Cameroon All Round Ornithological Tours
TOUR ITINERARY: Douala – Buea – Mundemba – Nyassoso – Bamenda – Yaounde – Garoua– Ngaoundaba – Benoue National Park – Lake Lagdo - Maroua – Waza National Park – Maroua – Yaounde. – Kribi – Campo – Douala for flight back.
TOUR DURATION: 25 days/ 24 nights
Introduction
Cameroon is a country strategically located at the crossroads between Western and Central Africa, slightly above the Equator. This strategic position makes Cameroon a country with a very rich natural diversity and cultures. In such a way that you need to go to many African countries before you have climates, vegetation and other biodiversities and cultures found only in Cameroon. That is the reason why Cameroon is qualified deservedly as "Africa in Miniature". The country covers a total area of about 475,440 km2 with an estimated population of about 21, 180, 885 (July, 2012). The political capital is Yaoundé and the economical capital is Douala. There are two official national languages (French and English) with an additional approximately 275 different African dialects spoken in the country by about 250 ethnic groups.
This wonderful country supports a large variety of birding Habitats, ranging from lowland equatorial rain forests in the southern part of the country to Afro-montane forests in SW and NW, through savannah grasslands, sahel and wetlands.
The large diversity of habitats makes of Cameroon the richest country in terms of birds in West African, with about 930 bird species of which 35 endemics and near-endemics (29 endemics bird species are confined to Cameroon highlands and a tiny part of Nigeria, while 06 bird species are restricted in Cameroon lowlands rain forests). Six bird species are found only in Cameroon and nowhere else all over the world (There are strictly endemics to Cameroon).
Detailed Tours: Itinerary Cameroon All Round Tours
Day 1: Arrival in Douala
At the Douala International Airport, you are welcomed by your local guide, transferred to your hotel (Foyer du Marin) for a short briefing, diner and overnight. Douala is the economical capital of Cameroon and the biggest city of the country, with a population of about 2, 446, 945 (2011), concentrated on a surface area of 923 square kilometers. Douala is located at the border of the Atlantic Ocean and is watered by several ponds and rivers. That is why Douala and its region constitute a very interesting zone for water birds and some forest birds from swamp forest and gallery forests.
Day 2: Birding around Douala, drive to Kribi
Very early in the morning today, we will explore some ponds around Douala, with the expectation to admire the near-threatened Hartlaub’s Duck and many other water birds such as African Finfoot, Little Egret, African Darter, as well as some grassland birds including Orange Weaver and more.
Later on, we drive southwards to Kribi, stop for birding at three specific places. During our stops, we will see numerous lovely Grey Pratincole and some African Skimmers as well as White fronted Plovers and White-headed Lapwings remarkable by their pendulous yellow wattles. We will also watch the faithful Rock Pratincole reheating on the sun, Common Sandpiper, a large numbers of Preuss’s Cliff Swallows with their nests under the bridge, Mottled, Sabine’s and Cassin’s Spinetails. we might also see White-chinned Prinia, Grey-crowned Negrofinc, Green Crombec, Palm-nut Vulture, Red-necked Buzzard, Lizard Buzzard, African Harrier Hawk, African Green Pigeon, Grey Parrot, Blue-headed Coucal, Green Hylia Western Nicator, Spectacled Weaver and others.
We arrive Kribi in the afternoon and after Checking in, we relax on the beautiful white sandy beach while watching some water birds. Our dinner will take place at the beach with some fresh and succulent grilled fish directly from the sea, then overnightat Jully Hotel in Kribi.
Day 3: Kribi – Campo Ma’an National Park
The Campo Ma’an is located in the heart of the equatorial forest in the far south west of Cameroon. It shares its western boundary with the Atlantic Ocean and its southern boundary with the Equatorial Guinea. Because of this interesting location, Campo Ma’an has coastal ecosystems and freshwater rivers, as well as tropical lowland forests and mountainous areas. This precious National Park is therefore a site with great biological diversity, including more than 350 bird species.
