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The Baka pygmies of Cameroon are certainly one of the oldest peoples of the world’s forests. Their number is estimated at about 40,000 people, which makes them the largest pygmy group in these countries, with the Bagyely, Medzam and Bakola ethnic groups with only a few thousand people.
Basically, the pygmy groups are united by a common culture and share the same way of life: exploitation of the forest environment by hunting, fishing and gathering, honey harvesting, construction of intertwined huts (moungoulous) covered with foliage ensuring their sealing, use of plants, bark, roots and plant fibres for therapeutic purposes, cult animist of the spirit of the forest (Kirdi) and the protective totem of the community (Ejengi).
The vast majority of the Baka are out of school. The Baka youth learn about the forest from an early age and actively participate in the life of the camp by practising gathering, fishing and «small hunting» with the help of traps. The evenings are dedicated to collective games and participation in songs and dances that bring families together around campfires.
Included/Excluded
- Double accommodation in half board basis
- Meet & greet
- Land transportation all inclusive
- All entries as mentioned in the program
- An English speaking professional guide
- Mineral water (1.5 lt per day)
- Local guides and porters
- International Air Fares & Visas
- Baka traditional dance
- Lunch & Drinks
- Tips/Gratuities
- Personal needs not mentioned in the program
- Laundry
Day 1: Yaounde
Your guide will be waiting you at the Yaounde Nsimalen airport upon airrival. A private airport transfer will be arranged to get you transferred to the city of Yaounde that lies 30km from the airport. Depending on the time of arrival, traffic jam may slow the transfer time to anything from 45min – 1h or so. Hotel check-in, briefing and night.
Day 2: Yaounde – Bifolone
Early departure to the land of the Baka Pygmies within the Biosphere Reserve of Dja. Located 250km eastward of Yaounde, the Dja Reserve is a block of thick rainforest classed Unesco World Heritage since 1987; it is home to plenty of wildlife (although hard to see because of its vastness) and a good number of Baka Pygmies dwells around the reserve in small encampments deep in the bush. It takes approximately 08hours to attain the reserve, including a 3-hour drive over a sealed road from Yaounde to the junction of Mbama and another 3.5-4 hours’ drive upon dirt road from Mbama entrance until the main entrance of the Reserve via Messamena. On the midway to the Parc entrance, we stop in Bifalone where a group of Baka Pygmies leave in the depth of the rainforest in small encampment. We’re welcome by our hosts and immediately erect our tents in their camp where we spend the night. During the night, we will be treated by series of their folklore, themed dance performances, and many other displays of their traditions and culture.
Day 3: Bifolone – Somalomo
In the morning we embark on a hunting expedition with our hosts, grabbing the opportunity to witness demonstration of various of their hunting techniques according to the targeted game. We also witness how they used medicinal plants to heal several tropical diseases as well as other mystic virtues of plants to obtain good luck, charm, promotion, change undesirable outcome of a critical situation… Baka Pygmies are very famous not only in many international tourists’ minds, but also among the local bantu urban population who regularly consult them in order to obtain one of the above-mentioned favour. In the afternoon, we leave Bifolone and embark on a drive to Somalomo which we attain after a 2-3h drive over a dirt road. We spend the night in Ecofac Guest house, a very basic accommodation site with very limited facilities, no running water, no electricity, so it is good to keep your expectation low as regarding accommodation in this part of the country.
Day 4: Somalomo – Schouam Rock (Dja Reserve) – Somalomo
In the morning after an early wake up, we drive to the peer and disembark the car, board pirogues and cross to the opposite bank of the Dja River where we take bikes and ride 08km crossing the rustic Chouam village until we attain the entrance of the Dja Reserve. We then embark on a 2-3 hours forest walk and reach the Chouam Rock (3km in the core of the Reserve) where we get a picnic lunch. From the top of the Chouam Rock, we have spectacular view over the forest canopy and explore the park. After spending a couple of hours in the depth of the reserve, we trek back to the Schouam entry point and take our bike back to the pier where we board pirogues and sail upstream the Dja River until we attain Mama, another interesting Baka encampment where we spend the night enjoying part of the Baka Pygmy folklore.
Day 5: Mama – Somalomo Ecofac Guest House
We follow the Baka in the forest as they go by their daily activities consisting of arrow/ trap/ net hunting, traditional medicine, food gathering, fishing, building of traditional huts and others. After spending the day in their company, we leave Mama and sail back to Somalomo. Time allowing, we stroll along the village visiting the people and sucking into the local ambiance before the nightfall. Night Ecofac Guest House.
Day 6: Somalomo – Yaounde Hotel La Falaise
Early departure for Yaounde this day driving past clusters of rustic bantu villages along the banks of the road. Over 250km of partially unpaved road, we reach Yaounde in the afternoon and drive to the hotel for the night.
Day 7: Yaounde – Mfou – Yaounde Return flight
In the morning we leave Yaounde and cross the city on the way to Mfou sanctuary. the Mfou sanctuary is located at the outskirt of the city and lays in the rainforest that is home to hundreds of monkeys including great apes and numerous other species like the baboon, mandrills, drills, chimps, gorillas, agile Mangabeys and others. After spending an hour hear, we drive back to Yaounde and visit the Handicraft centre. We continue exploring the city of Yaounde before airport transfer time.
A comprehensive city tour of Yaounde would consist 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 the Tongou Hotel, all depending on time.
A couple of hours prior to your departure time, we leave the hotel and drive to the airport for your connecting flight.