Wildlife and primates tour in central Africa

The Limbe Wildlife Centre is at the forefront of the conservation of Cameroon’s indigenous but threatened primate populations. Gorillas, chimpanzees and the highly endangered drill monkey which only exists on the Nigeria/Cameroon border regions, are among the many primates at the centre. The main remit of the LWC is to rescue primates caught up in the bush meat trade, which, along with illegal logging, is the main reason for the destruction of primate populations in this part of the world. Adult primates are killed for bush meat and their infants are sold as pets. The LWC steps in at this stage and confiscates the infant. They are then re-socialised into groups at the centre with the long-term aim of rehabilitation in the wild. The LWC also works hard to educate local populations about the threat to their wonderful wildlife.

In addition to this we support the fledgling Dzanga Sangha Reserve which, as part of the ambitious tri-national project between Cameroon, CAR and Congo, is at the forefront of the attempt to preserve the equatorial forest and its endangered wildlife which is not just important to the local Ba’Aka people but also to the world’s climate. Without projects like Dzanga Sangha and the income from tourism, the forest and its wildlife and peoples are vulnerable to logging companies and hunters. All over the region these important forests are in a precarious state. If tourism can prove itself to be a viable alternative to other forms of income there is a chance that the depletion of the forest and its wildlife can be reversed. This in turn will help protect the habitat and culture of the Ba’Aka pygmies whose ancestors go back to the very beginnings of humanity.

This trip is operated by a small eco-tour company from Limbe.

Company Ethos:
This company aims to dispel a few culturally inherited myths about Africa and to show you a modern, vibrant, open, safe and progressing west Africa. We ensure that your trip only has a positive impact on the communities that host you.

Too often tourism in Africa centers around the amazing wildlife and stunning scenery whilst the most vibrant, colourful and fascinating aspect of Africa - its people - pass by the window of the 4x4.

I try to reverse the focus by taking you out into some of the amazing communities I have befriended over my 20 years of traveling this vast and extraordinary continent. The landscape is merely the background to the colour, music, vibrancy and hospitality of the people of west Africa.

Throughout the trip food and water is bought en route and as locally as possible. Before your trip you will be sent my Responsible Travel guidelines, and en route you will be advised about changing cultural sensitivities. This trip minimizes waste by advising clients to follow the African example and recycle everything. You will see how a system that provides no waste disposal produces very little waste. I encourage you not to bring anything that we in the west count as disposable such as razors or wet wipes etc because in Africa they are not disposable.

My company aims to minimize its environmental impact by:

• Only flying one way for my season of tours in west Africa. For my outward journey I drive to Timbuktu – and you may too!
• I do not have an office and my only paper based marketing product is a flyer. I have no brochures and do most of my mailing by email.

I support two remote communities in west Africa, Aguelhoc in the Tuareg region of northern Mali and Esu in the Northwest province of Cameroon where I will put 10% of my company profits into educational projects. I am in the process of establishing sustainable scholarships for achieving children to remain in education. As an alternative to carbon offsetting I offer you the opportunity to support these projects and thereby support communities which will be most affected by climate change.