At a Glance
Dates: February 7th - February 16th, 2025
Extension: We do not currently offer any extensions to this itinerary.
Prices: £3,600 pp sharing (with a £300 single supplement), excluding international flights.
In a sentence: Summit the highest mountain in West and Central Africa, whilst also seeking out its rarest wildlife.
Overview
Standing at over 4,000 metres, Mt Cameroon dominates south-western Cameroon. One of the best known peaks on the continent, and the highest in the region, this mighty summit towers over Cameroon, offering views (in good weather) as far as Malabo in Equatorial Guinea. Most visitors to the area race up and down the mountain in two or three days - literally, in some cases, as an annual race to the summit draws competitors from across the globe. Our itinerary, however, focusses on savouring this unusual peak, but also offering a real chance to see the rare species that still inhabit the forests that cloak the slopes of the mountain. Most commonly, Preuss's monkey can be encountered despite intense hunting pressure, and very lucky visitors may even glimpse drill, forest elephant or chimpanzee. Keen birders will also be entertained, with the chance of spotting the endemic Mt Cameroon francolin and Mt Cameroon speirops.
As with all tourism to Cameroon, facilities used on this tour are very basic, and the itinerary should be approached with a spirit of adventure. Mt Cameroon is a challenging peak to summit, and we recommend only clients with a high level of physical fitness consider this tour.
Itinerary
Day One
Douala
On arrival into Douala you will be met by your Pictus Safaris representative and transferred to your local hotel. There will be a pre-tour briefing in the hotel this evening but the remainder of the day is at leisure.
Day Two
Buea
After breakfast in the hotel this morning, you will be collected by our local partners and driven west towards the imposing Mt Cameroon. The drive lasts around three hours, and the remainder of the day will be at leisure at the local hotel, whilst local permits are acquired and arrangements are made by your tour leader. Dinner will be served in the hotel this evening, where there will also be a briefing to prepare you for our climb in the coming days.
Day Three
Hut One
We always aim to start early today, although it can sometimes take some time to ensure all porters are accounted for. We will drive the short distance from Buea to the 'Upper Farms', where our trek begins. Initially starting in relatively open farmland, we soon enter the enclosed jungle. Owing to its proximity to plenty of human habitation, the fauna densities here are very low, but we will still move slowly in case we are fortunate enough to encounter Preuss's monkey. The avifauna here is diverse and, if the weather is good, there will be plenty of opportunities for photography.
After at least two hours of walking, we arrive at the spartan 'Hut One'. This small hut is normally the end-point for day-hikers, or a lunch-stop for summiters, but we will spend the afternoon and night here. In part, this is to break up our climb to the summit into more manageable chunks, but also to maximise the chances of encountering mammal-life or birdlife before we leave the forest behind. A basic dinner will be prepared in the hut tonight.
Day Four
Hut Two
We will enjoy a relatively relaxed start this morning, enjoying breakfast in the hut or our tents as your tour leader heads out at first light to listen for any sign of Preuss's monkey or drill. Depending on whether any sign is detected, you will either spend the morning seeking a glimpse of these species, or instead scaling the steep flanks of the mountain to 'Hut Two'. This 'hut' is now made up of several well-appointed and comfortable chalets, making this the best accommodation on the mountain. The walk from 'Hut One' takes at least four hours, and we now find ourselves above the forest line - temperatures will drop quickly now as the wind picks up and we are exposed to any rainfall.
Dinner will be prepared at 'Hut Two' on arrival and, as darkness falls, we are often greeted with superb views of the lights of Buea far below.
Day Five
Summit/Mann's Spring
Today is undoubtedly the toughest day of the tour, and our summit day. Leaving 'Hut Two' as soon as practicable after breakfast, it is a three hour trek over steep and rough, volcanic terrain before we reach 'Hut Three', a basic hut nowadays only used as an emergency shelter. We are at an altitude of over 3,500 metres by now, and our pace will be slow as we negotiate a clear track, but one littered with sharp stones and often cloaked in dense fog. Just 45 minutes or so beyond 'Hut Three', we emerge at the unassuming summit, and at the highest point in West and Central Africa. With luck, a clear day will offer superb views across Cameroon and into Equatorial Guinea, although we should be prepared for fog, high winds and freezing temperatures.
We have plenty of distance to cover, however, and we will shortly begin our descent down ridges and lava fields, and eventually through grasslands, to Mann's Spring. This area is at least six hours of hiking from the summit, and so there will only be brief stops for lunch and snacks en route, before we arrive at our campsite by nightfall. Mann's Spring is one of the most productive areas of the mountain for wildlife sightings, due to the dense undergrowth of the forest nearby, but exploring will have to wait until tomorrow!
