Travel Information From Chad to Cameroon

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Routine Vaccines

Make sure you are up-to-date on all routine vaccines before every trip. Some of these vaccines include

• Chickenpox (Varicella)
• Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis
• Flu (Influenza)
• Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR)
• Polio
• Shingles

COVID-19

All eligible travelers should be up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines.

Cholera

Vaccination may be considered for adults who are traveling to areas of active cholera transmission. Active cholera transmission is widespread in Cameroon. Cholera is rare in travelers but can be severe. Certain factors may increase the risk of getting cholera or having severe disease (more information). Avoiding unsafe food and water and washing your hands can also help prevent cholera.

Hepatitis A

Recommended for unvaccinated travelers one year old or older going to Cameroon.
Infants 6 to 11 months old should also be vaccinated against Hepatitis A. The dose does not count toward the routine 2-dose series.
Travelers allergic to a vaccine component or who are younger than 6 months should receive a single dose of immune globulin, which provides effective protection for up to 2 months depending on dosage given.
Unvaccinated travelers who are over 40 years old, immunocompromised, or have chronic medical conditions planning to depart to a risk area in less than 2 weeks should get the initial dose of vaccine and at the same appointment receive immune globulin.

Hepatitis B

Recommended for unvaccinated travelers of all ages to Cameroon.

Malaria

CDC recommends that travelers going to Cameroon take prescription medicine to prevent malaria. Depending on the medicine you take, you will need to start taking this medicine multiple days before your trip, as well as during and after your trip. Talk to your doctor about which malaria medication you should take.

Infants 6 to 11 months old traveling internationally should get 1 dose of measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine before travel. This dose does not count as part of the routine childhood vaccination series.

Polio

A single lifetime booster dose of Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV) is recommended for adults who received the routine polio vaccination series as children; the routine series is recommended for unvaccinated or incompletely vaccinated children and adults and those with unknown vaccination status.

Rabies

Rabid dogs are commonly found in Cameroon. If you are bitten or scratched by a dog or other mammal while in Cameroon, there may be limited or no rabies treatment available.
Consider rabies vaccination before your trip if your activities mean you will be around dogs or wildlife.
Travelers more likely to encounter rabid animals include
• Campers, adventure travelers, or cave explorers (spelunkers)
• Veterinarians, animal handlers, field biologists, or laboratory workers handling animal specimens
• Visitors to rural areas
Since children are more likely to be bitten or scratched by a dog or other animals, consider rabies vaccination for children traveling to Cameroon.

Typhoid

Recommended for most travelers, especially those staying with friends or relatives or visiting smaller cities or rural areas.

Yellow Fever

Required for arriving travelers from all countries if traveler is ≥1 year of age.
Recommended for all travelers ≥9 months of age.

Meningitis (Meningococcal disease)

Recommended for travelers 2 months old or older traveling to Cameroon during the dry season (December to June).

You will need 6 months validity remaining on your passport from the date of entry.

Local Phrases Language : French and English

Local Phrases :

Greetings

Hello = Bonjour
Good morning = Bonjour
Good afternoon = Bon après-midi
Goodbye = Au revoir
Nice to meet you = Ravi de vous rencontrer

Conversational

How are you? = Comment vas-tu?
I am good thank you = Je vais bien, merci
What’s your name? = Quel est ton nom?
My name is … = Mon nom est …
Do you speak English? = Parlez vous anglais?
I don’t speak … = je ne parle pas…
How do you say… in … = Comment dit-on… en…
I don’t understand = je ne comprends pas

Basics

Yes = Oui
No = Non
Please = S'il vous plaît
Thank you = Merci
You’re welcome = Je vous en prie
Excuse me please (as a question) = Excusez moi s'il vous plait
Excuse me (as sorry) = Pardon
Wait = Attendre
Hurry up = Dépêche-toi
Go away = S'en aller
Let’s go to = Allons à
I want to go to … = Je veux aller à …
A little bit = Un peu
A lot = Beaucoup

Shopping & Eating Out

Restaurant = Restaurant
Do you have? … = As-tu? …
Not too spicy = Pas trop épicé
It was delicious = C'était délicieux
The bill, please = The bill, please
How much? = Combien?
Very expensive = Très cher
Can you reduce the price? = Pouvez-vous réduire le prix?
Please can I have a beer? = S'il vous plaît, puis-je avoir une bière ?

