Upon arrival at the Douala International Airport, we pick you and usher you to your car for the transfer to the hotel. Depending on the traffic which in turn depends on the time at which you arrive Douala, it may take anything from 20 minutes to one hour to reach your hotel from where we checkin and lake a short briefing before you go to your room for the night.

Overnight at Akwa Palace Hotel 

Today we explore the city of Douala and its vicinities.

Douala is a steamy African port city with many nice places to visit. The city itself is large with a population of more than three million inhabitants and has not much touristic attractions except for its big market, its handicraft center and few places of interest. As the biggest city in Cameroon, Douala doesn’t attract many leisure tourists, but it does receive many foreign business visitors. Located along the Wouri River on the coastal of the Gulf of Guinea, Douala is considered the economic capital of Cameroon and the sub-region. Being a typical West African port city, demographic pressure and poor administration are somehow the main issues the make-up the character of this very lively city. Traffic jams, large overcrowded markets and hawking are some of the features of Douala’s daily life – it is a city that never sleeps – also because it is very hot during the day. Renowned all over Africa for its nightlife and restaurants, it is a fusion of arts and culture, hometown of the popular Makossa rhythm best edified by the legendary Manu Dibango and replayed by sme of the world’s best, including Michael Jackson, Rihana and Shakira. Douala id also known for the quality of its soccer players – with world stars like Roger Milla, Bell Joseph Antoine and one of the world’s best paid soccer, Samuel Eto’o Fils all calling it home.

Our city tour will get us into the spirit of this lively city to showcase its energy, the daily life as well as some of its highlights. We will end up at the “Marché Des Fleurs”, the local art and craft market. The region of Foumban in the western highlands of Cameroon is the center of handicraft production of the entire West & Central Africa and most masks and statues in this region have been produced by artisans of this area. The market will offer the opportunity to purchase some souvenirs that reflects the culture of this area.

Overnight at Akwa Palace Hotel

We leave hotel in the morning, cross the Wouri River and embark on the conquest of the Western Highlands of Cameroon as we make our way to the sultanate of Foumban in the Bamoun Kingdom. Highlight of this day is consubstantial with spectacular views of ‘rise & fall’ landscape of grassland, mountains and valleys, vast tropical plantations of rubber, palm, papaya, pepper, banana, pineapple etc, clusters of picturesque villages alongside the road – all gathered around the traditional authority of an powerful chief. Our first stop is at Penja to visit an important tropical flower plantation. From there, we proceed our way to Foumban with another important sop at the majestic Ekom Nkam waterfalls (81 m high, site of the Tarzan movie Greystock). We continue our journey northbound through the imposing heights of Santchou to the Mbo plain crossing picturesque villages, cocoa farms and coffee plantations. Near Bafoussam, we may stop at the Metche Falls that lay just next to the road and from the falls, we visit the Bandjoun Kingdom’s museum displaying the history and the migration of Bamileke people and their strong attachment to their ancestral culture and traditions. We expect to reach Foumban in the late afternoon. 

Overnight at Domaine Du Petpenoun  

The days is spent exploring the Bamoun land, a powerful kingdom founded by the Tikar emigrants under the leadership of King Nchare, whose most celebrated and prodigious grandson and successor King Njoya, is still remembered as the most emblematic figure for the expansion and prestige of the kingdom. Smart and elegant, King Njoya was the 17^th of the dynasty and is accredited with many innovative reforms of the kingdom, including the invention of the Bamoun script, the invention of a mechanic mill for grinding cereals, the Bamoun religion, the reconstruction of a more modern and bigger palace and to the current impressive royal museum. Opposite the museum is the royal colourful and crowdy market displaying various sort of commodities including sundries of fresh food, Bamoun fabrics, kitchen utensil, cosmetic, fashion, second-hand clothes, Chinese stuff and a long stall line of handicraft shops. Also, in the premise of the market is the Joya gigantic statue as well as the ‘big drum’ room. Our visit of the sultanate ends up at the artisan’s village where literally every house is a workshop with artisans on duty. Here you have the opportunity to bargain and bring home some souvenirs. We then return to the hotel for lunch so that in the afternoon, we may drive to one of the surrounding villages to meet a Bororo (cattle herders) family and later on return to the hotel for the night. 

Overnight at Domaine Du Petpenoun  

After breakfast we depart for Yaoundé via Dschang and Banganté over a scenic road dotted by mountains, vast rainforest, picturesque villages and roadside markets. On weekends, the area is a playground for all sorts of cultural ceremonies including funerals, naming ceremonies, circumcision, intronization of new kings, family meetings, traditional court disputes just to name few. Including various stops on the way like in Tonga, Makenene or Bafia, we expect to reach Yaounde in the late afternoon. Overnight at Jouvence Hotel or similar. 