Today, we travel to Campo National Park through the forest while birding along the way. Our first main stop will be to admire the lobe waterfalls while enjoying surrounding water birds. on the way, we will visit the Ebodje Marine Tordus site. On our arrival in the evening, we will directly go to the Picathartes site to observe the famous endemic bird returning to its nest for the night. Overnight in Campo guest house.
Day 4: Birding at the Campo National Park.
After a very early breackfast, we head to the Campo National Park. Our main target here is the marvelous and enigmatic Red-headed Picathartes. I am 99.99% sure to show you this endemic bird just at 14 minutes walk from our car. We will also see most of the typical tropical lowland forest birds including the majestic Great Blue Turaco, Green Turaco, Yellow-billed Turaco, Long-tailed Hawk, Black Guineafowl, Rufous-sided Broadbill, White-spotted Flufftail, Afep Pigeon, White-crested Turaco, Chocolate-backed Kingfisher, African Dwarf Kingfisher, all the forest Hornbills (White-crested, Red-billed Dwarf, Black-and-white-casqued, Black-casqued Wattled Hornbill), Blue Cuckoo-Shrike, Cassin's Flycatcher, Western Black-headed Oriole, Black-winged Oriole, Black-shouldered Puffback, Western Nicator, Yellow-throated Nicator, Shining Drongo, Malimbes, all the forest Greenbuls, Rufous-sided Broadbill and more, overnight in Campo guest house.
Day 5: Campo – Kribi – Douala
Birding at the Campo region, back to Kribi while birding on the way. Stop for Birding by boat to visit a pygmy settlement, drive to Douala while birding on the way for overnight.
DAY 6: Douala – Maroua – Waza National Park
After an early breakfast we catch a morning domestic flight to Maroua at the Douala international airport. Maroua is the capital city of the Extreme North region of Cameroon. On our arrival in Maroua-Salak airport around noon, we are greeted by our local guide, leaded to the restaurant for lunch and immediate drive to Waza national park. On the way to waza, we will admire the luxurious sahel landscap with its beautiful birds easy to see. We will have two main marvelous birding stops. At the first stop, I will bring you to a specific place where you will have the privilege to enjoy rocky specialties, including the marvelous Mocking Cliffchat, the very noisy Stone Partridge, the Rock-loving Cisticola, the Rock Firefinch, Little Green Bee Eater. At the second stop, we are welcomed by the beautiful Back scrob Robin, which will amaze us throughout our stay here by his melodious song and the exhibition of its black tail decorate by white outer tailed feathers. Here, we also expect to see the magnificent Golden Nightjar and the scarce Quail Plover.
We arrived at Waza in the evening, check in, dinner and overnight at the "Campement de Waza" located at the luxurious hillside adorning the entrance of the park.
Day 7 and Day 8: Waza National Park.
We spend two full days birding in the Waza National Park. With a surface area of 1,700 km², this park offers a great variety of habitats including wetlands, dry wooded and grasslands savanna as well as hills. This beautiful landscape is home of a multitudes of fabulous wildlife such as West African giraffes, elephants, many species of antelope, lion, wart hog, cheetah, waterbuck, topi, red-fronted gazelle, hartebeest, buffalo, baboon, monkeys. During our excursion in the park, we will enjoy numerous mixed flocks gathering Grey and White-headed Herons, Great and little Egrets, Chestnut-bellied Sandgrouse, Crowned Cranes, African Open-bill, Yellow-billed, Saddle-billed and Abdim's Storks. We will also meet some isolated birds like Spotted Thick-knee, Clapperton's Francolin, African ostrich, White-bellied Bustard, and groups of Helmeted Guineafowls. Numerous birds of prey are found in this park. Among them we have Ruppell's Griffon, Lappet-faced and Hooded Vultures, Secretary Bird, Tawny Eagle and more. A night drive in the park will lead us to the encounter with the Northern White-faced Owl, Long-tailed, Standard-winged Nightjar, African wild dog, bush cat, and mores birds and animals. We will spend the two nights at “Campement de Waza”.
