Cameroon is sometimes called “The last bit of old Africa”. Here you have savannahs in the north which feel like a time machine ride to pages from late XIX century African hunting books, and there are jungles in the south that are embodied adventure, where you can bump into gorillas or flush butterflies the size of partridges with every step (or not). Cameroon offers some of the most coveted plains game trophies – bongo, Lord Derby eland, sitatunga, and red river pig, along with buffalo and elephant.
But make no mistake – this is a place for advanced students of the African hunting lore. You’ll be facing real, untamed wilderness, where you have to hunt hard to earn your trophy. Cameroon safaris cost more than average African hunts in South Africa or Namibia, move at the pace of mud roads and bush charters, and demand patience and fitness. In return you get the kind of fair-chase safari many hunters dream about but seldom experience.
Where to hunt: the two very different Cameroons
Cameroon lies in Western Equatorial Africa, a bit to the north of the equator. The capital, Yaoundé, lies in the center of the country, but most international visitors arrive through Doula, the largest city of Cameroon, which is located on the Atlantic coast, and quite a long way from the hunting grounds.
Cameroon is an incredibly diverse country, both as far as people go (there are over 250 native languages, although most Cameroonians speak either French or English), and geographically. It is often described as “Africa in miniature”, because it features all typical African environments, from deserts to rainforests. Of the five major climatic regions, which include the mountainous northwest, the very wet coastline, and desert lowlands in the extreme north, two stand apart for hunters:
Northern Savanna
Located on a roughly 1000 m. high plateau around the Faro and Benoué systems, the Northern Savannah is a mixture of sparse forests and big, open country, perfectly suitable for traditional African safari hunting techniques. Here you find Lord Derby eland, West African savannah buffalo, roan, hartebeest, kob, bushbuck and other Sahel–Sudan species. Typically, you will be covering ground in a truck, stopping at times to glass and check for spoor. Then you will stalk the animal, or follow its tracks, sometimes for miles and miles. The best windows generally fall from mid-dry season into the burns when green pick draws game.
Southern Rainforest
This is the habitat from Tarzan stories: nearly impenetrable, full of spikes and biting insects, hot, wet, breathy jungle. Here the stars are bongo, forest sitatunga, dwarf forest buffalo, and giant forest hog, with red river hogs and a half-dozen duikers as supporting cast. Many outfitters rely on pigmy trackers and their teams of unkempt, but competent dogs. For duikers, calling is often practiced. The going is tough, muddy and slippery, and a 20-yard shot counts as “long”. This could be the hardest hunt you’ll ever do. Seasons skew later than the savannah and the physical and mental load is higher.
What you can hunt in Cameroon
Cameroon authorities group all huntable game animals in three groups, A, B, and C, with special license requirements for each (more on licenses below). The grouping mostly reflects the hunters’ preferences, with the most popular species listed under A class license.
Northern Savannah
Northern Cameroon is home to a variety of plains game species, including Western hartebeest, harnessed bushbuck, bohor reedbuck, Western roan, kob, and waterbuck, along with several smaller predators like the serval, spotted hyena, oribi, warthog and bushpig. Occasionally outfitters get a small quota on elephants. But the main stars of the northern savannahs are:
Lord Derby Eland
The giant spiral-horned antelope, sporting bright yellow hair with several thin vertical stripes in the shoulder area, and a great dewlap, makes its Southern Africa relatives, the common and Cape elands, pale in comparison, both in body size and in the incredible length of its horns. The bigger bulls are nomadic, shy, crafty and clever. Before you get a Lord Derby eland bull in your sights, count on several days of rigorous tracking through the savannah, an experience you’ll never forget.
West African Savannah Buffalo
The Western buffalo is smaller than the Cape buffalo, but bigger than the dwarf buffalo. They range from black to red in color, and graze the savannah in big herds, feeding mostly at night and chewing cud all day. They are hunted much in the same way as Lord Derby eland: first you cruise backroads and waterholes to find spoor, then follow it between a few hours and a few days. They are often described as more docile than Cape buffalo, but wound one, and you’ll be facing the same unforgiving determination, cunning, and immunity to bullets.
Southern Rainforest
Rainforests are some of the most productive ecosystems in the world, but not so much as far as bigger ungulates are concerned. In fact, many of the hoofed animals of the southern rainforest are smaller than their relatives inhabiting the savannah – think forest elephant and dwarf buffalo – and one of the biggest attractions of Cameroon’s rainforests are about hare-sized: the common, red-flanked, Peter’s and other duikers. No admirer of the “Tiny Ten” can go without a hunting safari in Southern Cameroon. And if you’re a pig hunter, your pulse can’t remain stable as you behold the giant forest hog and the red river hog. But most hunters come to Southern Cameroon because of sitatunga and bongo.
Sitatunga
If you ever doubt whether the hunter you’re talking to is really an expert on African hunting or just makes believe, ask about sitatunga. This swamp-dwelling species of the spiral horned group is so secretive that few even heard about it, much less hunted it. It spends most of the time hiding in the reedbeds, and is an excellent swimmer – it can dive, and even stay for a lot of time under water, with only the nostrils showing above. To hunt sitatunga, one either waits on a machan (high seat) set over a controlled burn area where the fresh grass breaks through, or uses indigenous trackers and their dogs.
