Ok, so these two central African nations might not be on everyone’s bucket list but they represent evergreen opportunities for the intrepid solo backpacker.
Of course you should always check out your own government travel advisory website before travelling anywhere in Africa so please do so for your own benefit, particularly if you are travelling solo!
Budget Guide to Burkina Faso
It’s like a tapestry of African life here, the landscapes, the cultures, the different ethnicities of the people plus the art, the music and the food. Everything is a wonderful mix and the locals are lovin’ it.
Budget Accommodation in Burkina Faso
It’s possible to find a bed for around US$8, this will probably give you a room complete with mosi net but you’ll have to share the bathroom. There are a few campsites in the country as well, expect to pay around $3 for a site.
A Traveller’s Budget for Burkina Faso
Local transport is by bus, there are express buses which leave promptly when scheduled and the standard buses which wait until full before departing. In the outlying areas where the larger buses don’t go there are minibuses and bush taxis to get you towhere you want to go. Again these wait until they are full before they leave. They’re a little more expensive then the bus.
The staple food here is a millet based pate, other regulars are rice with sauce and a kind of barbequed kebab served in a bun with onions and sauce. Breakfast is usually bread and yoghurt. Most of these things are readily available at street stalls and markets so eating cheaply should be easy.
Activities on a Budget in Burkina Faso
Hiking in the Pics de Sindou
Swim in the waterfall pools at Karfiguéla
Chill out in Oagadougou, the most relaxed capital on Earth
Hire a bike and explore the area around Banfora
Guide to Cameroon on a Budget
It’s got jungle, savannah, mountains, beaches, and a footie team which became world famous during the Italia ’90 world cup. Bigger than this though for the Cameroonians is the African Cup of Nations, this country is truly football crazy.
Budget Accommodation in Cameroon.
There’s not much in the way of backpacker hostels but you can find a dorm bed in a religious mission instead for a bit of novelty value. Otherwise there are plenty of cheap hotels and guest houses to choose from which shouldn’t set you back and more than around US$13 a night.
A Traveller’s Budget for Cameroon
The cheapest way to travel around Cameroon is by bus, the services are very competetive and so the prices are low. Otherwise there are a couple of routes covered by train, although these are a little more expensive.
There is street food everywhere in Cameroon so there’s no need to ever go hungry, it mainly consists of some kind of rice dish with meat, fish or a starchy grain dish. Sandwiches and things like fresh fruit and veg are also really easy to come by so you can stay healthy as well!
Activities on a Budget
Hike anywhere in the country, there are endless opportunities
Swim at the beaches on the southern coast
Visit the Crab Sorcerer at Rhumsiki and find out what the future holds!
Trek up Mt Cameroon, all 4095m of it.
Take in a Muslim festival at Foumban
Some Afro-Brazilians trace their DNA to West-Central Africa and Cameroon http://t.co/GE17nGEGHk pic.twitter.com/aEnQNPRj1A
— CameroonTraveler Mag (@CameroonTravel) July 30, 2015