Cameroon Travel

ENTRY VISAS

An entry visa is required to enter Cameroon valid for 30 days. It can be obtained from any Cameroon embassy or Consulate in your country of residence. For visitors residing in countries where Cameroon does not have a Consular service, they can always obtain an entry visa from Cameroon embassies or consular services in neighbouring countries which cover their country of residence or they contact us to obtain a visa upon arrival in any Cameroon port of entry. In the later case, they have to provide us passport details which we use to apply to the Directorate of Frontier Police for authorization to obtain visa at port of entry

HEALTH

Tourists have to present vaccination certificates for yellow fever or any other infectious disease declared by the competent health authorities.
CAMEROON TOP TOURS strongly urges foreign tourists to Cameroon obtain an insurance cover before arriving Cameroon.
To prevent from malaria, tourists are advised to bring along antimalarial drugs.

CLIMATE
Cameroon can be visited throughout the year though there are two seasons, the dry season which runs from November to May and the rainy season from June to October.
The north of the country which constitutes some of Cameroon’s major tourist attractions has a rainy season that runs from May to the end of September with less than a metre of annual rainfall. It has average temperatures of 30°C

COMMUNICATION SERVICES

Cameroon has a communication network connection with phones having direct international dialling. Two cellular phone companies, Orange and MTN operate in the major cities and small towns. One must have the GSM phone to be able to use a mobile phone number in Cameroon.. Cellular phones can also be hired on a daily, weekly or monthly Basis.

CURRENCY ISSUES

The Cameroon currency is the F CFA . 1 €URO =656 F CFA . Credit cards and checks are not widely used. Cash in local currency is the only form of payment though currencies such as the Euro or Dollar may be accepted
Tourists having financial difficulties while in Cameroon can have money wired to them from abroard via Western Union or Moneygram services available in Cameroon. Western Union services are offered by the following banks : Société Générale des Banques au Cameroun(SGBC), Banque Internationale pour l’Epargne et le Crédit du Cameroun(BICEC), and COFINEST, a financial establishment. Moneygram services are offered by Amity Bank Cameroon and Afriland Bank. Most of the above banks have branches in the provincial capitals of Cameroon.
Due to difficulties encountered by tourists to immediately obtain local currency for initial expenses upon arrival in Cameroon, Middle Africa usually makes arrangements to exchange foreign currencies for its tourists after arrival. Of course, we have to be informed in advance of arrival for measures to be taken.

PHOTOGRAPHY RESTRICTIONS

Photography is a sensitive subject in Cameroon. Officially, you do not need a permit for photography but you have to be careful not to photograph anything regarded as of strategic importance. Certain locations and installations are not allowed to be photographed; these are military zones and installations, airports, presidential palaces, security and defence personnel, and images that are likely to harm the country’s morals or its good reputation.
It is always advisable to obtain permission before taking a photograph of a specific object or location as many people object strongly to having their photographs taken. To succeed in that, always offer to send a copy of the picture of the person whose photograph is taken or you simply propose him a tip in exchange.
For official events, it is also advisable to obtain a « special pass » from the Ministry of Communications.

PRECAUTIONS TO TAKE BEFORE FLYING TO CAMEROON

Tourists have often found themselves arriving the Douala International airport or the Yaoundé-Nsimalen airport without their baggages. These may take between one day to even a week for them to arrive, some even arriving after the tourist has completed his tour of Cameroon. Also remember that your tour program takes you into the hinterland where communication is not easy and you cannot therefore wait in Douala or Yaoundé for your baggage to arrive.
To avoid getting yourself in such an uncomfortable situation, it is advisable to get essential items such as drugs, toiletry, a few inner wears and clothing in your small carry on cabin baggage. This can help a few days before baggage arrives.

TIME ZONE

Standard time in Cameroon is Greenwich meantime + 1.