Dja Biodiversity Reserve Safari: Gorillas & Forest Camp
Seven days tracking gorillas, elephants and chimpanzees through one of Africa's largest rainforests
A 7-day guided safari through Cameroon's Dja Biodiversity Reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage site covering 5,260 square kilometers of equatorial forest. You trek through the reserve with porters and an ecotourist guard, sleep in canvas camps, and spend days with pygmy communities learning hunting, fishing, honey harvesting and traditional medicine. The itinerary moves between Chouam Rock (a 16-kilometer trek where you watch buffaloes, sitatunga and forest birds), and a pygmy village where the whole community performs a fire dance at night. Private transportation, meals and all entrance fees are included. Your guide speaks English throughout.
Step-by-step itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Yaounde
- Arrive at Yaounde airport
- Clear customs and exchange currency
- Transfer to hotel
- Dinner at hotel
Day 2: Travel to Dja Reserve
- Breakfast at hotel
- Depart to Dja Reserve via Somalomo
- Pass by Ayos and Messamena
- Lunch en route
- Complete entry formalities
- Arrive and settle in camp
- Sleep under canvas tent
Day 3: Trek to Chouam Rock
- Breakfast at camp
- Trek 16 km to Chouam Rock
- Arrive and settle in camp
- Watch wildlife and take photos
- Sleep under canvas on the Rock
Day 4: Return to Somalomo
- Morning wake and breakfast
- Walk back to Somalomo
- Watch animals and flora
- Pluck forest fruits
- Overnight at Barthelemy’s Inn
Day 5: Visit Pigmy Camp
- Breakfast at Barthelemy’s Inn
- Depart to Pigmy camp
- Receive gifts from locals
- Participate in hunting and fishing
- Harvest honey and pluck fruits
- Carry water and collect raphia wine
- Learn traditional medicine
- Enjoy village dance around fire
- Dinner and sleep in tent
Day 6: Return to Yaounde
- Breakfast at Pigmy camp
- Return by canoe on River Dja
- Arrive in village
- Travel back to Yaounde
- Settle in hotel
- Dinner at local restaurant
Day 7: Departure from Yaounde
- Breakfast at hotel
- Meet driver at lobby
- Transfer to airport
- Catch flight home
The experience
The reserve holds more than 1,500 plant species and roughly 107 mammals including forest elephants, gorillas and chimpanzees scattered across terrain that demands walking, not driving. You arrive in Yaoundé, clear customs with your guide's help, and overnight in the city before heading south toward Somalomo the next morning. The drive passes through Ayos and Messamena on the way to the reserve entrance, where you meet your porters, an ecotourist guard and a cook who will travel with you for the rest of the week.
The first camp sits inside the reserve itself, where you sleep under canvas. From there, a 16-kilometer trek takes you to Chouam Rock, a vantage point where you watch for sitatunga, buffaloes, monkeys, antelopes and the birds and butterflies that move through the canopy. You return to Somalomo along the same route, stopping to pluck forest fruits and observe animals along the way, then stay at Barthelemy's Inn before moving to the pygmy camp. Here the rhythm changes: you participate in hunting and fishing, harvest honey using traditional methods, collect raphia wine, light fires the old way and learn about forest plants used in traditional medicine. At nightfall, the whole village dances around a fire while you eat dinner in the camp tent.
On the final full day, you return by canoe down the River Dja to the village, then drive back to Yaoundé for a night in the hotel and a meal at a local restaurant. Your guide handles all entry formalities, transport between sites and the logistics of camp life. You bring only what fits in a pack. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are provided throughout, and the only costs beyond the tour price are flights, visas and any tips you choose to give.
What’s included
- Private transportation throughout the week.
- all meals from arrival to departure.
- entrance fees to the Dja Biodiversity Reserve and tourist sites.
- a live English-speaking guide for the full 7 days.
- porters and an ecotourist guard during the reserve trek.
- canvas tent accommodation in the forest camps and at the pygmy village.
- participation in hunting, fishing, honey harvesting and traditional medicine learning with pygmy guides.
- a fire dance performance by the pygmy community.
- a night in a hotel in Yaoundé before departure.
Before you book
Prices and times updated 3 days ago
Operated by Across Africa Tours LLC
Is this one for you?Your guide speaks English throughout, so you follow the commentary and the activities without a language barrier. The private transport and fixed itinerary mean you move at a planned pace rather than waiting for group departures, which matters when you are balancing forest trekking with camp life and time with the pygmy community.
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Top questions
Can children come?
Yes. Ticket types: Youth (11 to 17 years); Child (2 to 10 years); Infant (under 2): free.
What happens if it rains?
It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.
What animals will I actually see on the 16-kilometer trek to Chouam Rock?
Buffaloes, sitatunga, monkeys and antelopes move through the reserve, along with numerous bird species and butterflies. The trek is a walk through their habitat, not a guarantee of sightings. What you see depends on the season and the time of day you walk.
What exactly do you do with the pygmy community during those days?
You participate in hunting, fishing, honey harvesting using traditional methods, collecting raphia wine, and learning how forest plants are used in traditional medicine. These are hands-on activities where pygmy guides show you their practices. At night the whole village performs a fire dance.
Is the English-speaking guide with me the entire 7 days?
Your guide travels with you throughout the week and speaks English. Inside the reserve, you also have porters and an ecotourist guard who assist with the trek and camp logistics. The pygmy community members lead the activities in the pygmy camp.
What's included in the price and what do I need to arrange separately?
Private transportation from Yaoundé, all meals, entrance fees to the reserve, and the guide are included. You arrange your own international and domestic flights before arrival and obtain your visa before you travel. Any tips and personal spending are separate.
How physically demanding is the 16-kilometer trek to Chouam Rock?
The trek covers 16 kilometers on foot through forest terrain and takes most of a day. It is suitable for all fitness levels according to the operator, but it is a full-day walk with uneven ground. Bring sturdy shoes and be prepared for heat and humidity.
Dja Biodiversity Reserve Safari: Gorillas & Forest Camp
7d · EN · at your hotel
from US$ 2,417 per person
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