The checklist as a PDF
Entry, health, money, transport and safety, laid out for print, with their sources and verification date.
Cameroon
Central Africa
Mountains, breathtaking views, paradise beaches and food. Mandara cultural landscapes and the forests of Dja and Sangha.
- On the map
CapitalYaoundé
When to goDecember to February
Suggested length8 days min.
CurrencyCentral African CFA franc
LanguagesFrench, English
The Viafro verdict
For whom, and for which trip.
An editorial bearing, with no percentage and no rating: our criteria are written down, and every “good to know” links to its source.
- For which trip
- Yaoundé · Douala · Kribi · Limbé
- Best season
- December to February, from Yaoundé’s normals
- Length
- Allow at least 8 days for these 4 essentials, one stop every two or three days. (Viafro’s rule of thumb)
Best time to visit
Twelve months, in colour.
Hover or tap a month: its reading and its source appear. Bars measure rain, the figure is the capital’s mean maximum.
Possible
November
Yaoundé: mean maximum 30 °C, 108 mm of rain · frequent rain.
- Mean maximum
- 30 °C
- Rain
- 108 mm
- Station
- Yaoundé
Source: Wikipedia (climate normals)
Before you go
The essentials, tab by tab.
Entry, health, safety, money and facts: dated official extracts, never paraphrased.
Visa, passport, customs
GOV.UK advice, written for British passport holders. French travellers: see France Diplomatie (https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/fr/information-par-pays/cameroun/conseils-aux-voyageurs-entree-sejour).
- To enter Cameroon, your passport must have an ‘expiry date’ at least 6 months after the date you arrive. Check with your travel provider that your passport and other travel documents meet requirements. Renew your passport if you need to.
- You must have a visa to enter Cameroon. You must apply for a e-visa online – some people encounter technical problems with this online service, so apply in good time.
- To enter Cameroon, you must have a certificate to prove you’ve had a yellow fever vaccination. For more details about medical entry requirements and recommended vaccinations, see TravelHealthPro’s Cameroon guide.
Vaccines, malaria, water
This is not medical advice: talk to your doctor or an international vaccination centre before you travel.
- At least 8 weeks before your trip: Altitude sickness is a risk in parts of Cameroon. Read more about altitude sickness on TravelHealthPro.
- Medical facilities in Cameroon are below UK standards. Emergency facilities are extremely limited. For serious medical treatment, medical evacuation to Europe will be necessary.
Per the ministries
Viafro gives no safety rating: here are the zones and advice published by the French ministry (in French) and the official extracts, with their dates.
Vigilance zones published by France Diplomatie (in French) · page updated on 15 Sept 2026 · see the official map
- Red · Zones formellement déconseillées (rouge)
Région de l’Extrême-Nord : toute la région de l’Extrême-Nord du Cameroun est formellement déconseillée du fait d’opérations militaires, du risque terroriste et du risque d’enlèvements, y compris les Monts Mandara en…
Région du Nord : le département du Mayo-Louti, voisin de la région de l’Extrême-Nord, est formellement déconseillé.
- Orange · Zones déconseillées sauf raison impérative (orange)
Région du Nord et départements de la Vina et du Mbéré dans l’Adamaoua : dans les régions du Nord, à l’exception du département du Mayo-Louti, et dans l’Est de l’Adamaoua (départements de la Vina et du Mbéré), le risque…
Région du Sud-Ouest : au-delà des axes et zones formellement déconseillés, cette région connaît une insécurité croissante et des actes terroristes meurtriers.
- Yellow · Zones en vigilance renforcée (jaune)
Régions du Littoral et du Sud : les visites des chutes d’Ekom (entre Bafang et Nkongsamba) doivent être organisées en groupe et il convient de quitter les lieux avant la tombée de la nuit.
Départements du Mayo-Banyo, du Djérem et du Faro-et-Déo, à l’Ouest de la région de l’Adamaoua : les visites du parc du Mbam et Djérem ainsi que les trajets sur les axes routiers de ces trois départements doivent être…
- There is a high threat of terrorist attack globally affecting UK interests and British nationals, including from groups and individuals who view the UK and British nationals as targets. Stay aware of your surroundings at all times.
What the country’s law provides
Photography, alcohol, drugs, relationships: the rules published by the ministries, quoted as they stand, without comment.
- Penalties for using and possessing drugs are severe and usually include a prison sentence.
Currency
Central African CFA francViafro publishes no price or budget range without a source: amounts will come from our own expenses recorded on the ground, dated and itemised.
- There are strict rules about goods you can take into or out of Cameroon. You must declare anything that may be prohibited or subject to tax or duty.
Express card
Structured data from Wikidata and the CIA World Factbook, re-checked at every site update.
- Population · 2025
- 29,879,337
- Time zone
- no time difference with Paris
- Plugs and voltage
- Type C and E plugs · 220 V
- Driving side
- Driving on the right
- Calling code
- +237
- Languages
- French, English
- Area
- 475,442 km²
- Highest point
- Mount Cameroon, 4,095 m
- Main religions
- Roman Catholic 33.1%, Muslim 30.6%, Protestant 27.1% other Christian 6.1%, animist 1.3%, other 0.7%, none 1.2%
Getting there and around
Airports, roads and transport.
- DLADouala International AirportDouala1.1 M passengers
- NSIYaoundé Nsimalen International AirportYaoundé706,868 passengers · official site
- MVRSalak AirportMaroua62,541 passengers
- GOUGaroua International AirportGaroua57,070 passengers · official site
Direct flights from Paris are to be checked on the airport’s or airline’s website.
