away is the village of Rhumsiki, which features a maze of paths linking the small farms known as the Kapsiki; the Kirdi live here, whose customs and folklore have changed little for centuries.
Going further north, there is a very typical village called Koza located at an altitude of 1100m (3600ft). From here the road continues to the village of Mabas which gives a panoramic view on the large Bornou plain of Nigeria and where one can still see primitive blast furnaces.
National Parks and ReservesThe Kalamaloué Reserve is small but offers opportunities for viewing several species of antelopes, monkeys and warthogs; some elephants cross the reserve. Waza National Park covers 170,000 hectares (420,079 acres) and is open from mid-November to mid-June. There is a forest area and a vast expanse of grassy and wet plains, called Yaeres. Elephants, giraffes, antelopes, hartebeest, cobs, lions, cheetahs and warthogs are numerous. There is also a rich variety of birds, including eagles, crested cranes, maribous, pelicans, ducks, geese and numerous guinea-fowl. Accommodation and other facilities are available. A vehicle and a guide are required for entrance to the park. The Bénoué National Park, situated just off the Ngaoundere-Garoua main road, covers 180,000 hectares (444,790 acres) and has buffalo, hippopotamuses, crocodiles, hyena, giraffes, panthers, lions and a variety of primates, and can be visited all year round.
Korup National Park is home to Africa’s oldest and most biologically diverse rainforest. Accessible by bush taxi, it is located in the westernmost corner of the country, along the Nigerian border near the town of Mundemba, which is about 150km (93miles) northwest of Douala. A wide variety of primates, birds, trees and other plants, including dozens of recently discovered species are there. Travelers should dress to cope with the 100 per cent humidity and the fording of waist-high pools.
The Bouba Ndjidah National Park is situated on the banks of Mayo Lidi River in the far north of the country; bordering Chad. Its wildlife includes elan and buffalo, black rhinoceroses, elephants and lions. There are several other parks and reserves which are not open to the public. Dinosaur fossils have been discovered here.
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