Bangui, Bayanga, Lobeke, Douala & Kirbi

As its name suggests, the Central African Republic lies in the geographic heart of Africa. It is a country characterised by extreme contrasts and intriguing contradictions. In the bustling capital of Bangui, which retains its colonial aesthetic, traditional African tribes roam streets lined with grand imperial French architecture and classic French patisseries are interspersed with colourful traditional African markets. This diversity is equally apparent in the nation’s breathtakingly beautiful natural landscapes. While the northern reaches are dominated by the vast Sahara Desert the south boasts magnificent equatorial rainforests, which are widely regarded as Africa’s best destination for viewing forest elephant and western lowland gorilla. The Republic’s star tourist attraction is undoubtedly the Dzanga-Ndoki National Park in the southwest, which is home to the world’s highest density of lowland gorillas, as well as an astonishing variety of butterflies and large forest-dwelling African wildlife.

Currency:  
Local currency: CFA Franc 
Symbol: XAF 
ISO code: *ZAR 
Central bank: South African Reserve Bank 
Subunit: Cent 
Banknotes: XAF 10 000, 5000, 2000, 1000, 500 
Coins: XAF 500, 100, 50, 25, 10, 5, 1 

Banking: 
Card Transactions:  
ATMs: Yes 
Mastercard: Sometimes  
Visa: Sometimes 
American Express: Sometimes 
Diner’s club: Sometimes  
 
Banking Hours: 
Weekdays: 07h00 - 17h00 
Weekends: dependant on bank 
Public Holidays: No 
Foreign exchange services: Yes 

Air: 
Main airlines: Karinou Airlines 
International Airports: Bangui M'Poko International Airport 
 
Road: 
Tar roads: Yes/No 
Gravel roads: Yes/No 
Valid International Driver's License needed: Yes/No 
Car hire available: Yes/No 
Taxis: Yes/No 
Uber available: Yes/No 
 
Bus: 
Inter-city bus services: Yes/No 
Local city bus networks: Yes/No 
 
Rail: 
Railway system: Yes/No 
Subway System: Yes/No 
 
Water: 
Ferries: Yes/No 
Water taxis: Yes/No 
Leisure cruises: Yes/No 

Food and water safety: 
Can you drink the tap water: No 
Fresh fruit and veg: No 
Ice: No 
Meat: Yes if well cooked 
Street food: No 
 
Local cuisine:  Diverse and interesting, Central African cuisine features Portuguese and Swahili influences, with dishes such as pilaf rice, mandanzi, and sambsusa making appearances. Other must-try's include Kanda tinyama (spiced meatballs), chichinga (skewered pieces of barbecued goat meat).  
 

Drinks: Palm wine, banana wine  
 

Tipping: 10% 

Annual rainfall: 1384.20 mm 
Average temperature: 33 degrees °C 
 
Summer: 
Average in highs: 33°C 
Average in lows: 22°C 
 
Winter: 
Average in highs: 32°C 
Average in lows: 18°C 
 
Best time to visit:  The best time to visit depends greatly on your choice of activities. In the summer (with March being the peak), animals don’t stray far from water sources, increasing sightings; hikers may prefer the cooler months of winter (July is the coolest time).  

Spring and Summer 
Cool, light, breathable and comfortable: Yes 
Lightweight warm clothes: Yes 
 
Winter and Autumn 
Jerseys, cardigans, sweaters, jackets: Yes 
Heavyweight clothing and boots: No 
 
General 
Umbrella and raincoat: Yes 
Warm gloves, hat and scarf: No 
Swimming costume (bathing suit): Yes 
Hat, sunglasses and sunblock: Yes 
Walking shoes: Yes 
Casual: Yes 
Smart-casual attire: Yes

Internet cafes: Sometimes  
Accommodation options: Sometimes 
Restaurants: Sometimes  
Cafes: Sometimes  
Shopping malls: Sometimes  
Public parks: No 
Libraries: Sometimes  
 

Set on the Gulf of Guinea, Cameroon is an essential central African country of diverse landscapes and wildlife - a microcosm of all that wonderful Africa has to offer in one diverse nation. From the lush tropical rainforests and the remote, idyllic beaches in the south to the vast expanses of desert, lakes and savannah in the north, and the impressive, otherworldly volcanic mountain region in the west, the variety of Cameroon’s landscapes is astounding. Add to this, several excellent game reserves, providing endless opportunities to witness some impressive wildlife, including elephants and lions, and you have one of the most underrated and eclectic nations on the African continent.

