The Chefferie Baleng is one of three traditional chiefdom compounds within the greater Bafoussam area — along with Fusap and Bamougoum — each of which has preserved its own royal lineage and ceremonial structures despite the city's growth around them. The Baleng compound sits in the northern part of the urban area and operates as both a working chiefdom and a cultural museum, housing hand-carved wooden sculptures, traditional garments, and artefacts relating to local customs and ancestor veneration.
The complex is enclosed by a sequence of carved entrance gates — among the most photographed traditional architectural elements in the city — and the main royal meeting hall demonstrates the distinctive Bamiléké building style: a conical roof supported by carved wooden posts, with symbolic motifs worked into every structural element. The chiefdom organises cultural workshops and demonstrations during certain periods of the year; visiting during one of these gives a far richer experience than a standard walkthrough. Hire a local guide for the storytelling context — many of the objects in the collection have no label, and their significance requires explanation. A moto-taxi from central Bafoussam costs around 200 FCFA.