Days Six to Seven
Mann's Spring
Most visitors descend directly from Mann's Spring today, but we have two full days set aside to explore this area and seek out its wildlife. There is almost no mammal-focussed ecotourism here, and our tour is trailblazing in that respect - guests should expect wildlife to exist at low densities due to hunting pressure, and glimpses of wildlife may be fleeting, as well as few and far between. However, due to the thick rainforest below Mann's Spring, this area provides refuge for some of the mountain's most charismatic inhabitants. Preuss's monkey are common here, and will be a key target for us. Chimpanzee and drill are encountered much more rarely, and sightings require significant effort. Birders should keep their eyes peeled for some very special targets, including Mt Cameroon francolin and scarce swift.
On at least one day we will make the two-hour hike to the 'Elephant Opening'. This mineral lick is the best bet for sightings of the population of forest elephant here (the three or four herds on the mountain now make up a population of under 100 animals). It is best to arrive here early and spend several hours waiting, but there are certainly no guarantees that these gentle giants will make an appearance. Nights will be spent at our basic campsite at Mann's Spring.
Day Eight
Bakingili
Finally, after an extended period on the mountain, we descend the four hours or so, initially through thick forest and then into open woodland, before reaching the village of Bokwango. Here, celebratory drinks await, before a road transfer to Bakingili and a basic beachside lodge. Your evening is set aside to rest and recover, enjoying the peaceful surrounds of this small piece of Cameroon's Atlantic coastline.
Day Nine
Buea
Your morning is at leisure to enjoy the black-sand beach of Bakingili today, before we transfer the short distance by road to Buea this afternoon. Here, we spend our last night in Cameroon.
Day Ten
Douala/Tour End
This morning, guests are driven back to Douala to meet their outbound flights.
Please be aware that whilst we make every effort to follow the above itinerary as closely as possible, circumstances may
occasionally arise that mean the tour deviates from the itinerary.
Dates and Prices
This tour will run in February 2025, aiming to take advantage of the dry season when hiking is at its least demanding. The tour will run from February 7th to February 16th in 2025.
The cost of this trip is £3,600 per person excl. flights, with a £300 single supplement. This includes all meals, accommodation and wildlife-focussed activities. Drinks are not included. To secure a booking, a deposit payment of £1,200 plus any single supplement must be paid.
Flights and Visas
Pictus Safaris do not offer flight booking services. However, we do recommend the use of travel comparison websites such as skyscanner.net or momondo.com to identify the best fares, and then booking with the airline directly where possible. This will reduce the likelihood of complications and fees should any issues with your booking arise. If you wish to spend an additional night in Yaounde or Douala at the beginning or end of your tour, we can arrange this for you at an extra cost. We strongly recommend booking flights leaving Douala after 14.00 on your return, if leaving on the same day that we return to Douala to avoid disruption to your plans.
British nationals do require a visa to enter Cameroon. Clients of other nationalities are advised to check well before travel whether they require an entry visa. Details of the process of obtaining a tourist visa for Cameroon will be provided to you upon booking. The cost of a Cameroon single-entry visa for UK citizens is £110 - these must be obtained before arrival into Cameroon.
Weather and What to Bring
The weather in South-Western Cameroon in February is warm and dry, with maximum temperatures of around 27 degrees Celsius. At night, temperatures will drop to around 19 degrees Celsius. On the mountain, temperatures will not feel much higher than freezing with windchill taken into account - climbers should also expect dense fog.
A full packing list will be circulated at least two months prior to departure. Pictus Safaris will be able to provide one extra set of binoculars and two spotlights per group, and clients are welcome to bring additional camera, videography and scope equipment should they wish to. Please note that the use of drones is not permitted in many protected areas. We strongly recommend bringing comfortable, loose-fitting and neutral-coloured clothing on safari - please do not bring camouflage clothing. We recommend against dark coloured clothing (e.g. black or dark blue) as this attracts biting flies. Worn-in hiking boots with ankle support are a must, as are sunglasses, sun protection and a hat.
Do also remember to budget for any expenses not included in the cost of the trip, including for gratuities and additional activities. We recommend bringing US Dollars and Euros.
Safety and Security
The security situation in south-western Cameroon is poor, with significant unrest in the self-declared territory of 'Ambazonia'. Whilst Mt Cameroon is not impacted by this unrest, this tour takes place in areas to which foreign travel is advised against, and clients will therefore need specialist high-risk insurance for this tour.
Book Now
To secure a booking on this fantastic holiday, please contact us at contact@pictus-safaris.com.