Yaounde - Brazzaville: How many days?

[Scholle]

we want to travel the route end of March with our small motor bikes. We will go directly from Cameroon to Congo.

What is the road like? How many days are we looking at? Is there anything we should keep in mind?

Thanks a lot.

[micha]

Hi, we went in June/July in summer 2009 in an old Bedford truck. It took us 17 days going on the route Yaounde - Franceville - Okoyo - Oyo - Brazza. We didn't rush though, on tarmac we moved along at max 65km/h. It's all good tarmac road an/or good hard piste apart from the section between the Gabon/Congo border and Oyo (where the main road heads south to Brazza). here you will find some sandy stretches which might be hard work especially in the rainy season. Especially the route through Gabon is beautiful...

Micha

[micha]

just re-read your post again and noticed you said "directly from Cameroon to Congo". This makes my post not very relevant, sorry...

Micha

[eljulian]

I'm looking into that route myself. It's hard to find recent and reliable information, but it seems to be pretty hardcore, especially between the bit the border (coming from Sangmélima) and Ouesso. It might be possible to do Yokadouma - Ouesso by bike. I guess the best idea is to ask around in Cameroon.

To get an idea what you're getting yourself into, read this German travel site:
Erfahrung Afrika "Kongo"
They did it in 1996 though and I think there is logging going on in the area, so roads might have improved (or not).

Here are two accounts from people who went by public transport:
Ouesso Border info and my trip from Ouesso to Brazzaville - Lonely Planet travel forum
Boat from Brazzaville to Bangui - Lonely Planet travel forum

If you decide to go, let us know how it went.

Cheers, Julian

[tnt go east]

This may help

Just met 3 Hungarian s in a GB registered Toyota Lc today and they missed out Gabon and made it throu Nth Congo "ok"

They didnt speak much english but said it was sandy and dint rain too much

Hope it helps, seems like its posible
Good Luck

[mossproof]

Bear in mind it's starting to rain fairly regularly in the S. Cameroun, Gabon and Congo area now. I'm traveling south by 4x4 in support of a cyclist (btcycle.com), currently in Mayoko, Congo (don't ask why!! But the border near Mbinda was locked (had to pay for a taxibike to bring the key up from town!), last car came through a month ago and the roads are poor, and very claggy in the wet) We're getting rain approx every day and a half. Tyres clean better with horsepower rather than leg power but the season is getting damper!
Ride safely.