Campo Ma'an Coastal and Forest Walk

Campo Ma'an National Park runs from lowland rainforest down to the Atlantic on Cameroon's southern coast, and the walking here is the gentlest in this guide: flat, coastal, and cool enough with the sea breeze to be pleasant most of the year.

The classic route walks the beach and forest edge between Ebodjé and Campo. Ebodjé is a fishing village that runs a long-standing community sea-turtle conservation project — leatherback, olive ridley and green turtles nest on these beaches, and between November and February you can join guided night patrols to watch nesting and hatchling releases. Inland paths lead into the park's forest, which holds mandrill, forest elephant and chimpanzee, though sightings on a day walk are unlikely.

Because it is flat and short, this is a good family route and a good first multi-day walk. Two things to know: the sea has a strong undertow and drownings happen, so swim only where villagers do; and river crossings between beaches depend on the tide, so plan the day's timings with a local guide rather than a map.