Discovering Cameroon & Central African Republic

Itinerary

Saturday 8 November – Yaoundé

• Airport pick up in Yaounde, the capital of Cameroon.
• At 6 PM we meet at the lobby of our hotel before we head for dinner.
• Overnight stay in Yaoundé.

Sunday 9 November – Yaoundé – Bertoua

• Time to hit the road! We’ll leave the capital and drive to Bertoua, the capital of the Eastern Region of Cameroon and of the Lom-et-Djerem Department.
• Take a walk in the local town, we’ll explore the local market and get to experience life in a rural town in the far east of Cameroon.
• Overnight stay in Bertoua.

Monday 10 November – Bertoua – Yokadouma

• We continue our drive to the border with the Central African Republic.
• Along the route we will pass through small villages, green landscapes, and jungles, the road will be muddy and rural, but that’s also part of the adventure!
• Our final stop today is Yokadouma. This village serves as a transit town. A tiny hub for people heading to the forest regions—mostly employees of the local forestry companies.
• Overnight stay in Yokadouma.

Tuesday 11 November – Yokadouma – Libongo – Bayanga (CAR)

• After breakfast, we continue the last part to the border with the Central African Republic (CAR). We’re in the deep Southeastern corner of Cameroon, close to the CAR and Congo border. It can’t get much more off the beaten track than here.
• Upon arrival in Libongo, we’ll cross the border from Cameroon into CAR. The border is at the Sangha River and also the start of the Dzanga-Sangha National Park. This park is considered one of the best parks in Africa.
• We’ll continue by motorized boat to Bayanga, CAR.
• We check into our typical African basic lodge to get an idea of how the locals travel around in this part of Africa.
• Overnight stay in Bayanga.

Wednesday 12 November – Bayanga

• In the morning we’ll drive with a 4×4 to the Baka pygmy community. Here we’ll witness traditional hunting techniques and explore medicinal herbs used for treating diseases.
• Drive to Dzanga Bai, also known as the Village of Elephants. 
• Highlight: See forest elephants (you might spot more than 100) in their natural habitat at a close range. Next to this, there is a good chance of seeing bongos, forest buffalos, and numerous bird species, some of which are unique to this area.
• We move to the next lodge. While last night we had basic accommodation, today we’re staying at the luxurious Sanga Lodge.
• Overnight stay at the Sanga Lodge in Bayanga.

Thursday 13 November – Bayanga

• Drive to Baihoku camp for lowland gorilla tracking. We take a stroll through the jungle in search of gorillas, who are typically found in family groupings.
• Another visit to a pygmy village, this time we will see a special traditional dance that is used to welcome guests.
• · Overnight stay in the Sanga Lodge in Bayanga.

Friday 14 November – Bayanga – Yokadouma

• It’s time to return to Cameroon. First, we take the boat back to Libongo.
• Hop in the car again for our drive back to Yokadouma.
• Overnight stay in Yokadouma.

Saturday 15 November – Yokadouma – Bertoua

• We continue our drive through the jungle. Remote villages, and dirt roads, we slowly move towards Bertoua.
• Overnight stay in Bertoua.

Sunday 16 November – Bertoua – Yaoundé

• Time for the last part of our drive to Yaoundé.
• Upon arrival in Yaoundé, it’s time to stretch our legs.
• Visit the Reunification Monument, a historical site that represents the reunification of French-speaking Cameroon and English-speaking Southern Cameroon.
• We’ll continue to Poste Centrale, the central roundabout in the city center. Close to here, you’ll find the post office and Cathedral de Notre Dame des Victoires.
• Visit the Centre d’Artisanat, a local craft market.
• If time permits, we’ll visit the biggest market of the city: the Marché Central.
• Overnight stay in Yaoundé.

Monday 17 November – Yaoundé

• End of tour.
• Transfer to the airport.