Cameroon

Cameroon is not a country for inexperienced and luxury travelers. However, if you looking to experience the real africa, in which you meet friendly locals and experience struggles along the way, it might be a good destination. The west, north and south have completely different characters, both in terms of population, landscape and nature.

The population consists of approximately 200 ethnic groups, each with their own language. The official languages are English (two provinces) and French. In the English-speaking provinces you can work well with both English and French. However, knowledge of English is limited in the French-speaking provinces. Here and there you can also use German, Spanish and Arabic (north). The population is usually very friendly and interested without being troublesome or intrusive.

Most nationalities need a visa to enter Cameroon.

Source: Wikipedia.

In all cities and many villages there are food stalls where you can get a reasonable to good meal. It usually consists of fish, chicken or bush meat (south) with cassava or plane tree.

Restaurants

In the cities there are circuits (small restaurants) with a similar offer to the stalls described above and sometimes also western food. Most of the better restaurants have this too. In the real restaurants, the food always seemed fine. With the cheaper ones I have had my doubts about the quality several times. Once, mowing even crawled out of my fish. Nevertheless, I have not been ill and not even had diarrhea!

Drinkable water

Officially you cannot drink the tap water. But according to some expats it can be done locally. Some better hotels filter themselves. Sometimes there is a village pump where you can get drinkable water. Bottled water is available almost everywhere, even in small villages. Only in the south it is more difficult.

• Yellow fever vaccination is mandatory.
• A DTP vaccination is recommended
• Protection against Hepatitis A is recommended.
• Sometimes a Cholera statement is needed.
• Malaria occurs all year round.

Best bike period

Seasons (dry / wet)

The dry season happens during November to March. I thought december and january was a good time to visit cameroon. Had some rain in the west and south. This mainly occurred in the evening and at night and caused hardly any nuisance. The positive effect of these showers was that the roads were less dusty.

Tourist high season

The foreigners who come there are usually there for (voluntary) work, study or family visit.

Spare parts

Although there is a fair amount of cycling in the north, derailleur bikes are rare. I have the impression that there is a lot available in the big cities and the north. Finding what you need can sometimes be difficult.