National parks
Wild animals live undisturbed in three main National Parks with comfortable camps:
- WAZA (170,000 ha) is located 120 km from Maroua and 135 km from Kousseri. It is the most famous and most spectacular park in Cameroon or even in French-speaking Africa. You find mainly elephants, lions, cheetahs, hippotragusese, waterbucks, hartebeest, Buffon's Kobs, giraffes, geese, egrets...
- Boubadjidah (220,000 hectares) is the domain of the rhinoceros and the Derby eland, the most beautiful and largest of the antelope family. There are also buffaloes and lions. The Park is set in rugged country full of rivers that cut across the 200km of tracks.
- Benue (180,000 hectares) is located along the Ngaoundere - Garoua main road. The relief is even more rugged than of Boubandjidah.
- Mont Garoua, 1,100 metres, is the culminating point. The Park is mainly inhabited by hippopotami found in ponds in the bed of the Benue river.The Park is on a very pleasant site, just overlooking one of the Banue gorges.
- Kalamaloue (4,500 hectares) is a beautiful park near Kousseri and is populated by the harressed bushbuck and Buffon's Kob.
- MOZOGO GOKORO (1,400 hectares) near the Kosa pass is mainly of scientific interest.
Regulations:
The parks are under the responsibility of wardens assisted by hunting guides. The tax for the whole season is 2,000frs.CFA. For individual tourists and 1,500 FRS CFA. For tourists in groups organized by tourist offices. It is highly recommended to seek the services of a guide, preferably a native. It is prohibited to spend the night in the park and visitors are expected to leave by sun-set at the latest. Refrain from scaring the animals either by chasing them with a car, by getting too close to them, or by making too much noise. It is advisable not to put on brightly- coloured clothes.