Day 1 - Yaounde
Arrive in Yaounde and transfer to your hotel. Overnight Merina Hotel or similar.
Days 2-3 - Fang village
Drive to a Fang village close to the borders with Equatorial Guinea and Gabon. Here, in the heartlands of the Fang people, the Bwiti rituals still thrive. We will be privileged to witness this unique series of rituals, centred around the use of the iboga root – this is perhaps one of the most spectacular of all traditional ceremonies in Africa, and a highlight of the trip. We spend two nights here to fully appreciate the experience. Overnight Hotel Escapade or similar. (BLD)
Day 4 - Pygmy village
Drive south to meet the Badgeli pygmies, some of the most traditional people in Cameroon. We spend time in the forest taking part in traditional activities with the Badgeli, learning how they hunt and gather food, and seeing their vibrant culture and music. Overnight camping. (BLD)
Days 5-6 - Kribi
After a morning spent with the Badgeli, continue to Kribi, on the coast. Here we explore the old colonial town, visit the Lobe Falls, where the river falls directly into the Atlantic Ocean, and visit a fishing community of the Batanga people. Overnight Hotel Ilomba or similar. (Day 5 – BLD, Day 6 – BL)
Day 8 - Douala - Libreville
Transfer to Douala, Cameroon’s economic capital. We explore the city and then after lunch fly to Libreville for the next stage of our adventure. Overnight Hotel Tropicana or similar. (BL)
Day 9 - Port Gentil – Loango National Park
Fly to Port Gentil and from here travel to Loango National Park, crossing the Iguela lagoon and then continuing to the Louri lagoon where you can sometimes see wildlife such as elephants and buffalo on the beach. Overnight Loango Lodge. (BLD)
Days 10-11 - Loango National Park
Two days exploring Loango National Park. This is one of the richest ecosystems in Central Africa and harbours a huge diversity of species, including forest elephant, hippo, gorillas and chimpanzees. Accompanied by local guides we venture into the forests and along the beach each day in search of the iconic wildlife that lives here, and we will also track habituated lowland gorillas while here. Overnight Loango Lodge. (BLD)
Day 12 - Port Gentil – Libreville
Travel to Port Gentil, Gabon’s economic capital. Upon arrival in Port Gentil, fly to Libreville. Overnight Hotel Tropicana or similar. (BL)
Day 13 - Libreville
Today is spent exploring the city, visiting its markets and seeing some of the remaining examples of early colonial architecture. This evening we transfer to the airport for departure. (B)
Please note: This is a pioneering itinerary through a challenging part of the continent. You can expect bad roads in places, and difficult and obstructive bureaucracy. This is all part of the Central African experience and an understanding of this is essential before joining this tour. The rewards, however, are great – you will travel through regions that rarely see tourists and spend time with some of the most interesting ethnic groups in Africa. This trip is nothing if not authentic – but you must understand that local conditions mean that this is unlikely to be a ‘polished’ experience.
Please note that we sell this trip in conjunction with our local partner and therefore you should expect people of different nationalities on this tour.
What's included:
Airport transfers - We include arrival and departure transfers regardless of whether you book flights yourself, or we book them for you. If you're booking them yourself, then please let us know the details so that we can arrange the transfers. Please note though that if you arrive earlier than Day 1 of the tour, and leave after the final day, we may need to make an additional charge for an airport transfer.
Accommodation - Accommodation as listed in the dossier. The nature of the destinations that we operate may sometimes mean that we need to change hotels, but we'll always endeavour to keep the same standards. Please be aware that as we operate in many countries where tourism is in its infancy, hotel standards may not be the same as you're used to elsewhere.
Guides - You will be accompanied by an English speaking guide.
Meals - As listed within the itinerary / dossier (B-Breakfast, L-Lunch, D-Dinner). These will vary from trip to trip - in some areas it makes sense to include all meals while in others there is a good choice of restaurants and we feel people might like to 'do their own thing' now and again.
Entrance fees - Entrance fees are listed for those sites that we mention within the itinerary. If there are any other sites that you'd like to see, these would be at your own expense.
Not included:
- Visas
- Airport taxes
- International flights
- Travel Insurance
