Fako: Discover History and Nature

In Fako, Bimbia and Limbé offer travellers two distinct themes: the history of the transatlantic slave trade and natural attractions ranging from the Botanical Garden to the Zoological Centre. Cultural history and nature experiences therefore stand side by side as separate highlights.

Bimbia: History and Physical Traces

In Fako, Bimbia bears witness to the various phases of the transatlantic slave trade from the 16th to the 19th century. The site was submitted for inclusion on the UNESCO Tentative List in 2020. In the wider Southwest travel destination, Bimbia’s physical traces include a building where enslaved people were held, chains, an oil mill and cannons. The remains have not been restored or reconstructed; steps and a small bridge installed by the municipal administration make it easier to access the site. Bimbia is also considered an emerging and thriving ecotourism area in the wider Southwest travel destination.

Garden and Wildlife in Limbé

The Botanical Garden of Limbé is a tourist attraction in the city. In the wider Southwest travel destination, it offers insights into numerous plant species. If you plan to visit the garden, check the current visiting conditions in advance.

Exotic animals live at the Limbé Zoological Centre, including pythons, primates, crocodiles, birds and turtles. The collection may change, so check current visiting options before making plans. The centre’s history is also notable: in the wider Southwest travel destination, the Centre Zoologique de Limbé was founded in 1993 jointly by the Government of Cameroon and the Pandrillus Foundation. Its aim was to collect domesticated wild animals and animals confiscated from poachers, and return them to their natural habitat.

Nature Experiences in the Wider Southwest Travel Destination

Those who look beyond Fako to the wider Southwest travel destination will find a mountain-focused attraction in Mount Cameroon National Park. The park is home to the highest peak in West and Central Africa, at 4,070 metres, and has well-developed trekking routes and eco-lodges. Buea or Limbé can serve as a starting point for exploring the park. Fako Mountain Lodge is located in the wider Southwest travel destination at an altitude of 2,800 metres, on the main hiking trail from Buea to the summit of Mount Cameroon.

Mount Cameroon National Park is considered a biodiversity hotspot, home to elephants, chimpanzees, drills and a diverse birdlife. For Limbé, the municipal administration describes a cooling sea breeze and a warm, calm sea as good conditions for swimming all day in the wider Southwest travel destination. The wider Southwest therefore offers mountain landscapes and wildlife alongside the seaside conditions highlighted by the municipal administration.

When choosing a holiday rental in Fako, it is worth first considering the interests of your travel group: should cultural history or nature take centre stage? Bimbia and the attractions in Limbé offer different points of reference. If you also include Mount Cameroon National Park, it belongs to the wider Southwest context; Buea or Limbé can serve as a starting point for exploring the park.

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