My West-Central African Border Crossing Adventure
From Nigeria to Cameroon… then Congo Brazzaville (well, almost)
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After a month of exploring Cameroon, it was time to move on to my next stop — Congo Brazzaville.
But the plan wasn’t so straightforward. I originally wanted to go through Equatorial Guinea first. So I took a bus from Yaoundé (Cameroon’s capital) down to a border town that links Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea, and Congo.
Unfortunately, when I got to the border, I couldn’t get in. The land border to Equatorial Guinea was closed due to transport-related restrictions, so I had no choice but to turn back.
That twist meant I had to spend another two weeks in Cameroon, waiting for my Congo visa activation date. When you’re traveling overland and applying for different visas across countries, you often need to future-date your visas, giving yourself time to explore one country before your next visa becomes valid.
In this case, I could’ve explored Equatorial Guinea during the wait, but with the border shut, that window closed. So I stayed in Cameroon a bit longer until my visa for Congo kicked in. Once it did, I was back on the road.
Yaoundé to Sangmélima
I kicked things off at MVAN Park in Yaoundé, where I got a bus heading to Sangmélima. It was a comfortable four-hour ride that cost 2,500 CFA. Easy start.
From Sangmélima, I grabbed a shared taxi straight to Ntam,{ Cameroonian border town near Congo}. This was an 11 hours journey and we arrived Ntam around 1 am the next day.. You will find guest houses to sleep around for 5,000cfa a night. . That shared taxi cost me 25,000 CFA.
Exit Drama at the Cameroon Border
Getting stamped out of Cameroon? Not so easy.
To exit, I had to pay a ridiculous 20,000 CFA at immigration. They didn’t care that I was leaving — they still wanted cash. This might end up being the last border I had to pay for on this trip, but we’ll see. Read about my Cameroon experience HERE
Welcome to Congo Brazzaville
From the Cameroon side of the border, I took a quick 1km bike ride to the Congolese side.
Thankfully, I already had my Congo Brazzaville visa (gotten earlier at the embassy in Abuja), so I handed it over, got stamped in, and went through the border process.
Congo Border Process – What to Expect
There are three small offices you’ll pass through:
- Immigration – Stamp your passport.
- Health Port – Show your yellow fever card. You’ll be asked to pay 2,000 CFA.
- Police Checkpoint – They register your details and may ask for a fee between 1,000 to 5,000 CFA. I didn’t pay, but that’s not always the case.
After that, just steps from the border, you’ll see shared taxis waiting to head into Congo.
Ntam to Ouesso
I got into a shared taxi to Ouesso, which is the first major town in Congo Brazzaville from that border.
Cost: 25,000 CFA
Travel time: 19 hours
Car type: Small, uncomfortable taxi with four people crammed in the back and two in the front. The only saving grace was the road — Ketta Djoum Road which was smooth and well-paved.
Overnight Stop in Ouesso
We reached Ouesso in the evening. I headed straight to the bus park to book the 6 AM bus with Ocean du Nord to Brazzaville, the capital.
The bus runs once a day, so you want to grab your ticket the evening before. It cost around 12000 CFA.
I spent the night at the bus park with other passengers who were also waiting for the morning bus. When travelling by road you will begin to understand that home can be anywhere at anytime.
Ouesso to Brazzaville
At exactly 6:15 AM, we hit the road to Brazzaville.
The bus was decent, the ride smooth, and there were just three police checkpoints along the way. Typical stuff: you get down, show your passport, answer a few questions, and keep moving.
By 8 PM, we finally rolled into Ocean du Nord Bus Park in Brazzaville. From there, I hopped into a local bus and made my way to my host’s place.
It took three days in total to get from Cameroon to Congo Brazzaville. Long? Yes. Worth it? Absolutely.
Have any question: Follow me on Instagram:n @alarinkatravel or @omotokefatoki_
Traveling overland across Central Africa isn’t for the faint-hearted. Border stress, hidden fees, long hours, and unexpected detours are part of the package. But if you’re in it for the experience, the stories, and the challenge — it delivers every time.