Today we explore the city of Yaoundé after breakfast. A comprehensive city tour of Yaounde consists of driving across the Marché Central, a colourful and extraordinary lively place where thousands of traders, buyers, visitors, hawkers and businesspeople from all walk of the society meet, trade, bypass one another, quarrel and socialise. Between the noises, refuses, smells and heat, this ambiance gives you a clue of the daily life of most Cameroonians who can only make a living through informal petit business to overcome the high level of employment.

Driving through the main city’s streets where all government buildings are, we may stop at the at the national museum, an Art Deco building that used to serve as the presidency of the country in the early post-independence days. Here there is exhibition of object of ethnography and history value that relates the story of the country.

From the National Museum, we drive to the Monument of the Reunification, a gigantic status symbolizing and bearing the story of the reunification of West Cameroon (English-speaking part of Cameroon) and La Republique Du Cameroun, both parts that merged in 1961 and became the United Republic of Cameroon in 1972.

We may visit the private museum of Tende Muna and conclude our city tour with a visit to 3 handicraft centres including the National Art Market, the Tsinga craft centre, and the one not far from Tongou Hotel.

Through the national highway n°2, we drive towards the southern edge of Cameroon in the attempt to reach the boarder to Equatorial Guinea. We leave the hotel early and cross the city of Yaounde as we head on for Nkolandom that is just 18km after Ebolowa the regional capital of the South. On route to Ebolowa, we may stop at the Mfou reserve to watch some apes including Agile Magabey, Chimpanzee, Lowland Gorilla, Drills, Mandrills, Baboon just to name few. The entrance of the park is located about 40 km from Yaounde (on the highway to Ebolowa) and the park itself is situated 7km off the main road. We expect to spend one hour on safari in this park before proceeding to Nkolandom via Mablmayo and Ebolowa that is attainable after four hours or so. Depending on the time of arrival in Nkolandom and if left enough energy, we may sign up for one of the highlights in the vicinity of the Lodge; this includes visiting the small museum, hiking in one of the rock engraving sites, fishing or sailing over the adjacent lake or simply relaxing in the beautiful Centre Touristique de Nkolandom where we spend the night.  

After breakfast we depart for Kye Osi via Ambam. Located about 80 km from Nkolandom, Kye Osi is the border town to Equatorial Guinea (and Gabon too) and is a compulsory stop for Cameroon exit formalities and further on for Equatorial Guinea entry requirements. We cross the border by foot (3min walk) and meet our car and guide from Equatorial Guinea. Upon clearing the immigration, we leave for Oyala through Ebebeyin and Mongomo where we stop for a city tour. Mongomo boasts a beautiful cathedral, a big stadium and a beautiful central place which is lively and crowed. There is also a couple of nice restaurants including the Akoakam restaurant where we can stop for lunch before continuing our way to Oyala which we attain in the middle of the afternoon. Time permitting, we go for an Oyala city tour in the evening, driving across massive buildings, beautiful roads, plenty of construction sites, the university and other impressive facilities that are on project in this capitalto-be of the country. We spend the night in Djibloho Hotel, a four stars hotel and the only accommodation site available in the city.

In the morning we visit the city of Oyala, a futuristic city that is soon to become the capital of Equatorial Guinea. Settled in the middle of the jungle, Oyala, also known as ‘the city to peace’, is a vast field under heaps of construction work. We will visit some of the gigantic buildings that will serve as government offices, hotels, supermarkets and others. We then leave for Bata which we attain in the early afternoon after stopping at Anisok for a quick visit. In the afternoon, we undergo a sightseeing tour of Bata where we visit the clock square, the cathedral, the vibrant and colorful market, the death memorial, the mosque and the central avenues. Time permitting, we may go to the seafront in Bomé for a beach walk in the afternoon before returning to the hotel for the night.

Overnight at Ibis Hotel or similar 

In the morning, we drive for the airport to catch up with the domestic flight to Malabo that we attain half an hour later. Your guide will meet you at the Malabo airport and get you transferred to your hotel for check-in. In the afternoon we explore Malabo and its vicinity. We drive to Finca Sampaka, a once famous cocoa plantation (1900’s) that is still functioning, located about 10km from the city. Here you will learn about the cocoa production and possibly visit the farm before driving back to the city where you will start your city tour. During this city tour, you will explore the old part and the new part of Malabo. Your tour will include the impressive Santa Isabel Cathedral, the Equatorial Guinea Cultural Centre, the Spanish Cultural Institute, the Chamber of the People’s Representatives, the Cemeteries and Plaza de San Fernando, the Mission Convent, the Claretin House and Garden, markets, the stadium, as well as the “New Malabo”.  