Bongo
Perhaps the most striking African antelope, bongo features spiral horns, bright orange color, and an evil disposition. Wounded or cornered, it does not shy from attacking hunters and their dogs, so it comes close to a dangerous game hunt. The easiest way to hunt bongo is from a high seat positioned over a salt lick, but it is also the least certain. You typically have better chances tracking the Bongo with Pigmy trackers, even better if those use their dogs. Practice snap-shooting, because you’re likely to see the bongo for only a fleeting second, and prepare for the most difficult trek of your lifetime, as following the Pygmies on the jungle floor is the opposite of easy.
Tips for hunting in Cameroon
Hunting in Cameroon will make you redefine “hunt hard”. Hunting in savannah is often about long tracking days on sand and laterite with moderate relief – no alpine exertions, but heat, thorns, and tsetse wear you down. In rainforests it’s also a lot of tracking, but in sauna conditions. Expect crawling green tunnels, slick roots, and short shot windows. The physical demand is higher; the mental ask (staying focused and positive) is highest of all. Hydrate and eat even when you’re “not hungry.”
Wherever you’re going, don’t forget you’ll be hunting in wild concessions, not high-fence ranches. You probably won’t be seeing much game, and passing on a decent-sized animal in hopes a record waits around the corner is not advisable. Some outfitters offer 99% success chances, but you’ll be surprised how often the 1% fail chance falls out.
Rifles for hunting in Cameroon
Cameroon allows you to bring two rifles, but you can do the job with one, in a .375 H&H (or similar) with 300-grain solids and softs. This is the doctor’s prescription for Lord Derby eland and buffalo, works well on roan and bongo, and surprisingly enough a solid .375 does not in fact blow a duiker up, but simply drops it in its tracks leaving a neat little hole. However, many Tiny Ten aficionados prefer shotguns for this work.
Cameroon Hunting Licenses and Regulations
Cameroon uses a tiered license system with species grouped by class.
- A Big Hunting License allows 2 different species from Group A plus 4 from Group B/C. No duplicates in Group A.
- A Medium Hunting License covers six animals from the B and C groups.
- A Small Hunting License allows you to hunt all species from group C.
Some outfitters offer an option to purchase a second license, that would extend your available trophy numbers to twelve. Usually, the second license covers only one Group A species. The Big License typically requires you to book a long safari with 13-14 hunting days, plus 1-2 transfer days. Safaris under Medium and Small licenses can be booked as a week’s trip.
Hunting regulations in Cameroon differ little from most other safari destinations. Not legal are: shooting from vehicles, night hunting, the use of artificial lights or night vision devices, and baiting for predators. Hunting with bows and crossbows is allowed, military type and semi-automatic rifles are forbidden.
When is the best time to hunt in Cameroon?
Cameroon’s national big-game season runs December 1 – July 31, with regional splits:
On the ground, the best time for savannah hunts is the dry period, when the animals congregate around shrinking water sources, and outfitters can do controlled burns, which create open areas with fresh grass that are irresistible to animals. The prime time for a rainforest hunt is February to March for sitatunga, April to May for bongo.
Accommodation, travel and logistics
Most hunters fly through Douala (DLA) or Yaoundé (NSI) International Airports. Douala typically offers better travel options. For northern savannah hunts, most hunters take a connecting flight by a local airline to Garoua or Ngaoundéré, and then continue by 4×4 to camp. Rainforest hunts often call for a charter flight to the hunting area, or a lengthy and tiring car ride.
Learn more about this and other amazing wild pig species from our blog.
Cameroon hunting concessions seldom allow building South African style luxury lodges. You most likely will be hunting out of a camp, with individual housing in huts of indigenous designs or tents. Nearly every camp has electricity from a generator, but air conditioning is a luxury you’re unlikely to enjoy.
Visas and Firearm Import.
Cameroon requires all visitors to get a visa. Yellow fever vaccination is mandatory, and it’s a good idea to take malaria prophylactic medicine. You can bring in two rifles on a temporary import license, with no more than 50 rounds of ammunition for each. Visas and firearm permits should be applied for well in advance. Most outfitters offer an extra package that covers help with visas and permits, and it’s advisable to use this option. Click to learn more about bringing your rifle to Cameroon.
How much does it cost?
Cameroon hunting safaris are an exclusive proposition, and pricing reflects that. Daily rates for an 7-8 day safari on a Medium or Small license start at 9,000-10,000 USD, trophy fees bring that to around 15,000. A Lord Derby eland safari, with trophy fees, will quickly go over, $30,000 into the $50,000 range. Bongo packages often start in the mid-$30Ks and can run into the $50–60K range depending on extra services, such as aircraft transfers.
Cameroon collects trophy fees on exit; have funds available in the stated currency. (Your outfitter will spell this out.) Do not forget to budget for dip & pack, crating, international freight, customs brokerage, and domestic delivery—these are not in day rates. U.S. hunters are seeing several-thousand-dollar totals per crate, and delays or inspection issues can add airline storage costs.
Self-guided hunts – “chasse libre”
In parts of Francophone West/Central Africa, including Cameroon, limited chasse libre (free-range, largely self-organized hunting) has existed alongside outfitted concessions. In practice, you rent access, do your own logistics, and may hire local help. It’s legal within tight rules, but logistically brutal and not recommended for visiting hunters. Experienced, French-speaking expats with significant time, local contacts, and risk tolerance may try it, but everyone else is better served booking a full safari with a proven operator.
In conclusion
Cameroon isn’t for everyone. But if “wild Africa” to you means following a track across burn-scarred savannah—with the sun in your neck and dust in your boots—or inching along emerald tunnels on fresh bongo spoor, there’s nothing quite like it. Plan well, choose a proven operator, and give the hunt the time it demands.
More on hunting in Africa
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