Mt. CAMEROON ECOTOURISM

Brief Description

Ecotorism at Mount Cameroon offers the tourist an ideal opportunity to experience mounting climbing at a leisurely pace, staying up to 3 nights along the way depending on physical capability. Mount Cameroon is 1 hour 30mins drive away from Douala international airport and its peak which is 4090m is the highest point in Central and West Africa. A muscle-wrenching trek to the peak of the mountain offers the opportunity to experience vast variety of vegetation, fascinating landscapes, variations in climatic conditions, bird watching as well as an impressive panoramic view of the Alantic Ocean.

Tour Outline

From Upper Farms to Hut 1, going through the Luxuriant Mountain rain forest, you start getting the inviting luring songs of the forest birds such as the Mount Cameroon Francolin (see bird watching package).

Between Huts 1 and 2 is the Savannah zone. Covered with grass of approx. 1.5m high, this area is virtually void of trees. Only a few shrubs are found and the gradient is high while the crest makes climbing difficult.

At 2860m above sea level you get to Hut 2. The valleys and crests in fine artistic rocky undulations are a true ‘dreamland’. Caves with temperatures between 50C to 90C, with such geological features as stalactites, stalagmites and Earth pillars are commonplace.

Hut 3 is the last resting place before the summit. It is at 3740m with temperatures between 20C to 40C. The cold air and breeze in this area dramatically change the climate. The summit at 4090m above sea level has fragmented vegetation types.

A yearly international mountain race is organised from Buea, the Geman historic town at 800m above sea level, to the summit of the mountain. The current race record is less than 5hours to and from the summit. Despite its calmness and numerous attractions, Mount Cameroon still remains an active volcanic Mountain. Successively it has erupted about 7 times: 1909, 1922, 1954, 1959, 1982, 1999, and lastly in 2000.

Tour Packages

Our proposed tour packages range from 1 day to 5 days, depending on the physical capabilities and the discretion of the tourist. Our 5 day package which is the ‘custom pack’ can be accompanied apriori or aposteriori with any 3 of the 1 day or 2 of the 2 days or simply with a straight 3 day pack.

The 1 Day Tour:

Option 1:

Visit historical vestiges and colonial relics in Buea.

Option 2:

Buea city tour and visit to the Tea Plantation

Option 3:

Community tour, hiking through Bonakanda village or Bat cave along Bonavada villages and the

Option 4:

Molyko Banana plantations.

Option 5:

Mountain hiking at Mount Etindi (1913m).

Option 6:

Limbe city tour to Botanic garden, wildlife centre, down beach, Mile 6 beach.

Option 7:

Tiko rubber factories, Del Monte banana, Tiko market and Likumba gulf club.

The 2 Day Tour:

Option A1:

• Trek through the Mountain race tracks to the summit and back to Buea with a night in Hut 2.

• Crater excursion to the 1999 crater and back to Buea with a night at ‘Mann Spring Camp’.

Option A2:

• A 2 day birding through Bonakanda village to the forest and night at the P&T Stations, where the rare mountain species can be observed. Walk back to Buea the next day.

The 3 Day Tour:

Option A:

• Comprises crater lakes visit, wildlife and bird watching, all in one package. Day one goes through Bokwango forest and Mann spring. Second day, lakeside night. Third day, bird watching, trekking and ecological view walk back to Buea.

Option B:

• Leave Buea early through hut 1 and stay the night in Hut 2. Second day go through Hut 3 to summit. Later descend summit to Mann spring and stay the night. Third day is scenic walk through 1999 and 2000 eruptions and back to Buea.

The 4 Day Tour:

• This tour could be termed the ‘Elephant Trail’. It takes off from Buea through Bokwango forest, savannah plains, eruption sites of 1982 and 2000, lava and craters, Elephant Opening, the P&T station and back to Buea.

The 5 Day Tour:

• Trekking through forest to Mann spring. Day 2 through 1982 lava flow and craters. Night at ‘Summit Camp’. Day 3 takes one to ‘Musingili Camp with its dormant ecological life. Wild life and Bird watching can be interesting here. Continue to ‘Nitele’ Hunter’s camp for the night. Final lap is to the P&T unit through elephant opening and the night. Trek through forest of the Mount Cameroon Francolin and other bird species. Walk through Bonakanda village with its traditional domestic life. Back to Buea.

Take a relaxed 40 mins. drive to the black sand beaches of the Atlantic coast town of Limbe, or enjoy the inelastic hospitality of the Bakweri people, stretching from traditional elephant dances to wrestling; or enjoy the warmth from the heart as you are treated to tales, myths.