Parade during Nguon, Foumban, Cameroon

Nguon Festival and Baka Communities

  • EXPERT-LED GROUP TOUR
Start date End date Days
Prices from
ex. flights
Single Supplement Tour Expert Group Size Status
12/04/24 12/15/24 12 days $0 $7,734 $897 Jorge Fernandez 12 Max AVAILABLE Reserve place

Key Highlights of this Itinerary

The sultan receiving gifts during Nguon, Foumban, Cameroon 1

Nguon Festival

Visit the 500-year-old royal Nguon Festival, which only happens every two years.

Kids swinging on vine, Cameroon 2

Baka People

Spend time with the iconic Baka people, deep within the Central African rainforest.

Church, Cameroon 3

Diverse Landscapes

Explore the Cameroonian highlands, forests and coastline.

Boats on beach, Kribi, Cameroon 4

Cameroon's Coast

Have time to relax on the white sand beaches on the Gulf of Guinea.

Explore our suggested itinerary

  • Day 1

    Douala

  • Day 2

    Douala - Melong

  • Day 3

    Melong - Foumban

  • Days 4-5

    Foumban

  • Day 6

    Foumban - Yaounde

  • Day 7

    Yaounde - The Baka

  • Day 8

    The Baka

  • Day 9

    The Baka - Yaounde

  • Day 10

    Yaounde - Kribi

  • Day 11

    Kribi

  • Day 12

    Kribi - Douala

Day 1

Douala

Day 2

Douala - Melong

Drive to the Western Cameroonian Highlands and visit the spectacular Ekom Nkam Waterfalls. After the visit, continue to Melong, Cameroon’s coffee capital (if times permits, we will visit a coffee plantation) and Mbouroukou, situated at the foot of Manengouba mountains at 1.300 mts.

Day 3

Melong - Foumban

Explore the Western Cameroonian Highlands to learn about the region’s interesting ethnic diversity and the prevailing political system of chiefdoms. This evening you will arrive in Foumban and get your first taste of the Nguon Festival.

Days 4-5

Foumban

Spend two days immersed in a unique ceremony that brings together Old Africa with Contemporary Africa. See some of Cameroon’s finest masks and fetishes in intense dances and people making business through their modern iPhones. Thanks to our local guide’s knowledge, you will explore the different sections of the Nguon and photograph the lesser known aspects of the festivity.

Day 6

Foumban - Yaounde

Stop at the Kingdom of Bandjoun Bamileke enroute to Yaounde.

Day 7

Yaounde - The Baka

A long drive of six hours across very rough road and a walk of approx. one hour into the forest home of the Baka people. Initial interactions will need to be without a camera with time spent getting to know your hosts thanks to the help of a local interpreter.

Day 8

The Baka

An exceptional day spent shadowing the Baka people, hunting food, collecting plants and playing with the local children.

Day 9

The Baka - Yaounde

Day 10

Yaounde - Kribi

Stop at Edea, a former German colonial town on the banks of the Sanaga River and visit the church and German cemetery of the small village of Mariemberg. Drive towards the border with Equatorial Guinea and stop at Kribi for great seafood and relaxation.

Day 11

Kribi

Visit the small Batanga fishing community of Lobe.

Day 12

Kribi - Douala

Morning to relax on the beach in Kribi before driving to Douala, a journey of 2 hours and 30 minutes. Our Cameroon adventure ends in Douala…

Water fall in Cameroon
Cameroon

Journey into the Highlands

Begin your journey into the Cameroonian highlands. Stop at the spectacular Ekom Falls, which featured in the 1984 film about Tarzan, “Lord Greystoke”. Continue to Melong, known as the “coffee capital of Cameroon” and situated in an area that is covered with rich, volcanic soil. This hilly region is the territory of two powerful tribal groups – the Bamileke and the Bamoun. Their rich cultural heritage and chiefdom-based political systems still survive.

Stop at the town of Bandjoun, capital of the largest chiefdom in the Bamileke Kingdom. Here, discover great traditional architecture in the royal court, as well as unique beaded elephant masks.

Women in front of wall, Foumban, Cameroon
Foumban, Cameroon

The Nguon Festival

Descend into this unique celebration, admiring some of the country’s finest masks and intense dances. With your local guide specialising in Bamoun culture, gain a unique insight into these elaborate rituals and celebrations.

The Nguon Festival is over 600 years old and celebrates the rich and vibrant Bamoun culture. It lasts for seven days, with each day heralding different dances, ceremonies and feasts. The celebrants fill the streets of Foumban, as the whole city is taken over by Nguon fever. Fantastic costumes and elaborate hats decorate the crowds, whilst musicians from nearby villages provide a soundtrack to the lively celebration.

Ba'ka people fishing, Cameroon
Cameroon

The Baka

The Baka are an ethnic group of hunter-gatherers who inhabit the rainforests of Central Africa. Renowned for their small stature, they are semi-nomadic, traditionally camping in the forest.

Whilst you are with them, gain an insight into how the forest provides for them. Join them on walks, foraging for food, barks, mushrooms and honey or see how a Baka hut is traditionally constructed from natural materials.

Experience the rich culture of the Baka, in the form of music, dancing and polyphonic singing. These performances often involve fire dances and can call upon the spirit of the forest, the “Ejengi”.

Beach bar view, Hotel Illomba, Kribi
Hotel Illomba, Kribi, Cameroon

Cameroon's Coast

Continue west past German colonial towns and finish your west African adventure beside the beach in Kribi. You will have time to visit the nearby Batanga village of Lobe. Meet the chief, try some of the freshly fried fish and discover the beautiful Lobe Falls, which flow directly into the sea.

Double room, Hotel Illomba, Kribi
Hotel Illomba, Kribi, Cameroon

Where Will You Stay?

In Douala and Yaounde we use comfortable, mid range hotels with private bathrooms, wifi and surprisingly good food. Outside of the towns, we use basic, but comfortable chalets and for the actual festival, a simple, but charming lake side resort in spacious gardens.

When in the forest, we use good quality expedition style, two man dome tents, including a foam mattress, sheet and small pillow. Hot water is provided daily and there is screened area for washing and adjacent long drop loo with a wooden seat, the only time on the trip where there is a shared bathroom. We end at Kribi in a family run, well-established boutique beach lodge in colourful gardens with well-earned cold drinks and delicious sea food.

Includes / Excludes

Important Information

Activity Level
Active
Single Supplement

Travelling on your own? Our group tours are perfect for solo travellers, as travelling as part of an organised group in faraway places provides security and peace of mind. We handle all of the arrangements for you and there will be a local tour guide on hand throughout to provide advice and help if needed, as well as the expertise of a Tour expert.

Flexibility

To allow flexibility, our group tours do not include international flights as standard. We can arrange international flights on your behalf, please get in touch with our travel experts for a quote. All international flights from the UK are ATOL protected.

What is included

  • Accommodation throughout
  • Accompanied by local English speaking guide during your time in Cameroon
  • All transfers and transport throughout
  • Meal as detailed in the itinerary
  • Tours and activities mentioned in the itinerary
  • Carbon offset of international flights based on travelling in economy class
  • Donation to Steppes Fund For Change
  • Accompanied by one of Steppes Travel's team

What is excluded

  • International flights
  • Visas
  • Drinks
  • Gratuities for local guides, drivers and porters

Other available dates

For further information about any of these tours please call 1 800 571 2985

Start date End date Days
Prices from
ex. flights
Tour Expert Group Size Status
12/04/24 12/15/24 12 days $0 $7,734 Jorge Fernandez 12 Max AVAILABLE Reserve place

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