Equatorial Forest / Sudano Sahelian Expedition
Highlights: City life in the national capital (Yaounde); some outstanding geophysical attractions,such as fascinating landscapes and water bodies; biodiversity (varied wildlife and flora in zoos and national parks), indigenous people, whose lifestyle remains unaltered by modern civilization, and who are highly attached to nature.
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival at Nsimalen Airport Yaounde and picked up to the hotel.
Day 2: Yaounde city and environs
Early breakfast and departure to:
- Eloundem mountain (2100m above sea level) and trek while having a panoramic view of the national capital city of Yaounde.
- Also visit cocoa farms and interact with the farmers while experiencing certain stages in the cocoa value chain, having a taste of the local culinary and beverage , watching beautiful birds and insects along the way.
- Mbaminkon Kola massif forest: This is a site for ornithological research. The rock fowl is the greatest ornithological attraction. Other specialties are the red-tail parrots. Visit cocoa farms and interact with farmers. visit a fascinating rock structure (Akok Bekoue Rock) and the Akono Catholic Church before retiring to the city for overnight.
Day 3: Yaounde – Nkoteng and back
Main attractions:
Nachtigal fall and the hydro-electricity infrastructure; sugar plantation and other stages of the sugar value chain, River Sanaga,(the most important river in Cameroon), along whose banks one can trek and rest at the luxurious campsite. Return to Yaounde for overnight.
Day 4: Yaounde-Mbalmayo-Ebogo
Visit the Mefou National Park and watch a variety of wildlife species in semi-captivity, and how the local population lives in harmony with the park ecosystem.
Continue to the Ebogo ecotourism site where you are immersed in a serene atmosphere, and can ride in a boat, swim, interact with a large colony of butterflies, trek in the forest, eat local food. Overnight in the eco-lodge.
Day 5: Ebogo-Yaounde-Ngaoundere
Return to Yaounde and prepare for overnight journey to Ngaoundere by train or by air, which is not very certain.
The night journey by train takes one through a number of communities where the train halts to pick up more passengers. One has the opportunity to experience different activities at each train station including having a taste of the local culinary.
Day 6: Ngaoundere
Arrival at Ngaoundere early in the morning and drive to the Catholic Mission rest house (sisterhood) and rest for a while before breakfast. Visit the palace of the Lamido (traditional ruler) and experience the beautiful architecture of the palace and listen to storytelling from a palace guide. Visit the lake, relax in the calm environment and on the way back to the hotel, visit the hill from which this town derived its name. While in town have a taste of the culinary in the evening. Overnight at the sisterhood.
N.B. Ngaoundere is the capital town of the region called Adamawa. This region is famous for playing very important ecological and economic development roles to both the southern part and the other two regions that add up to it to make up the northern part of the country. Its most outstanding ecological importance is the fact that it constitutes the major watershed of Cameroon. Economically, it is the source of the greatest quantity of corn, honey and cattle/small ruminants in Cameroon.
Day 7: Ngaoundere – Ngaoundaba Ranch
Attractions: Idol village having a picturesque landscape, with waterfalls at Koudini, Tello and Belel; bee farming at Katel, craftsmen weaving traditional beehives and related activities of this value chain.
Overnight at the Ngaoundaba Ranch after trekking to admire certain activities taking place therein.
Day 8: Ngaoundaba Ranch – Ngaoundere- Benoue National Park or Bouba Ndjida National Park.
On arrival at Ngaoundere, one continues the journey up north. The following attractions are found along the way: campus of the University of Ngaoundere, picturesque landscape characterized by an instant change in vegetation type from the wooded savanna to the sudano-sahelian type, escarpment along which a winding road passes; roadside markets. Either: Visit the Benoue National Park, which is a UNESCO Heritage Site, located along the River Benoue. This river has much importance nationally and internationally (multipurpose river development, wildlife and plant sanctuary and water transport between Cameroon and Nigeria).Check into the ecolodge called Buffalo Camp for overnight
Day 9:
Benoue National Park – Poli Early visit to different wildlife concentration points in the park (hippopotamus, elephants,Buffoon Kobs and other antelopes including the derby eland, which is the largest antelope in the world, although they are rare in this park, giraffes, warthogs,baboons, different bird species).Also notice the great plant density and variety in a zone that experiences great climate changes
Departure later in the day, after lunch to Poli, over a distance of about 150km, for overnight Or
- Visit the Bouba-Ndjidda National Park, located much further than the Benoue National Park, along the Cameroon-Tchad border, and overnight in the ecolodge.
Day 9: Early visit to wildlife concentration points: cheetahs, buffaloes, giraffes, derby elands, elephants, baboons and monkeys, bird species. Also visit the locality having traces(fossil) of the Mamagia Dinosaur. Visit the King (Lamido) of Rey Bouba before departure to Poli. While there, visit some important places of historical importance, for example the first home of the defunct President of Cameroon when he served as a telegraphic operator before engaging in politics.
Day 10: Poli-Atlantika Mountain Range.
Early rise for breakfast. Trek to the spectacular Atlantika Mountain, which lies between Cameroon, and home to a pristine tribe called the Koma. The woman hide their private parts with leaves. Camp there after visiting some attractions.
Day 11: Visit some homes of the Koma people and learn a bit about their lifestyle which to date remains unadulterated by modern civilization. Overnight in the camp.
Day 12: Atlantika-Poli-Garoua Trek back to Poli and continue to Garoua. Overnight in the sisterhood.
Day13: Garoua-Rhumsiki
Early breakfast and visit the International Wildlife Management College, renowned for training conservation experts from all French-speaking countries of Africa and may have an interaction with the administration and students of the establishment.
Continue to Rhumsiki, the hub of the Mandara Mountains, one of the most attractive landscapes in Africa. Attractions on the way include the following:Kola geological marvel, including the canyon and marble landscape, cement factory, delicately suspended boulders, unique architectural patterns .Overnight in the ecolodge perched by the hill side.
Day 14: Rhumsiki Activities: Trek to the picturesque geological structures and back to the resort for overnight.Visit the home of the famous fortune-teller who depends on crabs for his powers.
Day 15: Rhumsiki – Waza National Park
Attractions on the way: Continuum of the picturesque Mandara landscape; colourful Tourou market (if the day is Thursday, their market day); Oudjilla traditional ruler’s palace, where he and his over fifty wives and multitudes of offsprings reside. Check into the Waza resort before continuing to the park to visit the first section, which may have diverse wildlife species such as elephants, antelopes, giraffes. Return to the resort.
Day 16: Waza – Maroua
Early to the park and have the opportunity to watch lions. Visit the wetlands and watch a multitude of bird species and even the ostrich. Return to the resort and continue to Maroua for overnight in a hotel.
Day 17: Maroua – Garoua
Visit a few attractions including the leather production centres and the craft shop from where crafts are sold. Continue to Garoua; sight-seeing in Garoua before overnight in the sisterhood.
Day 18: Garoua – Ngaoundere
Lunch in a hotel and relax till- take off time for the night journey back to Yaounde.
Day 19: Yaounde and departure in the night. On arrival at Yaounde, proceed to Azur hotel for breakfast, rest and take supper before departure in the night.
| Pax | Amount in $US/Pax |
| 2 | 5,126 |
| 3 | 3,894 |
| 4 | 3,276 |
| 5 | 2,904 |
| 6 | 2,660 |
| 7 | 2,482 |
| 8 | 2,348 |
Included: vehicles , fuel, driver, highway tax, entry fee, guiding , lodging , food/ beverage or water.
Excluded: Airport tax ( ) , honoraria , tips (not fixed).
Each tour package is customizable to fit the client's aspiration