Transportation & Directions

Taxi = Taxi
Car = Auto
Bus = Bus
Go Right = aller à droite
Go Left = va à gauche
Go Straight = Allez tout droit
Stop here = Arrêtez ici

Places

Downtown = Centre ville
Street = Rue
Hotel = Hôtel
Museum = Musée
Mall = Centre commercial
Market = Marché
Hospital = Hôpital
Doctor = Docteur
Police = Police
Post office = Bureau de poste
Bank = Banque

Time & Dates

What time is it? = Quelle heure est-il?
Today = Aujourd'hui
Tomorrow = Demain
The day after tomorrow = Le surlendemain
Yesterday = Hier
When? = Lorsque?

Emergencies

Where is the toilet? = Où sont les toilettes?
Help me, please = Aidez-moi, s'il vous plaît
Call an ambulance = Appelle une ambulance
I don’t feel goo = je ne me sens pas bien

• Yaounde: +2372210624

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Carry identification at all times (either a residence permit or a certified copy of your passport showing a valid visa). Failure to produce ID can lead to detention by the police. Homosexuality is not widely accepted in central African society and sexual acts between members of the same sex are illegal in Cameroon. There were arrests and prosecutions of homosexuals in the past. Penalties for the use and possession of drugs are severe and usually include a prison sentence. Photographing military sites, government buildings, airports and ports is forbidden. While photography elsewhere is not illegal, communities can be sensitive to people taking photos and may ask for money in return. Officials may also ask you to pay for a ‘permits’ to photograph certain places. It’s illegal to buy, sell, kill or capture any protected wild animal or trade its parts without a licence. Cameroon is a signatory to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) which bans trade in ivory. If you're caught buying or trafficking these goods You'll be prosecuted and could receive a prison sentence or a fine.

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Yaoundé

Yaoundé, spread over 7 hills, is the capital city of Cameroon. It is in the southern part of the country. The 20th-century Notre Dame des Victoires cathedral has a striking triangular roof. Nearby, in the Lake Quarter, the former presidential palace is home to the National Museum, with cultural exhibits such as masks and sculptures. Farther west, Mvog-Betsi Zoo is home to primates rescued from the bushmeat trade.

Customs Allowances : Click Here

Bandits and bribes

Bandit attacks and car accidents are most common outside major towns, especially in the regions bordering Chad and the Central African Republic, but occur in all areas of the country.

Armed bandits have erected road barricades on major routes that link rural towns to provincial headquarters, and have taken as many as 100 cars in a single attack. To curb banditry, security personnel may request persons to show their passport, residence card, driver's license, and/or vehicle registration at random checkpoints. Certified copies of these important documents should be kept in a secure location separate from the originals.

Security personnel have been known to ask for bribes but normally allow expatriate travellers to continue after delaying them for a period of time

Visitors who are not in possession of a valid passport and a visa may experience difficulties at police roadblocks or other security checkpoints. It is not uncommon for a uniformed member of the security forces to stop motorists on the pretext of a minor or non-existent violation of vehicle regulations in order to extort small bribes.

Muggings

Muggings and robberies have been reported in Douala, Yaound, Limb and other major towns. Avoid isolated or poorer areas of town (notably in Yaound, La Briquetterie and Mokolo), take personal security precautions and maintain a high level of vigilance in public places.
Taxis can be very dangerous. Taxis in Cameroon function more like a bus system, with drivers stopping along the road to pick up additional passengers as long as there is space left in the vehicle (and by space think any spare slither of space). Taxi drivers and accomplices posing as passengers often conspire to commit serious crimes including rape, assaults and robberies. If you must use a taxi, it is better to hire a private taxi, ideally a driver who you know, for your exclusive use for a particular trip, rather than share a taxi. Taxi passengers should be particularly vigilant at night.

