ANGOLA . CAMEROON . COTE D'IVOIRE . EGYPT . E THIOPIA . GABON . GHANA . GUINEA . KENYA . MOROCCO . NIGERIA . SOUTH AFRICA. TUNISIA . TANZANIA . TOGO . UGANDA
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Cameroon is
Africa in One Country "If you dance, you vibrate - and he who vibrates lives." Popular quotation. Mount Cameroon, West Africa's highest peak, stands like a giant sentinel, gazing out over the Gulf of Guinea on Africa's Atlantic Coast. Among it's legendary names is "Throne of Thunder," a fitting tribute to the powerful gods that are said to inhabit the mountain's inner core. Our group of travel agents and journalists approached the 'throne' shortly after one of its frequent volcanic eruptions, and the ribbons of cooled lava resembled grey frosting oozing from an enormous layer cake. The lava beds are evident from the main highway to Kribi and a hiking trail winds up and over them. The warning signs advised us to pay respect and to tread gently in this eco- sensitive area. Mount Cameroon's rugged peak is the crown jewel of a chain of volcanic mountains that are strung like a giant pearl necklace along the Cameroon Nigeria border. The range stretches from here all the way to the northern plains of Maroua, gateway to Waza National Park - and that's just part of the "Grand Tour of Cameroon, Africa in One Country" a prestige edition of Africa Travel Magazine.. Cameroon's Minister of Tourism (at the time) , Hon. Pierre Helé, puts "ecology first" in his country's efforts to win an important share of the tourist trade from North America and other markets. Each February the popular ' Course of Hope.' attracts aspiring climbers to the area and we're told that, while the ascent is challenging, it's not dangerous or overly strenuous. Many other sights would amaze and impress us that day and in the week to follow. Speaking personally, this trip was by far the most complete tour of any ATA- African host country I had experienced to date. At its conclusion most travelers in our group were tired - and somewhat bedazzled - yet I enjoyed a feeling of solid accomplishment. As a result I will never forget Cameroon and always hunger for more. Road to economic
success Yaounde, Cameroon's visitor- friendly capital city with seven hills After spending several fun weeks in Yaounde. Cameroon's capital city, the place really started to feel like home. Almost everyone we encountered knew who we were and made us welcome, and the local print and broadcast media were anxious to record and publish our views on the country and its potential for trade and tourism. To say that I am yearning to return at the drop of a hat is truly an understatement - the Yaounde experience stands out as one of the most uforgettable periods of my life. Our book of memories is full to the brim with images of Cameroon and its people, and our magazine's photo library is loaded with great scenes. Having a background in audio visual writing and production, one facet I remember most vividly about Yaounde was the endless number of superb cinemascopic vistas, starting with the view from the Hilton Yaounde's penthouse. Cruising the winding road to the Mount Febé Hotel is awesome, and the impressive route that leads to the modern government complex makes you think you're on the Riviera. After all, like Rome, this emerging Africa capital incorporates seven charming hills, and each offers a different set of perspectives. As time marches on, say another decade or so, I can envision the city growing even more attractive, liveable and cosmopolitan. We stayed long enough to pick some favorite places to dine, and one of mine is simply called the "Cafe Yaounde." It's an Italian style restaurant that resembles a Roman villa, perched on a hillside and surrounded by lush gardens - with a live monkey guarding the entrance. As a matter of fact, a garden party was in progress on our second visit. We spent several delightful candlelit evenings there, taking our time learning about Cameroon, gazing out over the city. Of course the food and wines were superb. Before our next edition of Africa Travel Magazine, I will add more impressions of Yaounde and area, but for the moment, here is some information on how we at ATA presented our impressions of Cameroon to the world. Another highlight was the huge outdoor marketplace we encountered on the way to a baptism ceremony, that included everything from fresh pineapples to a bustling lumber yard, where individuals sell building product direct - one of the best examples of free enterprise I've seen anywhere. Living in an area of Canada that's dependent upon forestry, this was of particular interest. The city offers a wide variety of interesting shops, and we spent several days going back and forth to the tailors having purchased bolts of colorful fabric for custom made African Clothing. It's really a buyers' paradise. ATA's
Cameroon message on BBC The Africa Travel Association was featured on BBC World Service in London. A BBC World Service Radio interview featured the ATA 5th Ecotourism, Commerce & Investment Symposium in Yaounde, Cameroon in December, 2001. Executive Director Mira Berman was interviewed at BBC's New York studios prior to the event. The second part of the program took included a telephone interview with the Secretary General of the Cameroon Ministry of Tourism during the Ecotourism Symposium. Cameroon hosted a highly successful Ecotourism, Commerce and Investment Symposium Douala and The
Cameroon Story About Cameroon Waza National Park. Visitors can observe elephant, giraffe, ostrich, antelope, gazelle and lion - and a variety of birds. Lions are best observed during April. Ngondo Festival and the River God: For starters, one could not have asked for a nicer day, as our delegates descended from the Ministry's tour buses and the ATA members took their seats in a specially reserved, tented area. Speaking of the weather, this occasion was typical of most days during our month long stay in Cameroon, deep blue skies, puffy cotton candy clouds, and just the right measure of sun shine to make it comfortable. This was one of my biggest surprises, perhaps being located on the Wouri River, 24 km (15 miles) from the Atlantic Coast is the reason. In a coming edition we will write at length about this great event and why its story is so significant in the local customs and culture. There are many more other reasons to visit Douala, and from here, you will enjoy good transportation links to all of Cameroon. Contact us anytime: mailto:africa@dowco.com.
