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Cameroon

Cameroon

Cameroon is an African destination par excellénce. It has history, culture and a quintessence of landscapes that could place it nowhere else but Africa. It is also relatively peaceful and unscarred by the regional propensity for horror. Although politically rigid, it is not a dictatorship, and although a little sharp, it is nowhere near as corrupt as its neighbors.

Situated in the elbow of the Gulf Of Guinea, Cameroon straddles three political regions. With it’s toes dipped in the central African equatorial zone, it’s face pressed against the brawny haunches of the Niger Delta, and its elbows up in the lake Chad region, Cameroon is all things to all people. It is ostensibly bilingual, although the Francophone element outnumbers the Anglophone, and with 280 distinct ethnic groups within the country, the indigenous languages outnumber them both.

Perhaps the most notable achievement of the country on the world stage was the storming of the national soccer squad, the Indomitable Lions, into the quarter finals of the FIFA World cup held in Italy in 1990. This was the crowning glory of a nation that lives, eats and breathes soccer.

Travel To & Within Cameroon

  • Flights To Cameroon
  • Hotels In Cameroon
  • Why Travel To Cameroon

    For beaches, mountains, forests and savannah. For elephants and gorillas, chimpanzees and giraffes, music and arts, life and color.

    Cameroon has a number of notable National Parks, but Waza National Park, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, is not only one of the most notable in the country, but of the best preserved and most accessible in the region. At over 170 000 hectares, it is home to the classic African plains species including lion, elephant, giraffe and many others.

  • Bénoué National Park
  • Bouba National Park
  • Boumba National Park
  • Campo Ma’an National Park
  • Faro National Park
  • Korup National Park
  • Lake Lobake National Park
  • Nki National Park
  • Waza National Park
  • For a classic west African urban vibe the capital city Yaoundé cannot be rivaled. Set against a green and hilly backdrop, and with charmingly erratic urban planning, the city is surprisingly clean and well ordered. It has a number of markets and a bustling bar, arts and music scene. If you are indifferent to its origins (Cameroon is suffering chronic deforestation) carvings from local indigenous hardwoods are the most visible local art form.

    The main beach resorts lie south of the southern town of Kribi. This is a popular destination for the nation’s urban elite as well as expatriates and tourists alike. The town lies in a classic West African beach setting with swaying palms, fish markets, open air restaurants and wide sandy beaches.

    When To Visit Cameroon

    Cameroon has a network of dusty back country roads, except when it rains, at which time they turn to mud. Bearing in mind the deep verdure that cloaks much of the country it does not take great powers of deduction to conclude that it rains extensively. As much as is possible it is advisable to avoid the wet seasons.

    As a rule the southern tropical belt experience rain intermittently all year round, with a more persistent deluge between June and October.

    In the north the climate is drier, with a more distinct summer wet season between mid-April and October.

    In general the best months to visit are the winter months between November and February, although it is also during that time that the Harmattan haze may periodically obscure the landscape.

    Travel Warning

    The western region of the country as it borders Chad and the Central African Republic has been witness to fairly regular incidences of banditry and carjacking. This means that a visit to the Waza National Park would best be undertaken with a tour group.

    A further area of potential unrest includes the border region with Nigeria adjacent to the Bakassi Peninsular.

    There is a high risk of crime in Cameroon, including armed banditry and kidnapping, and so lonely road journeys, particularly along the eastern border with central African Republic, should be conducted with caution and only after obtaining local travel advice.

    The risk of terrorism is low.

    Street crime is a significant and growing problem, and even in the outlying areas and smaller centers sensible precautions should be applied at all times.

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