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Cameroon
is Africa in One Country
by
Jerry W. Bird
"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 making its debut in fall
2004.
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
This progressive country is already high on the
preferred list in terms of business travel. Scan
the financial pages, or dig a little deeper in the
Internet, and you'll see what I mean - the country
is rich with potential in terms of agriculture,
forestry, marine life, minerals and natural
resources. And a word to the wise, "Where business
goes, tourism flows" - and vice versa. Europeans
discovered long ago what most North Americans have
yet to learn - that Cameroon is a Tourism Mecca in
the raw. Ministry officials agree with with the
popular expression that their land is Africa in One
country." In other words Cameroon is a little bit
of everything, or as my Grade 9 Spanish textbook
said in its title, "de todo un poco."
Located on the West
coast of Africa,Cameroon (population 15,000,00) is
bordered by Nigeria, Gabon, Chad, Central African
Republic, Congo and Equatorial Guinea. While there
are over 200 tribal groups, the main languages of
commerce are French and English. Much of the
architecture remains from the country's days as a
German colony. Cameroon's Atlantic Ocean coastline
extends 400 km, offering long stretches of beach.
The varied climate ranges from tropical rain forest
to open Savannah, with high mountain ranges on the
North West border. Throughout Cameroon there are
areas of thermal springs for those who like an
outdoor health spa retreat. As they say, "A little
bit of everything."
Waza
National Park.
Visitors
can observe elephant, giraffe, ostrich, antelope,
gazelle and lion - and a variety of birds. Lions
are best observed during April.
Yaounde,
Cameroon's Visitor- friendly Capital 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
Ever since returning from Cameroon, we've been
spreading the word that here's a country that's
truly ready to welcome visitors and doing
everything to pave the way. That's why we are so
pleased with response from other media, such as the
prestgious British Broadcasting Corporation
(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 in 2001, which we enjoyed to the fullest
as a learning experience and an example of African
hospitality at its best.
On
behalf of my ATA colleagues, I encourage you to
visit this fascinating country during 2003 - the
climate is superb.
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
With a population comprising more than two
hundred and fifty ethnic groups having traditions
dating a thousand years back, a biodiversity
characterized by forest, savannah and mountains,
the richest and most diversified fauna, Cameroon
has an enormous ecotourist potential. There are
four sites which are really worth mentioning : the
Dja Forest Reserve, the Korup National Park, the
Limbe Botanic Garden and Ebodje.
THE
DJA RESERVE
Situated in the South Province of Cameroon and
declared since 1987 a World Heritage Site by
UNESCO, the Dja Forest Reserve covers a surface
area of 5,260 km2. More than 1,500 plant species
have been identified there. With regard to fauna,
there are more than 107 mammals and some 320 bird
species found in and around the forest reserve.
This fauna comprises notably: Elephants, gorillas
and chimpanzees. Cameroon
THE
KORUP NATIONAL PARK
As for the Korup National Park, it is situated
in the South West Province of Cameroon. It has a
surface area of 1 259 km2 and is considered to be
one of the oldest and most beautiful tropical rain
forests in the world. Its rich flora and fauna
result from a unique fact :the site of the Korup
Park, in fact survived the ice age!
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
The Korup National Park is developed as a
natural fauna reserve where one can still find
elephants, buffalos, antelopes, leopards,
chimpanzees, drills and a variety of other small
animals.
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.
ADDRESS: The Conservator, Korup National Park
P.O Box 303 Buea, WWF Cameroon
P.O Box 2417 Douala, Tel/Fax : (237) 343 21
71
THE
LIMBE BOTANIC GARDEN
Created in 1892 by German horticulturists to
acclimatize economic and medicinal plants such as
quinine, coffee, rubber, cocoa and banana, the
botanic garden in Limbe also served as a training
center for Cameroonians in the field of
agriculture, horticulture and forestry. Today, it
has become the greatest tourist attraction in the
South West Province after Mount Cameroon. It is
also an international research center in the area
of bio-diversity.
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
P.O Box 437, Limbe, Cameroon
Tel. (237) 333 26 20
Tel / Fax : (237) 343 18 76/343 18 72
E-mail : mcplbg @iccnet.cm
EBODJE
VILLAGE
Ebodje village is found on the banks of the
Atlantic Ocean, some 50 km from Kribi, on the road
to Campo : This village, whose inhabitants have as
their main occupation fishing, has beautiful
beaches propitious to walks and
swimming.
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:
- a pair of additional bed sheets
- a mosquito tent and anti-mosquito products
- bottles of mineral water.
ADDRESS:
Campo-Ma'an Project
SNV eco-development section,
BP. 219 Kribi, Tel/Fax : (237) 346 21 37
Cel : (237) 990 90 38, E-mail Campo-maan@
genet.cm
Masks
are a key part of the Cameroon Culture
Whether they are of wood, beads or animal
skins, masks perpetuate over all the country;
shapes and ideas that have come down from the dawn
of time. In the area of ecotourism, one may also
mention: - the site of the dinosaur in Manangia,
North Province (Mayo Rey). This site which dates
back to 120 million years was first discovered in
1988. Two hundred and fifty footprints and some
fifty tracks of the dinosaur have been
fossilized.
Douala
and The Cameroon Story
Douala,
Cameroon's largest city with over 2 million
inhabitants, has hosted two major events sponsored
by the Africa Travel Association since 2001. During
post tours, we had many opportunities to sample the
hospitality and feel the true spirit of the people,
who make up this land they call Africa in One
country. Nowhere was this feeling more evident than
in Douala during the Ngondo Festival, a spectacle
unlike anything I've ever seen in Africa. Annual
festivals and gala events abound throughout West
Africa, but this one tops them all as a simply
outstanding spectacle that has deep spiritual
significance. Having read Wilbur Smith's great book
"The River God," concerning life on the Nile and
Blue Nile in ancient times, I have been keenly
interested in the rivers of Central Africa and the
mysteries they hold. In this case, the Wouri River,
focal point of the Ngondo Festival in Douala, has
its own River Gods, it's a ceremony involving the
"water spirits," who communicate their message in
an unusual way.
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
Popular quotation: "Life is music and the beat of
the heart is its rhythm
If you dance, you vibrate and he who vibrates
lives."
Cameroon is a
living tradition and each region has its own
style
It is a country where you can still be Tarzan. In
the last ten years ago, ecotourism has become a
major feature in tour operator's
itineraries.
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: 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."
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.
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