Footnotes Douala, Cameroon's largest city, main hub for air travel and industrial center is located on the Wouri River, a few miles from the Atlantic Coast, with its tourist attractions such as Kribi and Limbe. Mount Cameroon, Africa's second highest peak,is also within a few hours' drive from Douala. The landmark Hôtel Akwa Palace, located in the city center, is an ideal meeting place with its popular terrace. Nearby is the Musée de Douala, located in the hôtel de ville (town hall), featuring Bamoun and Bamiléké craftwork. Visitors can purchase artifacts at Artisianal Camerounais, an open-air crafts market. The city is 120 miles west of Yaoundé, Cameroon's capital. While Douala is not the capital of Cameroon, it is the most significant city in terms of population, and the economic role it plays in the overall economy. It is said to be named after the Douala, a black African ethnic group that originally settled in the area. The chief commercial center, Douala has an airport and extensive docks, and is a terminus for two railway lines extending into the interior. Industries include the manufacture of aluminum products, beer, soft drinks, textiles, and the processing of timber and cacao beans. Douala's port handles some 95 percent of the country's maritime traffic, and is second only to Kinshasa as Central Africa's largest city. Douala is divided into quarters or quarters: Aqua, is the center of the city, the Stand Municipal Artisans, and Banjo the administrative district. Currency:1
Communaute Financiere Africaine franc (CFAF) = 100
centimes Cameroon is
a living tradition and each region has its own style Hospitality Plus: When tourists arrive in Cameroon they are not left to themselves because according to local custom, the visitor is full-fledged member of the Cameroon family. A pleasant welcome is a golden rule in this hospitable country. We have the proof during our stay during the entire month of December 2001. Climbing Mount Cameroun: Mount Cameroun, which we visited during a trip to the beach area at Kribi, is West Africa's highest mountain. In spite of its height, the climb is much less strenuous than Mt. Kilimanjaro or Mt. Kenya. You will not need to bring any special equipment to climb this mountain. A number of hikers' huts are located at convenient points, so you can stay overnight en route. This mountain is renowned for the ' Course of Hope.' an international sporting event held in February. Editor's Comment: W thank our tour supervisors Ebenezer Elimbi, Jean Npombo and Boniface Piga. They were great companions throughout my 30 days in the country. Our travels in Cameroon will eventually be compiled in a book that will help future travelers from North America enjoy this fascinating country to the fullest. It was a month we will treasure forever, and even as time passes, the images and voices of Cameroon have not faded one iota - they've become even more vivid in the theater of my mind. What I truly love about the many Cameroonians whom I've come to know - is that to a person, they "Accentuate the Positive." Jerry W. Bird is President of ATA Canada Chapter, Editor and Publisher of Africa Travel Magazine, and Webmaster for the ATA site www.africa-ata.org/. He is also Publisher of Air Highways Magazine, the Journal of Open Skies, featuring aviation, tourism, transportation and business worldwide. His career began with the Edmonton Journal Daily Newspaper, and expanded into the full spectrum of media - radio, television, magazines and Internet. He has won international awards for creativity in audio visual and print production. What I truly love about the many Cameroonians I've come to know - is that they "Accentuate the Positive."
The final leg of our journey to the top of Cameroon, it's Northern reaches where Savannah meets desert near Lake Thad, brought us to Waza National Park. We stayed at an unforgettable site which resembled a native village in that the individual units were round with conical roofs. They were connected to the main dining room by a network of stone steps. All in all it would make a great place for a medium sized seminar or group event. We received an attractive area map which contained the following comments: The
park was established by the Cameroonian government in 1968
to protect the available natural resources, to encourage
tourism and to develop educational and research activities.
