Ekom-Nkam Falls Forest Walk

Ekom-Nkam is the waterfall that most Cameroonians picture when they picture a waterfall: the Nkam river drops around 80 m in a single curtain into a forest amphitheatre near Nkongsamba. It stood in for the jungle in the 1984 film Greystoke, and the viewing area has barely changed since.

The hike itself is modest — under 3 km round trip — but the descent to the base is steep, permanently wet and slick with spray, on steps cut into the rock and reinforced with roots. Going down takes 30–45 minutes; coming back up takes longer than people expect. Because it is short and reachable in a day from Douala, this is the trail to start with if you have never hiked in Cameroon before.

Flow is enormous between July and October, when the spray soaks you from the viewpoint and the lower path can be closed. December to March gives a thinner fall but safe access to the base and a swimmable plunge pool downstream. Local guides at the entrance will take you to the base and, if you ask, on the longer forest loop above the falls.