Sights in Cameroon
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Musée d'Art Camerounais
This museum forms part of Yaoundé's Benedictine monastery in the lea of Mt Fébé. It has a wonderful collection of masks, bronzes, wooden bas-reliefs and pottery. Look out for the brass sculpture of the 'Great Maternal Figure', from the area northeast of Foumban - similar sculpture is still produced at Foumban's Village des Artisans. The monastery's chapel (underneath the main church) is decorated with Cameroonian textiles and crafts, and kora are sometimes used to accompany the singing at Mass.
The museum has a really handy English/French guidebook available at the entrance.Take a shared taxi to Bastos and then change for Mt Fébé.
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Fon's Palace
Just north of Bamenda is the large Tikar community of Bafut, traditionally the most powerful of the Grassfields kingdoms. The fon's (local chief's) palace here is home to a 700-year-old dynasty and is a fascinating insight into traditional culture.
The palace compound consists of numerous buildings, including the houses of the fon's 150-or-so wives (not all of whom are presently in residence), and the sacred Achum building, which is off-limits to everyone except the fon and his close advisors. In front of the palace compound are several stones marking the burial sites of nobles who died while serving the fon, and the Takombang House which holds the fon's ceremonial drum.
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Mandara Mountains
Trekking in the spectacular landscapes of the Mandara Mountains west of Maroua is one of Cameroon's best and most popular attractions, especially for the more adventurous travellers. The whole region is full of traditional hillside villages of round huts, huge stone formations and wide green valleys.
There are many fascinating villages, including Rhumsiki, with its striking mountain scenery; Djingliya and Koza, set against steep terraced hillsides; Tourou, known for the calabash hats worn by local women; Maga, with its unique domed houses made entirely of clay; and Mora, which has a particularly notable weekly market. Hiking between villages is one of the best ways to…
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Waza National Park
Waza National Park is Cameroon's most accessible and rewarding wildlife-viewing experience. Visitors can reasonably expect to see large numbers of elephants, giraffes, hippos, antelopes, monkeys and abundant birdlife. There are lions in the park, but seeing them requires some luck and a very early start.
Late March to April is the best time for viewing, as the animals congregate at water holes before the rains.
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Open-Air Mass
Although it's not put on for tourists, the Ewondo-language Open-Air Mass outside the Paroisse de N'Djong Melen in Quartier Melen attracts many visitors. It's well worth a visit, but put on your Sunday best like everyone else. It begins at 09:30 on Sunday and features drums, dancing and a women's chorus. It's on the western side of town, and reached by shared taxi.
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Musée Afhemi
The Musée Afhemi is actually in a private residence, but it's more of a gallery than a home. The collection of Cameroonian and regional artwork reflects the owner's eclectic tastes. Call in advance to arrange a tour in English and, possibly, lunch. It's 6km southeast of the centre.
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Musée National
Disappointing in comparison to the Musée d'Art Camerounais, the Musée National is small and dusty, counting masks and sculptures from across Cameroon in its exhibits. Some effort is being made to improve labelling, so it might be worth a look in the future.
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Mvog-Betsi Zoo
This zoo is one of the better ones in West Africa. Co-run by the UK-based Cameroon Wildlife Aid Fund (CWAF, www.cwaf.org) it has a sizeable collection of native primates, including gorillas, chimps and drills, mainly rescued from poachers and the bushmeat trade. Well worth a visit, the zoo also houses a few lions, hyenas and a smattering of birds, snakes and lizards. A shared taxi to Mvog-Betsi should cost around CFA200.
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