Travel to Cameroon - January 2011

Discovering killifishes in their natural environment...


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1 - Travel preparations

Organization, procedures and purchases



To leave, yes ! But, when ?
To answer this question, we must consider several criteria. First, what kind of fish do we bring? Fundulopanchax, Aphyosemion, Chromaphyosemion, etc.. ?
The seasons are not the same as in France. Several periods are conducive to the fisheries killifishes. The (semi) annual Fundulopanchax kribianus as such are abundant in the rainy season and disappear in the dry season (disappearance of ponds and streams draining).
The dry season it is more conducive to fishing Aphyosemion, and other Chromaphyosemion. Indeed, the stream flow decreases and makes fishing easier and trails are accessible for most hand drive.
So we chose the middle of dry season, beginning in January. The conditions are ideal for what we want to observe.
The second thing to consider when one is limited in budget, is the slow period for airlines.
Given all this, we decided to leave December 31, 2010 and returning on the night of 15 to 16 January 2011.

To leave, yes! But under what conditions?
TO go to Cameroon, you must have :

  • airline tickets. It's stupid, but it can be used!
  • a passport.
  • a visa. Attention, the visa is not necessarily obvious to obtain. Remember to have confirmation of a hotel on site for the beginning to the end of your stay.
  • vaccines. Only the yellow fever is required in addition to French traditional vaccines. However, it is advisable to make more vaccines for hepatitis A and typhoid fever.

Obtaining all these "formalities" takes several weeks. Do not do it at the last moment!

To leave, yes! But with what ?
The dry season in Cameroon does not mean dry season in France. The humidity is at saturation, and it is between 36°C and 40°C every day (during our trip).
For clothes, we took the lightest clothing possible, clear, and most long-sleeved. The heat and humidity are unbearable, but it's better than biting insects in the forest! A good pair of lightweight hiking boots will do. For hardware: a gps, a combo pH-mètre/conductivité, camera, insect repellant, mosquito net, a first aid kit, a pair of waders, necessary for fishing (we will detail below) and of course necessary to note !

Now you're ready! Well, almost...