Petty crime

Petty theft is common on trains, coaches and in bush taxis.

Carjackings and robberies, often armed and accompanied by violent acts have occurred along roads close to Cameroon's eastern border with Central African Republic and Chad, as well as in Limb, Douala, Yaound, Kribi, and Maroua.

There have been serious incidents of car hijacking and robbery, resulting in deaths, along the Bamenda-Banyo and Bafoussam-Banyo roads in the north-west. Attacks have also occurred on the Bafoussam-Douala and Bafoussam-Yaoundé roads.

International Driving Permit 1949 is required

• The most common religion in Cameroon is Christianity
• Don't take pictures of government buildings, military installations and other public facilities - it’s illegal. You could be arrested and your equipment confiscated.
• Don't take photos of Cameroonians without permission.
• Don't forget to lower the head and avert the eyes when greeting someone superior to you in age or position (if you are a man). Women tend not to look the other person in the eye even if it is another woman. Ask about the person’s family and other matters during the greeting process. Some Muslims will not shake hands across genders.
• Don't give alcohol if the host is Muslim. To non-Muslim hosts, you can give fruit, whiskey or wine. Always hand the things with both hands.
• Don't use left hand when eating or giving/receiving the things.
• Don't be surprised by expressive communicators in business - when they think they know what you are about to say, they will interrupt you to agree, disagree or change the subject.
• Don't get too close to the wildlife - always follow the instructions given by guides or trackers.
• Don't buy, sell, kill, or capture any protected wild animal or trade its parts without a license - it's illegal.
• Don't ignore the increased reports of piracy in the Gulf of Guinea - watch out when travelling in coastal waters.
• Don't forget same-sex sexual activity is illegal and punishable by a prison sentence.

Do I need travel insurance to travel to Cameroon?

Travel insurance is very important when traveling overseas. We strongly recommend that you take out cover to travel to Cameroon. You can usually take out single trip or annual multi-trip cover to give you peace of mind should anything happen.

It can be a better and cheaper option to take annual multi-trip cover as it usually covers any number of trips taken in one year with a maximum of up to around 60 days away per trip.

We work with the top names in the industry and have already pre-selected the easiest, cheapest and best quality travel insurance on the market to save you time and money trying to find the best cover.

Travel insurance typically covers the following; however, you can tailor a policy to suit your needs depending on where you are traveling to, your activities and how long you are away.

• Medical Expenses
  Medical treatment can be extremely costly and add up very quickly, and include Overnight stays in hospital, minor or major surgery, accident and emergency treatment, drugs, COVID-19 treatment, journey home if you cannot use the original ticket, dental treatment, and many more unexpected expenses.
• Baggage and personal belongings
  If your baggage is lost, stolen, damaged or delayed it is extremely frustrating. If you must buy new clothes, toiletry products or personal belongings it can be very expensive and time consuming.
• Cancellation
  Sometimes due to unforeseen circumstances you may need to cancel your trip. This could be due to several reasons such as illness, injury, a bereavement or many other scenarios. Usually airlines, tour operators and hotels have large cancellation fees, so buying travel insurance that covers this is recommended.

Health Care

Healthcare System in Cameroon

Healthcare of Cameroon is ranked 151th in the world. Cameroon's public healthcare system provides inexpensive healthcare services and medicines to residents.

Health Risk

Leptospirosis

Caused by bacteria of the genus Leptospira.

Schistosomiasis

Caused by wading, swimming, bathing, or washing in contaminated water body.

African Sleeping Sickness (African Trypanosomiasis)

Caused by Tsetse fly bite.

African Tick-Bite Fever

Caused by Tick bite.

Chikungunya

Caused by Mosquito bite.

Dengue

Occurs from insect bites, including mosquitoes.

Leishmaniasis

Occurs from sand fly bite.

Zika

Occurs from mosquito bite.

Monkeypox

Occurs from scratched or bitten by an infected animal such as a rodent or primate

Hantavirus

Less commonly, being around someone sick with hantavirus.

Tuberculosis (TB)

Caused from an infected and contagious person coughing, speaking, or singing.