Tunnel history in Centre

The Tunnels ferroviaires de Njock are located in the Centre Region. Three tunnels were carved by hand into the Liaa rock massif; they are a striking testament to forced labour and the slave system organised in the territory of Cameroon. As a cultural heritage site, the tunnels are on UNESCO’s Tentative List. The combination of the hand-carved structures and this difficult history gives the site a clear cultural and historical identity.

Museums and cultural landmarks

The Musée Ethnographique des peuples de la forêt in Yaoundé offers a different cultural perspective. It combines a permanent exhibition with temporary exhibitions and a festival on the history and culture of forest peoples. The festival provides a clear thematic focus, while the exhibitions offer both a permanent and a changing format. If you are particularly interested in experiencing the festival, check the dates for the relevant year before travelling. The themes are clearly distinct: the tunnels point to forced labour and the slave system organised in the territory of Cameroon, while the museum focuses on the history and culture of forest peoples.

The Musée national in Yaoundé and the Monument de la Réunification are also among the Centre Region’s most important tourist attractions. The region’s selection therefore includes not only museums but also a monument as another cultural landmark.

Mountain, river and national park

The landscape also shapes the selection of important tourist destinations in Centre. These include Mont Fébé, the Nyong and Parc national de la Méfou. Their names represent different features: a mountain, a river and a national park. In this way, cultural history and different natural features emerge as two distinct themes for planning a trip.

Cameroon on a larger scale

The wider destination of Cameroon offers other, clearly distinct landscapes. In the Korup Biosphere Reserve in Cameroon’s Southwest Region, evergreen lowland forests shape the landscape; it ranges from foothill and swamp forests to submontane reaches on granite peaks. The endangered Cross River gorilla (Gorilla gorilla diehli) and the critically endangered Preuss’s red colobus (Piliocolobus preussi) live there. Conservation status classifications can change over time.

The Waza Biosphere Reserve lies in Cameroon’s Far North Region and includes Yaéré floodplains with perennial grasses. Korup’s forest, swamp and foothill landscapes contrast with Waza’s floodplains. In Cameroon, Sangha Trinational includes Lobéké National Park as one of three adjoining national parks.

Ngondo offers a cultural perspective: the traditions of Cameroon’s Sawa community are rooted in the veneration of water oracles and take place annually from September until the first Sunday in December. If you would like to include Ngondo in your travel plans, check the dates for the specific year.

Discover more destinations: Mfoundi, Mbalmayo, Nkolmetet, Manka, Obala, Méyo, Atega, Southwest.

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