Note: If you are planning to come to Cameroon, and are interested in Accommodation and or some of the trips mentioned below, please contact Joshua Chiamba from RUDEC.org- Description: These 15m high waterfalls are hidden within Belo itself, a beautiful oasis close to the activity of the village. During the dry season it is even possible to walk behind the falls.
- Accessibility & transport: 2/5. The walk from the centre of Belo takes around 25 minutes, through sparse forest. Not that during the rainy season the waterfalls can only be seen from a distance as the rocks in the area become slippery and dangerous.
- Cost: 0 CFA
- Time needed: Allow 1.5 – 2 hrs for the complete trip.
- Other info: Take sufficient water for the duration of the trip.
Djichami & Afua Community Forest Trek- Description: The Djichami & Afua Community Forest is in close proximity to Belo, and after an hour’s walk through the forest a secluded waterfall can be reached. The waterfall is approximately 35m high and during the dry season it is possible to swim in the pool. If you wish to extend your visit you can also visit a secret spring, deep within the forest. There is also the option to do a homestay in Djichami if you would like to experience real Kom village life.
- Accessibility & Transport: 2/5. The forest can be reached on foot from Belo, taking approximately 45 minutes.
- Cost: You will need to pay to enter the forest and also for the guide that will accompany you.
- Forest Entry: 6000 CFA for an individual; 3000 CFA per person of a group;
- Guide: 4000 CFA for an individual; 3000 CFA per person of a group;
- Homestay: 3000 CFA per person
- Food: 500 CFA
- Time Needed: Allow a whole day if you wish to return to Belo that evening. Approximate times:
- 45 minutes to quarter head’s compound (where the forest entry fee is paid)
- 2 hours to the waterfall
- 1 hour to a natural spring
- 2 hours return to Belo
- Description: Experience the hustle and bustle of this busy village market. Every 8 days, traders come from across Boyo Division and further to sell their wares. These include fruit and vegetables, fish, meat, clothes, fabric and much, much more.
- Accessibility & Transport: 1/5, 5 minute walk from Belo centre.
- Cost: 0 CFA to enter the market, how much you spend is up to you!
- Time Needed: Allow a minimum of 30 minutes just to walk around the market.
- Description: Beautiful natural pools where you can take a dip.
- Accessibility & Transport: The pools are located a 15 minute walk from the centre of Belo.
- Cost: 0 CFA
- Time Needed: 1 – 1.5 hrs, allow slightly more if you wish to take a picnic for lunch.
- Description: Baingo Cliffs, visible from Belo, lie between Belo and the nearby town of Mbingo. They offer panoramic views for many miles and on the walk you also pass a mystical waterfall, some 100m high, which offers the perfect picnic spot.
- Accessibility & Transport: The start of the walk is a 10 minute taxi ride from Belo.
- Cost: Taxi to start of walk, 200 CFA per person.
- Guide: 500 cfa per person
- Time Needed: 4 – 5 hrs.
- Description: The Ndawara Tea Estate is the largest in Cameroon with currently around 5000ha of cultivated plantation and is set high in traditional Fulani land A guide will show you around the estate, including the factory, vast tea fields and nursery.
After the tour of the estate, you can hire ponies which will take you on a trip to a nearby crater lake. Depending on the amount of time you have to spend in the region, you could also choose to spend a night with a nearby Fulani family. Alternatively, you could stay with a Kom family closer to Belo.
- Accessibility & Transport: You can either walk up to the estate, which takes approximately 2 hours, or get motorbike taxis from Belo, taking around 40 minutes.
- Cost:
- Plantation guide: 1000 – 2000 CFA per person, depending on the size of the group.
- Pony guide: 1000 – 2000 CFA per person
- Time Needed: Allow a whole day
- 40 minutes or 2 hours to arrive at Ndawara, depending on if you take a motorbike or walk up.
- 2 hours to see plantation
- 2.5 hours pony trekking (plus any time you may want to spend at the lake)
- 2 – 3 hours to walk back to Belo
- Description: The Old People’s Club is a social gathering for around 30 women of the Belo area. They will be happy to perform traditional songs and dances for you and you can also join them for a meal of foufou and jamajama.
- Accessibility & Transport: 1/5. The club meets at a compound situated approximately 25 minutes’ walk from Belo centre.
- Cost: 16,000 CFA per group
- Time Needed: 2 – 3 hrs.
