country
CameroonCameroun
First trip: land in Douala or Yaoundé, then give the West region (Bafoussam, Foumban, Dschang) 3 nights and the Kribi coast 2–3; skip every region your government advises against, which rules out much of the north and the anglophone west.
Cameroon's travel map is shaped by security advice: several regions, including the Far North and the North-West and South-West regions, carry advice against all travel. Plan within the Centre, Littoral, West and South regions, travel by day with a driver or a reputable bus company, and keep plans flexible. The drier months (roughly November–February in the south) make roads easier.
All regions, cities and parks in Cameroon (Atlas) →
Regions
Main port city and arrival base
1–2 nights
Capital, museums and markets
2 nights
Bafoussam, Foumban's sultan's palace, Dschang and the chiefdoms
2–4 nights
Beaches and the Lobé Falls
2–3 nights
Arrive
DLA
Douala International
Main international gateway
NSI
Yaoundé Nsimalen International
Capital's airport, some international flights
Time math
- 4 days
- Douala 1 + Kribi 3
- 7 days
- Douala 1 + West region 3 + Kribi 2 + Douala 1
- 10 days
- Yaoundé 2 + West region 3 + Douala 1 + Kribi 3 + Douala 1
Country rules
- Check visa and entry rules for your passport with the Cameroonian authorities or embassy before booking; a visa is usually needed in advance.
- Check your government's advice region by region: the Far North, North-West and South-West regions and some border areas have had advice against all travel.
- Book a travel-clinic visit several weeks ahead; ask about malaria prevention and check the yellow fever vaccination certificate requirement for entry.
Etiquette
- French and English are official languages; most of the country outside the North-West and South-West is French-speaking.
- Greetings matter; shake hands and ask after the person before any business.
- In the West region, chiefdoms (chefferies) receive visitors with protocol; follow your guide's lead.
- Rainy season in the south (roughly Jul–Oct)
- Roads slow down; beach weather at Kribi is poor.
- National Day (May 20)
- Parades in Yaoundé; offices close.
Money & passes
Cash necessity: 4/5
- Currency is the Central African CFA franc (XAF), shared with neighbouring countries in the region and pegged to the euro.
- Cards work in larger hotels in Douala and Yaoundé; elsewhere, cash is the norm. Bring euros as backup.
Before you fly: eSIM before you fly · Visas and entry
Safety
- Some governments advise against all travel to the Far North, North-West and South-West regions and to some border areas: check your own government's advice before you go.
- Street crime is common in Douala and Yaoundé; use hotel-arranged taxis after dark.
- Do not photograph government buildings, soldiers, police or airports.
- Same-sex sexual activity is illegal in Cameroon; be discreet in public.
Cameroon borders Gabon, Equatorial Guinea and Nigeria; check each border's status and your government's advice before planning overland.
Sources
- UK FCDO travel advice — Cameroon (official)
- Wikivoyage — Cameroon (secondary)