Day 9: Waza National Park– Garoua
After an early breakfast, we drive back to Garoua, Dird-watching on the way. Garoua is the capital city of the Northen region of Cameroon. Dinner and overnight in hotel de la Benoue.
DAY 10: and day 12: Garoua – Lake Lagdo – Bénoué National Park
After breakfast we immediately head southwards to the BNP via Lake Lagdo (for water birds). The BNP is the Natural Reserve located in the humid Guinea savannah biome, between Garoua in the North and Ngaoundéré in the South (at 185 Km from the Ngaoundabal Range). Created in 1968 on an area of 180,000 hectares. With 306 recorded species of birds, the park is a paradise for bird watchers. Right from the entrance of the Park, we will start seeing wonders of the nature constitute by many birds and mammals. We reach the "Campement de Buffle Noir" (our lodging camp located at the border of the river Bénoué inside the Park) around noon, check in and lunch before a late afternoon birding expedition. During the two days excursion, we expected to see a lot of Guinea savanna specialties including Grasshopper Buzzard, Blue-bellied Roller, Heuglin’s Wheatear, Senegal Batis, White-fronted Black-Chat, Pygmy Sunbird, Senegal Eremomela, Red-winged Pytilia, Emins Shrike, Adamawa Turtle Dove, White-Crested and Violet Turaco, Bruce’s Green-Pigeon, Senegal Parrot, Bearded Barbet, and Gray-headed Oliveback.and many more. Water birds along the river bank include Egyptian Plover, Spur-Winged Lapwing, African Wattled Lapwing.
Dinner and overnight stay at Campement de Buffle Noir in Bénoué National Park.
DAY 13: Bénoué National Park – Ngaoundabal Ranch
We arrive to the Ngaoundabal Ranch in the afternoon and directly begin birding safari around the crater lake of the ranch before lunch. The ranch is an old hunting lodge situated besides a dormant volcano overlooking a Crater Lake. We will bird in marsh land, open lake, woodland and gallery forest. In all these habitats, we will expect to see the following: Snowy-crowned Robin Chat, Purple Glossy Starling, Western Grey Plantain-Eater, Marsh Tchagra, Blue-Breasted Kingfisher, Dybowski's, Brown Twin-Spots, Schlegel's Francolin, Brown-Chested Lapwing, Western Violet-backed Sunbird, Black-Capped Babbler, Ross's Turaco, Grey-Winged Robin Chat, Puvells Illadopsis and many more. All the birding will be around the ranch property on foot and will require some moderate hiking and climing. We will also do some night birding around the lodge.
Dinner and overnight at Ngaoundabal Range Lodge.
DAY 14: Ngaoundaba Ranch
Full day excursion at Ngaoundabal Ranch.
Dinner and overnight stay at Ngaoundabal Range Lodge.
Day 14: Ngaoundabal-Garoua-Yaounde
Very early birding in the gallery forests in and around the ranch before breakfast. After breakfast, we head to Garoua for our evening flight to Yaounde. Dinner and overnight in Yaounde.
Day 15, Yaounde-Bamenda
Early birding, breakfast and drive to Bamenda via Bafoussam while birding on the way. During a long drive on this national high way, we expect to see mostly raptures and farmland birds among which the African Harrier Hawk, Lizard Buzzard, African Goshawk, Red-necked Buzzard, Black Kite, White-cheeked Oliveback, Red-shouldered Whydah, Winding Cisticola, Red-faced Cisticola. We arrive Bamenda in the evening, dinner and overnight at Ayaba Hotel.
DAY 16: Lake Awing zone and Mbingo
Early breakfast, birding at Lake Awing zone and Mbingo where we expect to see many mountain endemics including the beautiful Bannerman's Turaco, Bannerman's Weaver, African Hill Babbler, Grey Apalis, Black-collared Apalis, Cameroon Montane Greenbul, Yellow-breasted Boubou, Banbed Wattle-eye, African Stonechat, Chubb’s Cisticola; as well as many other birds like Little Grebe, Waller's Chestnut-winged Starling, Neuman’s Starling, overnight in Bamenda at Ayaba Hotel. or Mondial hotel.
