Flights and Travel Guide to Cameroon

Cameroon is a developing country in Africa well known for its Game Reserves and wild life safari. Cameroon is popular as an affordable holiday destination for Western Travelers.

Geography

Situated in the Western Africa Cameroon borders with Central African Republic to the East and Nigeria to the west. Towards its North, Chad is located and the South is occupied by Republic of the Congo.

Climate / Weather in Cameroon

Known as the “miniature Africa” this vast country has a varying climate ranging from tropical to semiarid. The days are hotter than the nights and higher areas enjoy colder weather.

1. Summer: April to September
2. Winter: December to March
3. Rainfall: April-May and October-November

Best time to Visit

Although as the weather varies from region to region, but generally if you are touring Cameroon particularly for Game Viewing, December to March is the driest time of the year.

Getting In Cameroon

If you are getting in Cameroon from any western country or from any other continent except Africa, the following information may be useful to you.

Passport / Visa Information for

A valid passport is necessary to travel to any country. However as far as visas are concerned, only African continent nationals belonging to Nigeria, Mali, Central African Republic and Chad are exempted from Cameroon Visas. Resident or national of any other country is advised to obtain visa before arrival.

Please note this information is indicative only and can change at any time with or without notice. Therefore, travelers are requested to contact the concerned embassy or consulate for up to date information.

Capital City of Cameroon

Though not the most popular city, but Yaoundé is the capital and seat of Government in Cameroon. It is a modern city and has basic tourist attractions like museums, galleries and gardens.

Other Cities of Cameroon

Despite being capital Yaoundé is not the centre of attention for International arrivals. Flights to Cameroon usually arrive in Douala from where a bus ride of about 3 hours can take you to Yaoundé. Following is the list of other cities of interest in Cameroon.

• Douala
• Kousséri
• Garoua
• Bamenda

Airports in Cameroon

The major airport that welcomes the large number of International arrivals and departures from Cameroon is in Douala. It is here that major European airlines operate from.

• Douala: Douala International Airport (DLA)
• Yaoundé: Yaoundé Nsimalen International Airport (NSI)
• Yaoundé: Yaoundé Ville Airport (YAO)
• Garoua: Garoua International Airport (GOU)

Airline to / from Cameroon

The top and popular airlines to Cameroon, that also offer flights from London Heathrow, Manchester, New Castle, Gatwick and other airports, include:

• Virgin Atlantic (VS)
• British Airways (BA)
• Air France (AF)
• KLM Royal Dutch Airlines (KL)
• Kenya Airline (KQ)
• Swiss Air (LX)
• Belleview Airline (B3)
• Ethiopian Airline (ET)
• Royal Air Morocco (AT)
• Brussels Airline (SN)

Hotels and Accommodations in Cameroon

There are some reasonable lodges, resorts and hotels near the Game reserves in particular as well as some top hotels in the capital, Yaoundé and the prime city, Douala. The list of top accommodations in Cameroon is as follows:

• Hotel Ayaba Bamenda Cameroon
• Capitol Residence, Buea Cmaeroon
• Akwa Palace Hotel, Douala Cameroon
• Le Meridien Hotel, Douala Cameroon
• Serena Palace Hotel, Douala Cameroon
• SEME Beach Resort, Limbe (Douala)
• Hotel Costa Blanca, Kribi
• Savoy Palmz Hotel, Limbi
• Hilton Yaounde Hotel, Cameroon
• Mercure Yaounde Centre Hotel Cameroon
• Mont FEBE Hotel Yaoundé Cameroon
• Hotel Franco, Yaoundé Cameroon
• Tcherno Hotel, Maroua Cameroon
• Le Campement de Waza

Getting Around in Cameroon

It is not easy to get around on your own in Cameroon, as there are some tensions in the areas close to Cameroon borders. One must take assistance of a registered tour operator or travel guide to get around in Cameroon, specially if moving out of the larger cities.

Infrastructure / Transport in Cameroon

A network of tour operators provide facilities like tourist coaches, buses and rent a car. Other common means of transport include railways, taxi cab and boats. Also, the trans-African Highways passes intersects Cameroon at three locations.