- Description: Lake Oku is a beautiful crater lake surrounded by lush forest. You can chose to either hike there and back, or take a motorbike taxi there and hike the return part of the trip. Oku Forest is a nature reserved, set up by Bird Life International and there are many species to be found there, including the rare Bannerman’s turaco and a rare breed of frog which is endemic to the area. There are many other rare flora and fauna within the forest. Of course, there will also be the opportunity to swim in the lake.
The Oku area is home to settled Fulani people and you will pass through their lands on your walk. As well as the magnificent scenery and views, you will also have the opportunity to see a variety of crops which people are farming, including corn, cocoyams and coffee.
- Accessibility & Transport: Depending on how active you feel, you can either hike up to the lake and back, or take a motorbike taxi there and walk back. The trek there is largely uphill from Belo and takes around 5 hours, by bike taxi the journey time is 1 – 1.5 hrs. Returning from the lake, the walk takes approximately 4 hours and takes you through the village of Anyajua.
- Cost:
- Transport: 3500 CFA per person for motorbike taxi.
- Guide:2000 CFA per person
- Time Needed: Whole day
- Description: Babanki Tungoh is set in a stunning volcanic landscape with three towering rock outcrops surrounding the village, which give their names to the three main families in Babanki. In the village you can discover the crafts of traditional carvers, such as statues and masks.
A trek to the lake of Babanki offers a way to see the surrounding countryside, with this stunning lake as the highlight. The best way to take full advantage of the scenery this area has to offer is to undertake a homestay in Lower Babanki, where you will be served traditional meals and also find museum owned by your host.
- Accessibility & Transport: The town of Babanki is situated approximately 2hrs by taxi from Belo. The lake of Babanki is located a further 1.5hrs by taxi from the main town, and an hour’s trek after that. If you wish to take the homestay option, it takes around 4hrs to trek to Lower Babanki where the house is. In the morning the walk to Bamessing is 1.5hrs, where you can arrange for a taxi back to Belo or spend the day in in the town (see section on ‘Bamessing’, below).
- Cost:
- Taxi to Babanki: 1500 CFA per person
- Taxi from Babanki – lake trek drop off point: 1500 CFA per person
- Homestay: 2000 CFA per person, per night, 1000 CFA per person for breakfast & dinner
- Taxi from Bamessing – Belo: 2000 CFA per person
- Guide: 2000 per person
- Time Needed: 1 or 1.5 days, depending on if you wish to stay overnight.
- Description: Bamessing is a pottery centre, where traditional crafts are made and sold throughout the North West region and the rest of Cameroon. You can spend the morning with a potter to make and keep your own creation and in the afternoon visit the workshop where the professionals work. There is also a large shop where you can buy their wares, prices range from 500 – 150,000 CFA.
- Note: At the pottery centre there is also a small museum and rest house, should you wish to spend the night.
- Accessibility & Transport: Bamessing is reached by taking a taxi from Belo via Babanki, or you may reach the town after a homestay in Lower Babanki (see section on ‘Babanki Tungoh’, above)
- Cost:
- Morning with potter, inc. pot: 10,000 CFA for a single person, 20,000 CFA per group
- Museum: free at time of writing
- Rest house: 2500 CFA per person, per night, 500 – 2000 CFA per meal
- Guide: 2000 per person
- Time Needed: 1 or 1.5 days, depending on if you wish to stay overnight.
- Description: A busy town market
- Accessibility & Transport: It takes approximately 1hr to reach Bamenda from Belo in a taxi.
- Cost: The current price of a taxi is 900 CFA, you will also need to take another taxi from the motorpark where the taxi will drop you to the market, which will cost a further 150 CFA. Total transport costs for the day, 2100 CFA.
- Time Needed: Though the journey time is relatively short and the amount of time spent at the market is your choice, you should allow most of the day for a round trip from Belo.
Savannah Botanic Gardens (SABOG)- Description: The gardens are situated in the town of Bafut and were created by Professor Ngwa Che Ntehnda. The gardens contain many interesting features other than plants, such as the ‘Gardens of Gethsemane’ meditation area and a fruit orchard. There is also a restaurant and bar (housed in a traditional boukarous) and a child’s activity area. It is possible to book a room at the gardens if you want to stay overnight in Bafut.
- Accessibility & Transport: To reach SABOG from Belo, you take a 1hr taxi to Bamenda followed by a second taxi to Bafut.
- Cost:
- Guide: 1000 CFA, per person
- Camera: 1000 CFA, per camera
- Transport: Approximately 4000 CFA per person, return.
- Time Needed: Traveling from Belo you should allow a whole day, though you may want to incorporate a visit to SABOG with one to the fon’s palace at Bafut (see below).
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