Wildlife Photography Hides in Cameroon

Cameroon is widely regarded by ornithologists as one of the ten most biodiverse countries in the world for birds — 930+ species in a geography that compresses habitats from Atlantic coastal forest to Sahel savanna, with the extraordinary Cameroon Highlands providing montane species found nowhere else on Earth. Mount Kupé (2,064 m) near Nyasoso is described as the premier birding site in the entire country: 320+ species in 25 km² including 26+ endemics, among them the Critically Endangered Mount Kupé Bush-Shrike (fewer than 50 known individuals). Korup National Park in the southwest is Africa's oldest rainforest — approximately 60 million years old — home to 14 primate species, 435 bird species, and the Grey-necked Rockfowl, arguably the most photogenic and sought-after bird in West and Central Africa. Takamanda National Park is one of the few places on Earth to track the Cross River gorilla (~200–250 individuals globally). For savanna photographers, Waza National Park holds Kordofan giraffes, lions, elephants, and 379 bird species in the Sahel zone, while Benoué National Park adds Derby Eland and the sought-after Egyptian Plover on the Bénoué River. Ngaoundaba Ranch on the Adamawa Plateau is a self-guided birding gem with 300+ species and no entrance fee. NOTE: As of August 2025, gorilla trekking in Cameroon is suspended — verify current status with operators before booking.