Garoua

Garoua stands on the Benoue river in the north and grew as a river port: for part of the twentieth century boats could reach it from the Niger during the high water of the wet season, and cotton and other goods moved that way, which is why the town is where it is. It remains the administrative and commercial centre of the north, with a large market, a lamidat, a cotton industry and an airport, and it is the base from which the northern national parks at Benoue, Bouba Ndjida and Faro are reached. The Benoue itself is wide and shallow, with sandbanks in the dry season and hippos in places downstream.

History

Garoua was founded by the Fulani emir Modibbo Adama in the first half of the 19th century, and in the steamship era it grew into a major river port on the Benue. It had about 30,000 people in 1967 (Wikipedia, Garoua).

What you'll find

• The Benoue river front - the water the town grew as a port on.
• The northern regional market - trade for the whole region.
• The lamidat - the Fulani court in the town.
• The base for the savanna parks - the departure point for Benoue and Faro.

When to go

November to March, the cool dry season; from March to June temperatures are very high. A day, or as a base. Flights are the practical way in from the south.

Before you go

It is a working administrative town with few sights of its own. Heat from March to June is severe. Check conditions in the wider northern region locally before planning travel. Accommodation is functional.

Nearby

Lake Lagdo is south-east; Benoue park lies south.

Key facts