Things to do in Cameroon

Trek Africa's highest peak outside the Great Rift, ascending through volcanic landscapes from tropical forest to barren summit for a sunrise view of the Gulf of Guinea.

Spot lions, elephants, giraffes and abundant birdlife on classic game drives through the Sahel savanna of one of West Africa's oldest reserves.

Admire the unique spectacle of a river cascading directly onto a sandy beach where rainforested cliffs meet the ocean near Kribi.

Contemplate the deadly limnic eruption that shrouded this deep volcanic lake in 1986, now at peace amid a stunning barren basin in the Northwest region.

Venture into a UNESCO-listed biosphere reserve, home to western lowland gorillas, forest elephants and an extraordinary mosaic of tropical habitats.

Hike to the emerald and sapphire twin lakes perched inside a collapsed volcano, surrounded by cool mountain grasslands and rare birdlife.

Cross a swaying suspension walkway high above the ancient rainforest floor, one of Africa's richest biodiversity hotspots where towering trees harbour endemic primates.

Observe leatherback, green and olive ridley turtles emerge onto remote beaches under moonlight in a coastal park of pristine rainforest and mangroves.

Step into the centuries-old seat of the Bamum Sultanate, where intricate wood-carved thrones, royal regalia and a historic script reveal a powerful kingdom.

Join Douala's spectacular water jengu ceremony, where chiefs in ceremonial regalia perform rituals to the spirits of the deep amid boat races and traditional wrestling.

Enter a living traditional kingdom of the Tikar people, centred around a sacred forest and magnificent thatched palace still inhabited by the Fon and his wives.

Trace Cameroon's diverse heritage through artefacts from the Bamileke, Bamum and savanna kingdoms, in a neoclassical building that once served as the presidential palace.

Join or cheer on athletes in Africa's oldest and most extreme footrace, sprinting up and down the volcano's slopes in a test of endurance and spirit.

Walk through the crumbling remains of a slave-trade holding ground on the Atlantic coast, where captives were kept before shipment to the Americas.

Marvel at the striking sculpture symbolising the union of Francophone and Anglophone Cameroon, set in a hill park with panoramic city views.

Discover a remote 19th-century sultanate palace in the north, where the architecture and court traditions of the Fulani aristocracy remain alive behind towering mudbrick walls.

Soak up the chaos and colour of Douala's sprawling flower market, where streets overflow with vibrant tropical blooms, sculpted wooden masks and street-food stalls.

Hop between stylish lounges and open-air Makossa clubs in the business district, sampling Cameroon's legendary late-night music and grilled fish scene.

Browse workshops and stalls crammed with hand-carved statuettes, beaded regalia and woven Bamileke cloths in the capital's main artisans' village.

Admire tropical plants, medicinal species and exotic palms in this historic garden founded by German colonial botanists, with the sea breeze wafting from the nearby coast.

Sink your feet into warm volcanic sand and feast on skewered Atlantic prawns grilled over coconut-husk fires at the foot of the old port's palm-fringed shore.

Try Cameroon's iconic bitter-leaf stew rich with groundnuts, meat and shrimp, served with plantains or cassava in the lively open-air eateries of the Bastos quarter.

Order grilled barracuda with fried sweet plantains and a spicy sauce from beachside tables while watching fishing pirogues cruise the palm-lined Gulf of Guinea.

Canoe quiet waterways flanked by tangled mangrove roots, spotting manatees, monkeys and a wealth of migratory birds in the vast estuary south of Douala.

Pedal along red-earth paths and rolling hills past patchwork farms, crater lakes and traditional villages in the cool, grass-covered uplands of Northwest Cameroon.