 Currency:  
Local currency: CFA franc 
Symbol: CFA 
ISO code: CMR 
Central bank: Bank of Central African States 
Subunit: Cent 
Banknotes: CFA 10 000, 5000, 2000, 1000, 500 
Coins: CFA250, 100, 50, 25, 10, 5, 2, 1 

Banking: 
Card Transactions: some 
ATMs: Some 
Mastercard: sometimes 
Visa: sometimes 
American Express: Sometimes 
Diner’s club: Sometimes 
 
Banking Hours: 
Weekdays: 08h00 -17h00 
Weekends:  
Public Holidays: No 
Foreign exchange services: Yes/No

Air: 
Main airlines: Camair-Co 
International Airports: Yaoundé Nsimalen International Airport, Douala International Airport 
 
Road: 
Tar roads: Some 
Gravel roads: Yes 
Valid International Driver's License needed: Cameroonian license needed asap (you may use your national license when you first arrive) 
Car hire available: Yes, expensive 
Taxis: Some. Choose shared taxis carefully as can be dangerous  
Uber available: No 
 
Bus: 
Inter-city bus services: No 
Local city bus networks: No 
 
Rail: 
Railway system: Yes 
Subway System: No 
 
Water: 
Ferries: No 
Water taxis: No 
Leisure cruises: No 

Food and water safety: 
Can you drink the tap water: No 
Fresh fruit and veg: No 
Ice: No 
Meat: Yes if well cooked 
Street food: No 
 
Local cuisine:  Set at the crossroads of the north, west, and centre of Africa, Cameroon’s influences are varied and present a wonderful diversity of flavours. Top choices of traditional dishes to try include: Bananemalaxé or topsy bananas (made with unripe bananas, crayfish, ginger, garlic, onions, peanuts, palm oil, tomatoes, salt and bouillon cubes) and Mbongo (a black meat stew including alligator pepper and a nutty spice called ‘njansa’).  

Drinks:  Bil-bil (homemade millet, sorghum or corn beer), palm wine, and Afofo (a firewater distilled from palm sap).  

Tipping: 10% 

Annual rainfall: On the coast: 250 - 400 cm. Inland: 150 - 250 cm. 
Average temperature: 31°C 
 
Summer: 
Average in highs: 30°C 
Average in lows: 20°C 
 
Winter: 
Average in highs: 27°C 
Average in lows: 19°C 
 
Best time to visit: The drier, cooler months between November and February make them the best time to visit. Travellers should be aware that during this time a wind known as the Harmattan often blows and clouds of dust.  

Spring and Summer 
Cool, light, breathable and comfortable: Yes/No 
Lightweight warm clothes: Yes/No 
 
Winter and Autumn 
Jerseys, cardigans, sweaters, jackets: Yes 
Heavyweight clothing and boots: No  
 
General 
Umbrella and raincoat: Yes 
Warm gloves, hat and scarf: No 
Swimming costume (bathing suit): Yes 
Hat, sunglasses and sunblock: Yes 
Walking shoes: Yes 
Casual: Yes 
Smart-casual attire: Yes 

Internet cafes: Some in Yaoundé 
Accommodation options: Sometimes  
Restaurants: Sometimes  
Cafes: No 
Shopping malls: No 
Public parks: No 
Libraries: Sometimes  

Plug Type: C/E 
Voltage (V): 220 
Frequency Hertz (Hz): 50 
 

*Travel plug adapter and voltage converter might be necessary depending on your appliances.