Cameroon ethnographic

Fitness level required: Intermediate

SHORT DESCRIPTION:
Cameroon is one of the best destination in Central African, there is 250 different tribe’s and there are Animist, Christian and Muslim all of them leaving completely in peace, West of Cameroon is the mountain’s area alot of trekking is organise there, the Est Region is famous about the Lobeke National park who get several forest animal, Like Gorilla, Elephants Etc.. Many Festival are organise in this country from November to April it is very important to be in this country to see one of the festival. In fact is a very nice country like they say Africa in One.

TRIP HIGHLIGHTS:

• Night in forest with Pygmies Tribe’s
• Night with Koma Tribes and visit the Bororo tribes, Fali and Fulani

Day 1: EUROPE – YAOUNDE
Arrival in Yaounde where the guide will welcome you. Transfer to the hotel.                                              Accommodation in: AZUR or similar Hotel BB

Day 2: YAOUNDE –train- NGAOUNDERE
Breakfast and explore Yaoundé town, We will visit the African Art National Museum, the Mont Fébé for landscape, lunch and stop in bakery to by food to eat in the train.                                                                                          Night in train. BB

Day3: NGAOUNDERE–GOUNA–HOY–POLI(5h)
Arrival in Ngaounderé in the morning. This city is the capital of the Adamawa Province, and plays an important economic role in the region. It connects northern Cameroon and Chad with the port of Douala by train, and has cattle and cotton. The city keeps a medieval atmosphere around the Lamido’s palace (Sultanate) despite its economic growth. After a short visit, descent from the Adamawa plateau towards the Benoué Valley. A change of climate is felt while going down, and spectacular views of this African plain can be seen. After 20 kms, modern villages around Ngaounderé- made of cement and corrugated iron- disappear, and only traditional adobe villages can be seen along the tar road. Stop for lunch (grilled meat, corn, sweet potatoes, bananas and biscuits) in a local market on the way to Poli, capital of Faro Valley. Afternoon arrival, installation in the hotel and dinner under the African sky.                                                                Accommodation in hotel in Poli. HB

Day 4: POLI-WANGAY (4hrs) – LIBROU (ALANTIKA MOUNTAINS)
Early breakfast and drive to Wangay the last Cameroonian border before Nigeria, cross the Faro river and entrance in the one of very old traditional place around the countries. Greeting to his majesty of Wangay a Fulani King, lunch and trekking to reach one of the first Koma village, We will have a local guide + carriers that will take care of the tents, food (rice, pasta, sardines..) and bottled water. We will reach Librou, an Animistic community hidden inside the Rocky Mountains.    Night in tents FB

Day 5: LIBROU-NAGAMALOU (ALANTIKA MOUNTAINS)
Early breakfast, and visit of the village, and departure to Nagamalou who is another Koma village, walking around 3h to reach the village, welcome to the Djaouro (local Chief) and Bathing in the nearby stream before starting the lunch and With the local guide we will be able to interact with the Koma people, who have seen not too many foreigners yet!    Night in tents FB

Day 6: NAGAMALOU-WANGAY-POLI OR FIGNOLE
Early breakfast and beginning of the descent to the plains, there are many ways to go back to Wangay. We will try to walk down the path that crosses the Mbororo camp (sedentarized nomads). We will reach Wangay and continue to Poli or fignolé and night there FB

Day 7: POLI-GAROUA (4hrs)                                                                                                                Breakfast and departure to the capital of the North, arrive and in Garoua and installation in the hotel, visit local market and the town, afternoon relax at the hotel.

Day 8: Garoua – BONIA DJALLOU (Fali tribes village) (2hrs)
Today we will enter in the a Fali animist Trib, one of the real interesting people in the North of Cameroon, they leaving out of big city, and keep old tradition, meet the chief of the village, and try to explore they culture, talk with local people, and enjoyed they life social system, after a day visit we will return to Garoua and relax in the hotel.

