The river rises in the Abong-Mbang region.

The Boumba is almost 530 km long, and has a catchment of 27.400 km² [1] The flow of the river was measured at Biwala in m³/s[1] The river is a tributary of the Dja River and is adjacent to the Boumba Bek National Park, which is located between the Boumba and the Bek River.

The forested area around the river is a diverse ecosystem.

The remote region is home to the Baka.

[2] Communities in the area engage in subsistence farming, hunting, fishing and gathering.