Places to See in Cameroon

Cameroon is not frequented by European tourists, however visits from wild life photographers or researchers to the Game Reserves of Cameroon is more common. The list of places to see in Cameroon should include:

• The landscape of Roumsiki, Cameroon
• A visit to the Benue River
• Exploring the Mount Cameroon
• The March de Fleurs market Douala
• The village Life of Ngaoundal (Adamawa Region)
• The Limbe Botanic Garden
• Lake Ossa, near the Littoral Region Cameroon
• Benedictine Museum of Mont Febe
• National Museum of Yaoundé
• Village Life at the Youppe Village (near Douala)
• The homes made of earth and grass Musgum (North Region)
• Volcanic eruptions at the Rhumsiki (North Region)
• Benoue National Park Near Garoua
• Bouba Ndjida National Park (east of Benoue, Garoua)
• Faro National Park near Nigerian border
• Waza National Park outside the town of Waza

Things to Do in Cameroon

There are plenty of things to do in Cameroon, such as

• Fishing prawns at Limbe River
• Hiking, Trekking and bird watching at the Mount Cameroon
• Boating at the Lake Ossa
• Wild life Safari
• Game Viewing etc

Food and Shopping in Cameroon

The tradition plays a vital role in the Cameroon cuisines and recipes such as the Dakéré or Brochettes are specifically prepared on festivals and events. Easter, for instance is marked with the preparation of hot cross buns. The ingredients generally include millet flours, maize, milk, bean, chicken, fish, sea food, beef or mutton, rice, potato, and some local vegetable. The most popular dish is Brochettes that is a Cameroon’s traditional barbecue that also resembles the Arab recipes of Kebabs.

As far as shopping in Cameroon is concerned, the major items of interest include the hand weave baskets and local handicrafts. Another, item to shop is freshly caught prawns that are in all sizes and also the specialty of the Youppe Village at the outskirts of Douala. Also a trip to the March de Fleurs market, in Douala is irresistible.

Events and Festivals in Cameroon

The two strongest religions in Cameroon are Christianity and Islam, moreover the Cameroon National holidays, events and festivals also include some traditional festivities of small ethnic groups.

National Holidays in Cameroon

• New Year’s Day – Jan 01
• Independence Day – Jan 01
• Youth Day – February 11
• Labor Day – May 01
• National Day- May 20
• Assumption – August 15
• Unification Day - October 1

Christian Holidays in Cameroon

• Good Friday (as per Christian Calendar)
• Easter Sunday (as per Christian Calendar)and
• Easter Monday (as per Christian Calendar)
• Christmas Day – December 25
• Boxing Day – December 26

Islamic Holidays in Cameroon

• Id-al-Fir (as per Muslim Calendar) and
• Id-al-Adha (as per Muslim Calendar)

Traditional Festivals in Cameroon

(Celebrated in Kousseri, Mokolo and Mora regions)

• Ngondo festival, Douala
• Great Cultural Week of Garoua
• The Maroua festival
• Festival of the Lamidat

Travel Advice for Cameroon

Below are the things that you need to know before preparing to get your flights to Cameroon.

Travel Tips for Cameroon

To be a smart traveler, take care of the following:

• If someone moves ahead to help you with your luggage, it is not free help. You may need to pay the person at the end.
• Get vaccinated for Malaria and also note that Yellow fever vaccination card is necessary to travel to Cameroon.
• Do not go out after dark, at the deserted areas on your own as it can be dangerous.
• Closely observe the updates by fco and do not visit the no-go areas as advised by fco.uk.
• Although streets and markets are safer than many other parts of the world but it is advised not to flash cash or jewelery in public areas and stay alert of the pick-pockets.
• Always drink bottled water and ensure that the seal is intact.
• When buying canned items or drinks, ensure the expiry.
• Be watchful about throwing you cigarette butt in the wild areas as it can cause huge damage and fire spread.
• Avoid littering in public areas
• Stay at a fair distance from wild animals and do not irritate them.
• Do not throw your litter and leftovers near your huts or camps as there can be an uninvited jackal visit.
• Don’t not be afraid to bargain your way to get the cheapest price.

Is it Safe to Travel to Cameroon?

As of now fco advises against travel to Cameroon however it is strongly recommended to visit the fco website or consult the relevant department prior travel and near to the travelling dates.