DAY 17: Mankon secret forest, Mount OKU
Early birding in Mankon secret forest, then drive to Oku. Expectations: Banded Wattle-eye, Bamenda Apalis, Bannerman’s Turaco and Weaver, Oriole Finch, Bangwa Forest Warbler, Mountain Boubou, Africa Green-Pigeon, Yellow Bishop, Cameroon Mountain Greenbul, Chestnut-Winged Starling, Petit’s Saw-wing, Short-toed eagle, Cassin’s Hawk-Eagle, Red-Necked Buzzard, Brown-backed cisticula and many more. Drive to Yaounde for evening flight to Garoua. Garoua is the capital city of the Northen region of Cameroon. On our arrival in the night, we are greeted by our local guide,then tranfert to hotel de la Benoue for dinner and overnight.
DAY 18: Oku - Bamenda-Nyasoso
Early birding around Oku, breakfast and drive to Nyasoso at the foot of Mount Kupé mountain forest.via Bamenda via Bafoussam and Tombel while birding on the way. During a long drive on this national high way, we expect to encounter raptures and farmland birds among which the African Goshawk, Red-necked Buzzard, Lizard Buzzard, Black Kite, African Harrier Hawk, White-cheeked Oliveback, Red-shouldered Whydah, Winding Cisticola, Red-faced Cisticola. From Tombel, We could start to see some sub-montane birds like…We arrive Nyasoso in the evening, Dinner and overnight stay at the guesthouse in Nyasoso. or in the women’s centre.
Day 19: Nyasoso, Birding on Mt Kupe
Today, will spend the whole day birding on the slopes of Mount Kupe. Mt Kupe is the predilection area of Bush-shrike, with about fifteen species. Out of those multitude of shrikes, we expect to see here numerous mountain endemics and many other birds including the Naked faced Barbet, Spotted Greenbul, Chestnut wattle-eye, Brown-Crowned Eremomela, White-Spotted Flufftail, Emerald Cuckoo, Black-throated Apalis, African Harrier Hawk, Red-Eyed Puffback, Yellow Longbill, Red-Necked Buzzard, Mount Kupe Bush Shrike, Purple-throated Cuckoo-Shrike, Grey Parrot, Yellow Breasted Boubou, Grey-headed Broadbill, Bar-Tailed Trogon and many more. We will be back to Nyasoso by dusk for dinner and night in the Nyasoso guesthouse.
DAY 20: Bakossi Mountain
Early morning birding and continuation to the Bakossi Mountain in the village of Kodmin at the discovery of the mythical and precious Mount Kupe Bush Shrike and many more mountain endemics. Return at dusk, dinner and night in the Nyasoso guesthouse.
Day 21: Nyasoso – Mundemba
Early birding, then breakfast and drive to Mundemba, Birding on the way through the tropical rainforest. Expected are is the majestic Yellow casqued Hornbill……. In addition to numerous birds, this rain forest is also home to chimpanzees, the endangered drill (the genus of forest baboons belonging), African forest elephant.
We arrive Mundemba in the afternoon and after check-in, we will have an evening excursion in the secondary forests and farmlands surrounding this small town. We may see many grey parrots flying to their sleeping, Chattering Cisticola, Olive-bellied Sunbird, Red-eyed Dove, African Harrier-Hawk, Pin-tailed Wydah, Lesser Striped Swallow, Black-bellied Seedcracker.
Dinner and overnight stay at Bosseme Hotel in Mundemba.