Overnight at Sofitel Hotel 

We catch the evening flight to Bata this day, so that in the morning we can take the ride to Ureca, a coastal village located 35km in the southernmost edge of Bioko Island. Already famous for being the wettest place in Africa and among the top in the world with an annual pluviometry exceeding ten thousand millimeters, Ureca also boasts spectacularly beautiful landscape made up of long stretches of pristine volcanic beaches, dramatic waterfalls (Eola), thick rainforest full of hiking opportunities and birdlife just to name few. Few miles from Ureca lies the Moaba beach, a nestling site for more than four different marine turtles that colonize the coast in the nights through April and September to lay their eggs, therefore giving a night safari opportunity for those spending the night here. In lunchtime return to Malabo and in the evening, we catch the domestic flight for Bata where we spend the night in readiness for the road trip to Gabon the next day.

Overnight at Ibis Hotel or similar

In the early morning, we take the three hours’ drive to the Gabon boarder after Mongomo and comply with the exit formalities from Equatorial Guinea and drive further to Oyem for Gabon entry formalities. The Gabon car and guide then meet you and drive you through to Lambarene that is located southwards and attainable after approximately six hours. You will be driving this day across the countryside and encounter many villages and people along the way. Arrival in the late afternoon in Lambarene and overnight at the Albert Schweitzer Guest House.

Our day starts with a visit to the Albert Schweitzer Museum that is just a stone-throw from the Guest House.

Through a guided/lectured tour, we visit the museum recounting the remarkable work of Dr Albert Schweitzer in his relentless effort to improve health system in a particularly hostile African tropical country at that time, as well as making modern medicine available and affordable even to the less privileged. To achieve his noble goal, Schweitzer spent 50 years of his life – dating back from 1913 when he first arrived in Gabon – building and running the Lambarene Hospital which, he mostly financed with money gained from benefit concerts; donations and fundraising organised in Europe. As a Presbyterian theologian, a doctor and a highly talented organist, he was one of the best interpreters of his iconic idol Johan Sebastian Bach. The Lambarene new hospital is adjacent to the old hospital that has been transformed into guest house, and museum. The surgery room and the operation materials, the hospitalization rooms, the podiatry, the quarantine room and the consultation room are all in place including the materials and the Schweitzer’s old pedal piano. In the afternoon, we embark on a short city tour of Lambarene, visiting the lakeside market (basically a fish market), the old St François Xavier cathedral, the downtown as well as the new and old part that features a great collection of colonial buildings. Alternatively, you may opt to embark on a pirogue excursion to the surrounding lakes that are full part of Lambarene landmarks and history. This excursion last from a couple of hours to three and include a ride over the Evaro or Ezanga or Onangue lake along which you may spot birds and hippopotamus and also stop by an old protestant church. Overnight at Albert Schweitzer Guest House.

Early departure to Libreville this day. Libreville is approximately four hours’ drive from Lambarene and the sealed road is traversed by the Equator line. You will drive across picturesque villages, traversing a couple of nice suspension bridges and diverse landscape until you reach Libreville in the early afternoon. The remaining part of the day is spent set aside for a Libreville cultural and city tour. Sightseeing in Libreville includes a drive to the Boulevard the l’ Independence which runs along the water and is your primary point of orientation in town. The heart of the city is in between the presidential palace and the Novotel, the Presidential palace being one of the true heritages of the country, highly ornate and well-preserved site which draws a lot of crowds in Libreville. 

 The St Michel Cathedral has an amazing ambiance (mostly on Sunday mornings) and the sights of the interiors are truly very great. The columns inside attract lots of people because of their grandeur. The “Musée des Arts et Traditions” as well has a good collection of masks and musical instruments that are on display… Overall, Libreville is a town which is replete with a lot of monuments and the overall colonial French architecture has a lot of offer. From the north to the south of the city of Libreville there are major districts of the city, namely: the Batterie IV Quarter Louis (known for its nightlife) – Mont Bouet and Nombakele (the busy commercial district) - The district of Glass (the first European settlement in the country) - The major industrial area of Oloumi – the residential area of Lalala. Interestingly, we will visit the Libreville soccer stadium, a monument symbolizing the Chinese – Gabon friendship. The 2012 African Cup Of Nations took place in Gabon and this stadium was the playing ground of the final. We drive through the lively places and the colorful vibrant market with a stop at the handicraft center before driving back to the hotel for the night.

After Breakfast we leave for a 40min drive to the Akanda Raponda Walker arboretum where we spend some time exploring. After a while, we leave and drive to the fishermen village of Cap Esterias where long stretches of empty and pristine beaches wait for you. A visit to this pristine area enables you discover a selection of local delicacies and special seafood that is on offer along the beach. You will find the best seafood ever available in the country along your way. We will explore the area during the rest of the afternoon then drive back to Libreville for airport transfer.