On the road
- If you are planning to drive in Cameroon, see information on driving abroad. You can use a UK photocard driving licence to drive in Cameroon for up to 6 months.
Destinations
The essentials.
Yaoundé
Yaoundé (UK:; US:, French pronunciation: [ja.unde]) is the capital city of Cameroon.
Douala
Douala is the largest city in Cameroon and its economic capital.
Kribi
Kribi is a coastal town in the South region of Cameroon, located along Gulf of Guinea where the Lobé River meets the Atlantic Ocean.
Limbé
Limbe (known as Victoria from 1858 to 1982) is a seaside city in the South-West Region of Cameroon.
Mont Cameroun
Blaizo 237Must-try food
Six dishes, and where to taste them.
Ndolé
Ndolé, also written Ndole or Ndolè, is a Cameroonian dish consisting of stewed ground peanuts, crayfish, garlic, onions, and ndoleh leaves. The dish originated in Douala, in the Littoral Region of Cameroon. Ndolé is widely regarded as the national dish of Came
Eru
Eru is a vegetable from Cameroon. It is a specialty of the Bayangi people, of the Manyu departement in southwestern Cameroon. It is vegetable soup made up of finely shredded leaves of the eru or okok. The eru is cooked with waterleaf or spinach, palm oil, cray
Poulet DG
Le poulet DG est un mets traditionnel de la cuisine camerounaise. C'est un sauté de poulet frit, de plantains tranchées et pré-frites ainsi que de légumes et de divers aromates. C'est une recette simple, ne demandant que peu d'ingrédients exotiques. (summary in French)
Taro à la sauce jaune
Le taro à la sauce jaune ou le achu est un plat issu de la région du Nord-Ouest du Cameroun. (summary in French)
Koki
Koki, also known as cowpea cake or black-eyed pea cake, is a Cameroonian dish originating from the Mbo people in the department of Moungo, of the Bazou and Bafang peoples in the Southwest Region, as well as the Makaa, Bassa and Banen peoples of the West Region
Achu
Achu soup is a yellow soup that is a traditional food in Cameroon. It is made with cocoyam, spices, water, palm oil, "Canwa / Nikki" (limestone), and fish or other ingredients.
Culture and etiquette
Customs, dress, useful words.
- Bonjourhello
- Mercithank you
- S’il vous plaîtplease
- Entries checked on Wiktionary.
- Religions: Roman Catholic 33.1%, Muslim 30.6%, Protestant 27.1% other Christian 6.1%, animist 1.3%, other 0.7%, none 1.2%.
- Languages: 24 major African language groups, English (official), French (official).
Festivals and events
The big dates.
- National holiday
State Unification Day (National Day), 20 May (1972).
- Independence
1 January 1960 (from French-administered UN trusteeship).
Fixed dates and moveable events, each with its source; moveable dates change every year and are to be checked on an official calendar.
Did you know?
Three things to remember.
The country’s highest point, Mount Cameroon, reaches 4,095 m.
29,879,337 inhabitants in 2025 on 475,442 km², about 63 per km².
Independence on 1 January 1960 (from French-administered UN trusteeship).
Gallery
See it before you go.
Real photographs: free images under a verified licence and Viafro images. Never a generated image. Credits in the footer.
Share your trip with #viafro: the best images will join this gallery, with your credit.
Live, work, invest
A few key figures.
Sourced data (World Bank). No investment advice.
GDP per capita (current US$)2World Bank · 2025GDP growth3.2 %World Bank · 2025Inflation (consumer prices)3.4 %World Bank · 2025Unemployment (ILO estimate)3.6 %World Bank · 2025International tourist arrivals1 ,000World Bank · 2019
World Bank data (World Development Indicators), consulted on 28 Oct 2026. Tourist arrivals are the latest year published.
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Sources and verification dates · 20 sources, checked on 28 Oct 2026
Travel advice · GOV.UK (FCDO)Entry, visa, safety: the official page, kept up to date by the ministry. Travel health · US CDCVaccines and precautions from a reference medical source. World Heritage · UNESCOThe country’s inscribed sites and tentative list. WikidataCapital and currency, verified structured data.
- Wikidata · Cameroon (Q1009)
- World Bank · World Development Indicators
- GOV.UK (FCDO) · Cameroon · Foreign travel advice · Entry requirements (page updated on 19 Oct 2026)
- GOV.UK (FCDO) · Cameroon · Foreign travel advice · Health (page updated on 19 Oct 2026)
- GOV.UK (FCDO) · Cameroon · Foreign travel advice · Safety and security (page updated on 19 Oct 2026)
- Wiktionary · Checked entries (French)
- Wikipedia · Ndolé
- Wikipedia · Eru (plat)
- Wikipedia · Poulet DG
- Wikipedia · Taro à la sauce jaune
- Wikipedia · Koki
- Wikipedia · Achu
- Wikipedia · Yaoundé
- Wikipedia · Douala
- Wikipedia · Kribi
- Wikipedia · Limbé
- CIA World Factbook · Cameroon (public domain) (page updated on 29 Oct 2026)
- France Diplomatie · Cameroun · Travel advice · Security (zones, in French) (page updated on 15 Sept 2026)
- Wikidata · Airports of the country (IATA code, traffic) (page updated on 29 Oct 2026)
- Wikipedia (climate normals) · Yaoundé · monthly normals (World Meteorological Organization{{cite web) (page updated on 29 Oct 2026)
Information checked on 28 Oct 2026. Check the official source before you travel. Viafro gives no safety rating and publishes no price without a source.
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