Far North Travel Guide
Rhumsiki Peak in the Far North. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
Far North (Extreme-Nord) is another Cameroon entirely: Sahel plains, the volcanic spires of the Mandara Mountains, and the great wildlife concentrations of Waza National Park. This is the most visually dramatic region in the country.
Maroua, the regional capital in the foothills of the Mandara range, is famous for its crafts: tanneries, leatherwork, embroidery, pottery and beads. From here travellers head north to Waza's elephants and lions, or into the mountains to Rhumsiki's 'lunar landscape' of volcanic plugs.
⚠ Official travel advisories warn against travel to parts of the Far North. Check current government advice before planning a trip here.
Destinations in Far North
Waza National ParkUNESCO Biosphere Reserve (1979): elephants, lions, giraffes and 379 bird species. Best November to April, about 122 km north of Maroua.
RhumsikiVolcanic plugs rising over Kapsiki villages: Kapsiki Peak (1,224 m), potters, weavers and crab-divination rituals.
Mandara mountain villagesTerraced farming villages of the Mofu and Kapsiki peoples, such as Djingliya, Tourou and Oudjilla.- Maroua craft centreTanneries, leatherwork, embroidery, pottery and beads: the North's great craft market.
Cities & towns
Getting there
Domestic flights link Maroua with Douala and Yaounde. Waza is best visited in the dry season, November to April.