CityUsable guide

Bafoussam

Capital and largest city of the West region, Cameroon

Photo: PENdjeng, CC0 via Wikimedia Commons

Overview

Bafoussam is the capital of the West Region, in Northwest Highlands, Cameroon.

Sights and activities

From the travel guide. Select a place for details, a map and what is nearby.

Chutes de la Métché
See
Waterfall on the Miti River, where nationalists were reportedly thrown to their deaths during colonial times and where sacrifices are made to ward off curses, etc. The water falls 40-50 m. A walking trail leads from the parking area to the main viewing point. Wear closed shoes as the path can be slippery, especially during the rainy season. In addition to the waterfall, there is a memorial to those executed there. Local stands near the entrance sell handmade crafts, wooden carvings, and souvenirs, and there are small snack bars and local restaurants along the road leading to the waterfalls.
Hours
open 24 hours
Details
Chefferie Bandjoun
See
Chiefdom headquarters of Bandjoun: traditional huts first established by King Notouom I about four centuries ago, along with 'forest' and museum. A lot of history here.
Details
Grotte Fovu
Do
An assortment of large boulders around which you may walk (rock grotto basically).
Details

Where to eat, drink and stay

Eat1 place

Maison Bambou1000-2000 FCFA
The shawarma aren't bad, although not "true" shawarma. Try the "fajita", 2000 FCFA, which is said to taste exactly like authentic Thai food.
Price
1000-2000 FCFA
Directions
walk past the Jadida building. Continue down the street about 20 m; you should see a sign on the left proclaiming 'chaowarma'

Drink3 places

Easy-Look550-600 FCFA per beer
Easy-Look is not the name of the bar but the name of the hotel above the bar, where Peace Corps volunteers tend to hang out.
Price
550-600 FCFA per beer
Address
Akwa
Directions
from Rond Point Biao, find the road that leads to Akwa (it's unpaved and heads east); it's the bar with a large veranda, on left
Facebook
A very chic place trying to appeal to a more upscale clientele.
Address
Akwa
Boulangerie du Peuple600-700 FCFA per beer
Has a very nice veranda where they serve drinks, but there isn't as much food as in Akwa.
Price
600-700 FCFA per beer
Address
Carrefour le Maire

Sleep6 places

Hotel Zingana
Inspired by the traditions of the Bamileke people, Hotel Zingana is one of the most popular hotels in the city. Includes a shop selling traditional handicrafts and artifacts.
Phone
+237 233 44 50 52
Website
hotelzingana.com
Residence Sare Hotel
Hotel.
Address
Kamkop
Phone
+237 6 95 97 42 65
Hôtel Altitel
Hotel.
Address
Route de Bamenda, face au collège Tankou
Phone
+237 2 33 44 51 11
Résidence Nanjiki
Guest house.
Phone
+237 2 33 44 48 14
HOTEL INO
Hotel.
Phone
+237 6 99 55 91 69

Show all 6

PESSI HÔTEL
Hotel.
Phone
+237 6 71 50 55 49

Getting there and around

Getting there

Agences
Most cities have cars going to Bafoussam.

Read in the guide

Getting around

All within-Bafoussam travel is provided by taxis or moto-taxis. Most destinations will tell you "what to say" to a taxi. Taxis are cheap; you can get halfway across Bafoussam for 100 FCFA.

Read in the guide

Airports and nearby hotels

Choose an airport to see hotels, stations, taxi ranks and car rental desks around it.

Douala International Airport

Douala · International · DLA

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Read before you go to Bafoussam

Articles and travel topics about Bafoussam and Cameroon.

Itineraries

Mount Cameroon

Mount Cameroon (also known as Fako) is an active volcano and at an elevation of 4,040 metres (13,250 ft) is the highest peak in Cameroon. It is a popular climb that does not require any special equipment.

Wikivoyage

Nature & adventure

African wildlife

African flora and fauna is a highlight of trips to Africa, especially on visits to the continent's national parks. Going on a safari is a common way to see it.

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Nature & adventure

Volcanoes

Volcanoes come in many shapes and sizes, and their eruptions vary hugely in both frequency and intensity. Many volcanoes are tourist attractions and are worth a visit provided you take due care, in particular keeping a…

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Travel tips

Solar eclipses

A solar eclipse is an astronomical phenomenon in which the sun is obscured by the moon. In a total solar eclipse, the moon precisely covers the sun's bright orb, leaving the normally invisible solar corona glowing all…

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Full travel guide

Every section of the guide. Open one to read it in full.

UnderstandBafoussam isn't the most clean, picturesque, or polite city in Cameroon, but because of Cameroon's hierarchical organization, it has a central location in the Grand West.

Get inBafoussam is located at the intersection of roads going to Douala, Yaoundé, Bamenda, and Foumban (and from there, the West Adamawa), and the road to Dschang is only a short ways away.

Get aroundAll within-Bafoussam travel is provided by taxis or moto-taxis. Most destinations will tell you "what to say" to a taxi. Taxis are cheap; you can get halfway across Bafoussam for 100 FCFA.

BuyThere are two major supermarchés in Bafoussam: Le Point Plus, located at Rond Point Biao, and Sim-Delices, located on the south side of Bafoussam (tell a taxi Sim-Delices; it's across from the PMUC building).

EatLike most Cameroonian cities, there are vendors walking around selling munchies like peanuts ("ground nuts"), slices of coconut, beignets, or cookies.

DrinkBars can be found everywhere. Notable ones include:

Sources and licences

Guide text adapted from the Wikivoyage article "Bafoussam" by its contributors, available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read on Wikivoyage · Contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0
Summary from the Wikipedia article "Bafoussam", available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Wikipedia
Photo: PENdjeng, CC0 via Wikimedia Commons

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Overview

Sights and activities

Chutes de la Métché

Chefferie Bandjoun

Grotte Fovu