Thoughts on my itinerary?
Replies: 7 - Last Post: Aug 9, 2012 1:42 AM Last Post By: gp_magnus
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Thoughts on my itinerary?
Hello!I'm planning a trip to Cameroon in late december, and after googling around I've come up with this itinerary. What do you think?
December 25, arrival 11.30 at Douala
December 26, Douala - Buea (bus)
December 27, Buea - Mt Cameroon
December 28, Mt Cameroon
December 29, Mt Cameroon - Limbe (bus or taxi)
December 30, Limbe
December 31, Limbe
January 1, Limbe - Douala (bus or taxi)
January 2, Douala - Maroua (flight or train + bus)
January 3, Maroua - Waza National Park
January 4, Waza National Park
January 5, Waza National Park - Maroua
January 6, Maroua - Mandara Mountains
January 7, Mandara Mountains
January 8, Mandara Mountains - Maroua
January 8, Maroua - Douala or Yaoundé (flight or train + bus)
January 9, Douala or Yaoundé - Kribi (bus)
January 10, Kribi
January 11, Kribi
January 12, Kribi
January 13, Kribi - Douala (bus)
January 14, departure 14.00 from Douala
I'm travelling together with my chadian ex-girlfriend who really wants me to see N'djamena. However, given that we only have three weeks it seems rather impossible to make it without giving up either Waza or Mandara, or shorten the stay in Kribi considerally. Thoughts on this?
And do anyone know how much it would cost to rent a car + driver for a day or two?
Thanks!
Magnus
1
Your itinerary will not work for the simple reason that you have no room for errors/delays/cancellations, of which there will be some.Douala to Maroua, unless you are lucky and there is a flight/you get a seat/the plane leaves/arrives, can take 2-4 days, assuming there is no derailment. Returning takes an extra day.
Take it easy, go with the flow and anticipate the unexpected. And keep smiling!
Dave
3
That is a very personal choice! For me, a night less in Limbe and Kribi wouldn't be a hardship but more in the Mandaras would be great! I found an evening game drive in Waza followed by a morning one was enough but there is superb mountain trekking near Mora.Sorry but nobody can guess what turns you on.
Dave
4
It looks you are really into beaches. If you could shorten the time in Limbe & Kribi, and also in Waza ( 3 days for it is too much), you will make more time for:- transportation to/from the North - your schedule is so tight, that you can't afford the alternative of the train & bus, it takes a lot, so you need to book flights
- you see nothing of the entire Grassland area, but OK if you are not into the traditional culture
A trip to N'djamena not only takes time ( not a lot from Maroua, if you are willing to cut some days from Mandara - which would be a pitty), but it requires logistic efforts - multiple entry visa for Camerun
Car with driver - check the older threads, there is a long discussion, with prices.
5
funny thing ...I plan almost the same trip with my girl friend ...with same arrival and departure day. At the moment where is the best place to go into the Waza N.P. (it is worth to go?).How many days one should go into the Park? ....and how much does it cost...?
It is worth to go to the village in the "Ring road" (considering that we have only 3 weeks)?
Thanks
Thomas
6
There is only one public entrance to the park and there is a campement at the gate. For food go to the upmarket hotel up the hill. I found an evening game drive followed by an early morning one (gate opens 0600) was sufficient. It is much less expensive than East Africa.On the ring road, if short of time, go to Bafut and wander round the Fon's palace. Get there by taxi from Bamenda.
Dave
7
Thank you all for very helpful answers!It seems like the easiest thing to do is to cut out the extreme north and N'Djamena, and instead check out Douala, Mt Cameroon, Limbe, Bamenda and surroundings and possibly Kribi. In that way I guess it will be more of a vacation than a "do all see all" kinda thing :)
And Thomas, if you want to I wouldn't mind exchanging contact details!
Stay safe!
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