East

The East Region is Cameroon's largest region by area (about 109,000 km²) but its most sparsely populated, with roughly 836,000 people (2015 estimate). It is a vast expanse of equatorial forest and savanna on the South Cameroon Plateau, bordering the Central African Republic to the east and the Republic of the Congo to the south. Its earliest inhabitants were Baka pygmies, later joined by Bantu-speaking peoples (Maka, Njem, Kaka) and Adamawa-Ubangi groups, notably the Gbaya. Germany colonized the area from 1885 until World War I, after which it passed to French administration; Cameroon became independent in 1961. The regional capital was Doumé until 1972, when it moved to Bertoua, still the capital today. The region's economy rests on subsistence farming (plantains, maize), logging and timber processing, and gold and other mineral mining, with very little other industry. It is best known to travelers for its wildlife: the Lobéké, Boumba-Bek, and Nki national parks in the region's southeast protect Congo Basin rainforest, forest elephants, and western lowland gorillas, and Lobéké forms part of the Sangha Trinational UNESCO World Heritage Site shared with the Central African Republic and Congo. Roads across the region are mostly unpaved, with rail access limited to Camrail's Yaoundé–Ngaoundéré line, which passes through Bélabo.

The East Region's best time is the dry season from December to February, when cooler Harmattan breezes clear the skies and animals congregate around water sources in Lobeke, Boumba Bek, and Nki national parks — making it prime for wildlife viewing. July and August offer a shorter, drier window with fewer crowds and moderate prices. The main rainy season (March to June) brings heavy downpours that turn unpaved roads into impassable mud, severely limiting access to parks and rural destinations — this is the period to avoid. A second, shorter rainy spell in September and November can still disrupt travel but is less severe. Christmas and New Year coincide with peak visitor numbers in park areas, so book accommodation well in advance during this window.

• Bertoua — regional capital, gateway to the eastern parks
• Batouri — gold-mining centre
• Yokadouma — gateway to Lobeke National Park
• Lobeke National Park — forest elephants and western lowland gorillas