CAMEROON

Western lowland Gorillas and pygmies in Lobeke National Park

Duration: 13 days / 12 nights

Best season to travel: November to August

Fitness level required: Intermediate

SHORT DESCRIPTION

This trip is the result of many years organizing itineraries and expeditions to Cameroon, a country almost virgin to tourism. Our team of anthropologists and local guides has designed this itinerary where the interaction with the local inhabitants is the central axis of the trip. The aim of this travel experience is to discover one of the last realms of the Western Lowland Gorilla, Lobeke National Park (UNESCO site) and learn about the reality of the region’s tribal communities and the environment they live in. Visit the Baka Pygmies in the deep jungle of the East. The expedition ends in the beaches of Kribi, ideal setting to relax before returning back home.

TRIP HIGHLIGHTS: Mefou ape sanctuary - Lobeke National Park - Western Lowland Gorillas – African jungle fauna - Primary African Rainforest – Baka Pygmies – old German colonial towns – Pongo Songo chimpanzee sanctuary – Mount Cameroon -Limbe volcanic beaches.

ITINERARY:

Day 1: Europe- Yaoundé
Arrival at Yaoundé International Airport. A guide will be waiting for customers at the airport. They will need to show their visas and proof that they have taken the yellow-fever vaccine at the police checkpoint. Transfer to cacao Lodge or similar.
Day 2: Yaoundé – Bertoua (6h) or Lomié – depending on the state of the road
Early breakfast and drive to the ‘wild’ East of Cameroon. We will cross beautiful scenery: foredst, colonial towns, and Bantu villages along the way.
Accommodation in Hotel Christiana (Bertoua) or Hotel Raphia (Lomié)
Day 3: Bertoua or Lomié – Mambelé (9h) – or Bantu village depending on the state of the road-
Breakfast and drive to the remote entrance of Lobeke National Park. Our objective is Mambelé a Bantu and Baka community where we will spend the first night before entering the protected area. Accommodation in tents in a Bantu village or in wooden huts ‘Kombo Camp’ near the entrance of the Park. HB (dinner)
Days 4 to 8: Mambelé – Lobeke National Park
Breakfast. This Central African Park is one of the less visited protected areas despite its fascinating list of animals that can be viewed from platforms built above the most interesting mineral clearings called baïs or salines. These animals include the forest elephants, western lowland gorillas, red buffaloes, sitatungas, bongos, warthogs, numerous monkeys, galagoes, leopards and an astonishing number of birds and other species. Lobeke National Park is an area with untouched forest. Here we have an opportunity of active tourism in rainforest: tracking, hunting and fishing with the pygmies, learning about life in forest the interactivities between wild life in forest with and option of watching animal in clearance.
During 5 days we will explore the different clearing inside the park to spot jungle fauna. Djangui clearing (bai), 5-6h walk from where the 4x4 will drop us is one of the best places to spot different bird species and other animals such as sitatungas, buffaloes, or jungle elephants. Another great spot for animalobservation is Petite Savane (small savannah), found at 4h. walk from Djangui Bai. Petite Savane is one of the best places to have the chance of observing Western Lowland Gorillas in Lobeke. We will stay quiet to observe this amazing apes gathering food at the bai. We can also try to spot other fauna. Accommodation in tents. Lodging in tents. FB
Day 9: Lobeke National Park - Mambelé
Breakfast and walk back to main road (2-3h, easy) where the vehicle will take us to Kombo Camp (1h drive). Accommodation in Kombo Camp. FB
Day 10: Mambelé – Sala Poumbe – Baka Pygmy camp (4h.)
Breakfast and continue to Sala Poumbe, a Bantu village in the jungle area.
Walking (1h aprox.) tour through the tropical forest to visit a Baka Pygmies camp. We get to know their life style habits and culture and have an opportunity and participate in the collecting of medicinal plants, honey and other interesting things of the forest. Accommodation in tents in the Baka Camp. FB
Day 11: Baka Pygmy camp – Yokadouma (5h.)
Breakfast and morning activities with our jungle guests; gathering barks, roots, and plants to prepare traditional remedies. Demonstration of hunting techniques and sharing experiences. From the camp we will go back to Sala Poumbe and from there we will drive to Yokadouma, an old German colonial timber town. Lodging in tents or simple rooms in local mission. BB
Day 12: Yokadouma – Yaoundé (10h.)
Breakfast. Long driving day. Stops in villages and small markets along the way to Yaoundé. Lunch en-route. Lodging in Cacao Lodge or similar. BB
Day 13: ARRIVAL HOME
END OF OUR SERVICES

Contact: Joan Riera. Manager. Anthropologist and African Tourism Expert

Email:

Phone: +34 935.174.917 / 637.814.624 Skype:middle.africa