Practical information Cameroon

183568  sq.mi

9 hours. Douala is 3, 324 mi from London.

15700000 hab.

The international airport of Douala is 6.2 miles away from the city centre. There is no shuttle service. Allow for XAF 2,500 (4 euros) by taxi in the daytime, XAF 5,000 from 6.00pm. Nsimalen airport is 15.5 miles away from Yaoundé. You need to take a taxi from there as well, which does the trip in about twenty minutes.

Douala and Yaoundé are relatively dangerous towns. Without being paranoid, you should always be careful. At night, do not drive with your windows open, and avoid strolling in the uninhabited districts. If you do not have transport, take a taxi to get back to your hotel. The area between the Waza national park and Kousseri in the far north is risky, and not just for tourists. It has currently been mentioned that there are very mobile armed groups operating around the border areas (Chad, Nigeria). It is therefore advisable to travel in the day time on the main roads and to ask for escort by the Cameroonian Army if necessary. If there is an attack, you are advised not to resist (the armed robbers only wanting your money and personal effects).
Inform yourself of the current situation before leaving by contacting the Foreign Office.

French and English are the two official languages. Some twenty dialects are spoken very frequently.

A visa is required. To get a visa, you must bring a passport to the embassy that is valid for more than six months after the return date, 2 identity photos, and fill in 2 visa forms, bring a photocopy of your return ticket, a certified document of your stay and ?92 (£73).

53% Christian, 25% animistic, and 22% Muslim.

The currency is the CFA Franc (XAF). £1 Sterling = 744.27 CFA Francs. American Express and Visa are the most widely accepted credit cards in banks in the major cities, particularly at the SCB. You can easily withdraw money over the counter at a bank, but ATM machines are quite rare. Avoid taking large amounts of cash with you on outings to remote areas because thefts can occur. Generally speaking, for security reasons, travellers cheques are the best bet. Banks are open from 7.30am to 3.00pm, Monday to Friday.

The country has 932 miles of tarmacked roads and 12 427 miles of tracks. There is still a lot to do, and the government is gradually getting round to it. Tarmacked roads connect the main towns of the country: Douala, Yaoundé, Bafoussam, Bamenda, Sangmélima, and Ebolowa, together with the N'Gaoundéré-N'Djaména road in the north. Most tracks are impassable during the rainy season. Taxi prices are generally agreed in advance in the towns. To go out, do not hesitate to bargain. Air conditioned buses respect the timetables between the large towns, however, they only serve the major roads. If you are not in a hurry and do not mind overcrowding too much, the shared taxi is the most typical means of transport for discovering the country, particularly as it ensures good coverage of the territory. There are also three big railway lines: between Douala and N'KongsambaYaoundé and Yaoundé and N'Gaoundéré. Aim to arrive early to get a place. You will find car hirers with or without a driver in Douala, Yaoundé and Limbé. Choose a 4x4 if you are intending to go outside the large towns, and take a good map and plenty of patience, as there is hardly any signposting on the roads. An international driving licence is not compulsory, however it is very much recommended. People very much in a hurry should fall back on the plane. There are daily connections from Douala and Yaoundé to Garoua and Maroua, in the north, Bafoussam, in the west, and Bertoua, in the east.

The Yellow fever vaccination is required and you must follow an antimalarial treatment (mefloquin). It is strongly recommended to be vaccinated against hepatitis B, meningitises A and B and typhoid. Before your departure, check updates on the common vaccinations. On the premises, to avoid risks of contamination by water, only drink bottled or sterilised water. Also, boil milk. Areas of stagnant water can be contaminated by bilharzia, thus avoid swimming in rivers and lakes.

Voltage is 220 V..

To call Cameroon from the UK, dial 00 + 237 (country code) + n° of the other party.
To call the UK from Cameroon: 00 44 + n° without initial 0.