Day 22: Mundemba – Mana Bridge – Korup National Park
We have two full days to explore the lowlands of Korup National Park, a vast wilderness evergreen lowland forest. Very early in the morning, the car will take us to the Mana footbridge, a long (120 m) suspension bridge accross the Mana River, a large rocky river separating the surrounding areas from the park. After crossing the bridge, we walk through the lowland rainforest to the Rengo camp located at 7…, Km from the bridge. On the way we expect to see numerous species of greenbuls , Green-tailed and Common Bristlebills, Brown, Black-capped and Pale-breasted Illadopsises, the melodious Forest Robin, Blue Cuckoo-shrike, Black-casqued, Yellow-casqued and Red-billed Dwarf hornbills.Grey Parrot, Green Hylia, Brown-chested Alethe, Red-bellied Paradise Flycatcher, Western Black-headed Oriole, Yellow-bellied Wattle-eye, Shining Drongo, Yellow-throated Tinkerbird, Rufous Flycatcher Thrush, Bare-cheeked Trogon and Blue-headed Wood Dove and many more.
After arrival at the Camp, we will have some food and rest, and then hurry to the "Picathartes Rock Hill", expecting to see the enigmatic and shy endemic bird returning silently and guardedly to its nest for the night.
In the night, African Wood Owl and/or Vermiculated Fishing Owl may try to accompany you in your sleep; just get ready your flash light, I will call him and you will admire him.
Evening meal and overnight stay a Rengo Camp in Korup National Park.
Day 23: Excursion at Korup National Park, drive to Mundemba – Buea
Early birding, then breakfast and return to the Mana suspension bridge where a stand-by vehicle will take us to Buea, the capital city of the Southwest Region of Cameroon. This town extends between 700 and 1,000 meters altitude and is located just at the foot of Mount Cameroon, the majestic and magnificent mountain which will be the subject of our joy and relaxation during the next three days. At the Capitol Hotel of Buéa where you will spend the night today, have dinner and one overnight stays.
Day 24: Excursion at Mount Cameroon
We will spend the whole day at the discovery of the great ornithological heritance of Mount Cameroon. Mount Cameroon (a massive volcano) is the highest mountain in West Africa with an altitude of 4095 meters. By virtue of its height altitude, its location alongside the Atlantic Ocean and its isolation, this mountain harbors very special and unique birds, including numerous mountain endemics and near-endemics. The stratified vegetation of this mountain, expanding from the farm lands to the savannah, passing through the dense African tropical rain forest, will make you crazy of its ornithological diversity. Our main target today is the freaky Mount Cameroon Speirops ( We will need to add at least one more day excursion if we want to see the tremendous Mount Cameroon francolin) and many other mountain endemics and near-endemics including Cameroun Montane Greenbul, Western Mountain Greenbul, Grey-headed Greenbul Yellow-breasted Boubou, Western Green Tinkerbird, Shelley's Oliveback, Evergreen Forest Warbler, Northern Double-collared Sunbird, Green Longtail, Grey Apalis, Mountain Robin Chat, African Hill Babbler, Mountain Saw-wing, Cameroun Olive Pigeon, Chubb’s Cisticola. We will also meet the following species Mackinnon’s Shrikes, Whinchat, Long-legged Pipit, Grey-crowned Negrofinch, Oriole Finch, Brown-capped Weaver, Yellow Bishop, Black-capped Waxbill.
We will be back in Buéa town by dusk, have dinner and one overnight stays at Hotel Capitol in Buéa.
Day 25: Buea – Limbe - Douala
After a very early breakfast, we drive to Limbe (..) where we spend the whole morning birding in the Limbe Botanical Garden and the beach. Expected to see today are: Reichenbach’s Sunbird, Green Headed Sunbird, Carmelite Sunbird, Western Blue bill, Giant Kingfisher, Malachite Kingfisher, Woodland Kingfisher, Long tailed Cormorant, Palm nut Vulture, Black Goshawk, Green Turaco, Western Reef Heron, African Grey parrot, Cassin’s Flycatcher, and more. Common sandpiper, Wood Warbler, Pale-fronted Negrofinch, Blue-headed and Brown Sunbird, Green-throated Sunbird. After lunch, we drive to Douala while birding all along the way for your flight back home.