Day 9: GAROUA- NGAOUNDERE (6hrs)
Breakfast and with the car we will go back to ‘civilization’ but stop in some Bororo village on the way and visit them, We can stop in one of the local weekly markets and continue to Ngaoundéré Installation in hotel and visit the Sultan palace and the market, We will spend the night in Hotel B&B.

Day 10: Ngaoundere- Waterfalls-Crater- Idool Fulani village
Breakfast and drive to Tello waterfalls one of the beautefull of the Region, on the way the landscape is just wonderfull, and continue to one of welcoming Fulani village, Idool is a place to learn about Fulani tribes in Cameroon, is a real community in the area, they are opening to every people who past around the village, the King (Lamido) and his family open the gate and welcome for tourism, installation in habitant guest house, meet the King Family in the Palace, visit the village with some prince, have lunch and diner with a family,  try to keep good feeling with local people. 

Day 11: Ngaoundere- Waterfalls-Crater- Idool Fulani village
Breakfast and return in Ngaoundere and lunch in the afternoon we will visited the Tison crater lake, and transfer to the train station and night in the train.BB

Day 12: Yaoundé- Akonolinga- Somalomo (5- 6 h)
Arrival in Yaoundé, and departure by 4×4 to the remote East, a partly tarred and dirt road take visitors through a panoramic scenery of jungle, colonial plantations, old German towns such as Akonolinga, and also picturesque mud villages inhabited by Bantu speaking people. Picnic box lunch on the way to Somalomo, the last urban town before entering the wild Dja Reserve, a UNESCO World heritage Site. In Somalomo, guests are received by Mama Rose and her family. This friendly people are hosts, cooks, guides and friends during the stay in the region. Dinner under the stars, Overnight in tents or in a simple local hostel. HB (dinner)

Day 13: Somalomo-Dja-Reserve-Baka-Pygmycamp (2h.walk)
Breakfast at Mama Rose’s. Visit to Somalomo town after doing all bureaucratic paperwork at the police station. In this town, most inhabitants belong to the Badjoué culture, this ethnic group has been living in this area of the jungle since the XVII, when they migrated from Congo.  Badjoué people have lived with the Baka Pygmies for centuries, and have adopted Christianity and cocoa farming for a living- complementary to hunting and logging- since the German colonization. Despite modern elements that can be seen in Somalomo, there are many houses built in the traditional Bantu style of bamboo, palm leaves, and red mud. After this visit, jungle expedition, cross the Dja River, an affluent of the mighty Congo River, and walk through the jungle accompanied by a park guard, a native guide, and carriers with tents, food, and bottled water. Some of the Baka camps are only 1h walk from the river, but others are situated at 4h walk. The walk is quite gentle, there are some muddy areas and a couple of streams, but it is practicable for most travelers. It is important that visitors present themselves to the different Pygmy families when arrive at the Baka camp, and before taking any pictures of the whole scenery, which is very impressive! Guests should relax, leave their backpacks in a dry area, and assimilate the situation; the cultural impact is usually inevitable! It is a good idea that guests bring some pictures of their families, home or pets back home to show, it eases the first contact. The local interpreter will greatly help to exchange information between guests and hosts. Dinner at the camp, and sometimes polyphonic yodels of Baka women, a breathtaking experience!                                                                                                                                      Overnight in tents. FB

Day14: Baka-camp-Somalomo-Akonolinga-Yaoundé(5-6h)
Breakfast in the middle of the jungle; basic wooden seats will be provided to have breakfast and other meals. That morning, guests will live a day with the Baka, they will be doing their early activities and learning about their vision about life and other socio- cultural aspects. After this intense cultural experience, farewell to hosts, and return to ‘civilization’. Departure to Yaoundé via the colonial town of Akonolinga where lunch will be taken. Short visit to the old German quarter and drive to Yaoundé- a hot shower cannot wait for long!                                                                          Overnight in Azur Hotel. B&B

Day 15: YAOUNDE-EDEA (3h) 
Breakfast and visit the town, the National Museum, the Mont febe landscape, and handicraft market for last shopping, diner and transfert to the airport last assistance and good bye Cameroon.