Thanks to the worldwide reputation of the Park UNESCO
decided in cooperation with the government to grant it
biosphere reserve status in 1982. Three main vegetation
types can be recognized in Waza National Park: a wooded
Savannah, an Acacia seyal forest and the flood plains of the
Logone. These plains are flooded each year from mid-August
until mid-November, which leaves until mid-November, which
leaves them inaccessible. Hardly Partners in Eco any height
differences can be found in the Park, which is situated in
the bed of the former Lake Thad. The characteristic rocky
outcrops at Waza village form the only exception. However,
the small gradients that do exist are responsible for the
annual retreat of the inundation waters towards Lake Tchad.
More about the Northern part of Cameroon will follow. Land, Culture,
Wildlife: Ecotourism & Investment : As stated at the 2000 ATA Ecotourism Symposium, "Economic benefits to be gained from tourism linked to natural areas have long been recognized as significant for conservation. By providing the nation an economic return, it can justify setting aside large areas of land. Secondly, entry fees can generate substantial funds for support management. Thirdly, tourism expenditures on logging, transportation, food, guides and souvenirs are a key source of income for communities." This year, Africa Travel Magazine is developing a series of Forestry Maps, showing how the forestry and tourism industries are so closely connected, with many aims in common. It will feature hiking trails, national parks, historic sites, even logging train rides and mill tours for tourists. We expert support, we will help develop forestry promotion linked to tourism in your area. Cultural Treasures: Throughout this edition and on our website you will see examples of successful presentation of "Cultural Ecotourism," an area that focuses on preserving the languages, customs, costumes, family values, beliefs and lifestyle features of this diverse continent. We welcome your photos and items on the topic. Visit us anytime at www.africa-ata.org, or contact ATA head office at africatravelasso@aol.com. Agricultural
Tourism: Watch our next edition for major features on
agricultural developments and Agri-Exchange and Blossom
Tours facilitated by this magazine. Editor's Comment: In addition to the Hon. Minister Hele, we thank our tour supervisors Ebenezer Elimbi, Jean Npombo and Boniface Piga. They were great companions throughout my 30 days in the country. Our travels in Cameroon will eventually be compiled in a book that will help future travelers from North America enjoy this fascinating country to the fullest. It was a month we will treasure forever, and even as time passes, the images and voices of Cameroon have not faded one iota - they've become even more vivid in the theater of my mind. What I truly love about the many Cameroonians whom I've come to know - is that to a person, they "Accentuate the Positive." About
Cameroon THE DJA
RESERVE THE KORUP
NATIONAL PARK Today, Korup can be compared to a museum which is more than 60 million years old. Studies carried out there have led to the discovery of more than 400 tree species, many of which are medicinal. The park's present popularity stems from the fact that a creeper has been discovered there. This plant (aucistroclaudus Korupensis) is believed to have constituents useful in the cure of some forms of cancer and HIV, Aids. As for the fauna, there are more than 300 bird species inside the park and 100 others in the neighboring zones, 174 reptiles and amphibians and 140 fish species living in several streams which flow across the park. A VISIT
TO KORUP Visitors to the park who generally leave Douala arrive Mundemba, the headquarters of the park, by passing through Kumba and Ekondo Titi, through a distance of 250 km of which 115 (Kumba-Mundemba) is untarred one could also get to Korup by boat from Limbe through the Rio del Rey into the Ndian river. USEFUL INFORMATION: A tourist attraction center known as 'jungle village' has been developed. Tourists are advised to carry equipment, (appropriate clothes and shoes) in order to protect themselves notably from insect bites and ants. Entry fees are paid to the Park Officials who provide tourist guides on hire basis. Shelter is
provided inside the park for tourists who wish to spend the
night. Tourists are advised to bring along mosquito tents
and insecticides. Mundemba, the headquarters of the Korup
project is the departure point for all excursions into the
mangrove forest, the park, the river Ndian and neighboring
Nigeria. The town has a few lodging facilities. THE LIMBE
BOTANIC GARDEN A tourist attraction center known as "jungle village" has been developed in the garden. Here, popular cultural activities take place during certain events or simply for the pleasure of tourists. Several routes have been mapped out to enable tourists to visit the garden such as : - the coastal trail, which enables tourists to have a good view of the western part of the garden ; - the biodiversity trail, which enables the tourist to get a picture of the biodiversity found in the garden ; - the Bota adventure trail, where big trees and some wild animals can be seen; - the riverside trail, where trees and creepers more than 100 years old etc. are found. ADDRESS:
Limbe Botanic Garden EBODJE
VILLAGE Excursions by boat on the sea or the river Likodo are also possible. You can also take a walk to the "Rocher du Loup" or go by car and be accompanied by a guide to tell the myth of the village. Ebodje was recently chosen as the site for the protection of sea tortoises by a regional project, Protomac. Tortoises usually come to the beach from November-January to lay eggs. Tourists
visiting Ebodje are advised to take along: ADDRESS:
Campo-Ma'an Project Masks are
a key part of the Cameroon Culture |
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