Yaoundé is the capital of Cameroon, and the country's second most populous city. It is smaller than the economic centre (Douala), but still a bustling city. Called the city on seven hills, Yaoundé is home to people from all over Cameroon.
Photos: Wikimedia Commons contributors.
A city of 2 million inhabitants, Yaoundé is the centre of political power in the country. The city is in the Centre province, and stretches along the small river Mfoundi, which flows through the city from north to south. At about 700 m above sea level, it is surrounded by hills, swamplands and small streams, on the homeland of the Ewondo and Eton peoples, though nowadays it's home to people from all over the country. Downtown is rather small and comprises some highrises around Boulevard du 20 mai and the Quartier des ministères. The rest of the city is made up of a sprawl of small houses, including both businesses and homes.
Public city buses are operated by Stecy. As of July 2018 there's a total of 13 lines, most of which radiating out from the centre along the main streets. The company operates two lines to the airport as well, taking different routes but both going to the central post office. To see the network maps, go to Stecy's website and scroll down. Bus trips are paid for using "Tap & Go" magnetic cards, just like in many public transport systems in the world. You can buy and reload the cards at newsstands and other points of sale.
The city's not really set up for tourists, but some fun things to see are the Mvog Betsi Zoo (primates and lions, with a kid's playground), the Mokolo Market (very big and in-your-face), Mont Febe, or maybe the swimming pools of some of the hotels — see Buy and Do sections below. The city centre houses government offices, some hotels, and the central market. The Bastos quartier, with most homes owned by Cameroonians, is home to foreign embassies and the expatriate European community (drawn mainly from the diplomatic corps).
1 Salon Promote, Palais des Congrès. Central Africa's biggest industry and artisany fair, taking place every third year. Not only big companies are here, but also small local businesses. In addition there are cultural events with concerts and central African food. next event 16-24 February 2019. Journée de la femme. Women's Day takes place on 08 March every year. There are parades and parties around the city. Unlike other days of the year, men stay home cooking and cleaning on this day. (updated Mar 2025) 20 mai. 20 May is the national day of Cameroon. In the morning there is a military parade, where also other uniformed services and civilians participate.
Yaoundé's restaurants mainly offer local and French cuisine. There are also some Chinese and North African restaurants. Toilets in restaurants are usually dirty, so if possible go to the toilet elsewhere, before or after you go to the restaurant. Good markets for food shopping are Mfoudi and Mkolo, listed above. At markets food are always not sold by kilogrammes or litres. It may be a good idea to hire a porter who can also help out with your shopping and protect you from pickpockets. Packed food is available at supermarkets. Bakeries are often the only places open on public holidays.
Yaoundé doesn't have a very lively nightlife, though there are still a couple of options. Concerts with African music often take place in night clubs — ask locals. 1 Sanza Night club (Quartier Elig Essono). Classy place, though there's usually very little going on in the early week. Guarded parking. Free entry. Drinks FCFA 5000. 2 Black&White (Quartier Bastos). Free entry. Drinks from FCFA 5000. 3 Panoramique bar. Nice bar on top of the Hilton hotel. One of the few places where you can listen to music when having a drink. Happy hour every afternoon. FCFA 5000. 4 Parallèle Club, in Mballa 2. A "cabaret", in other words a restaurant with live music. Popular with expats.
While there are many more dangerous places in Cameroon and Africa than Yaoundé, crime can still be an issue here. Basic precautions will reduce the risk of you becoming victim. Taxi sharing can be risky, even for Cameroonians, and you may wind up with your cell phone and wallet stolen. It's better to take a friend or two, rather than riding alone, especially in nighttime. It is recommended to hire a private taxi recommended by your hotel or a friend. Beware of pickpockets, they are rife. Be careful with your bags, wallet and such in the markets (particularly Marché Mokolo and Marché Central) and anywhere there are lots of people (including at nights when out drinking).
Guide content from Wikivoyage contributors (CC BY-SA) — abridged; the full article has much more.
Top-rated tours and tickets from €159 — book ahead for the popular ones.
Tours and tickets provided by Viator (a Tripadvisor company). Some links earn Stayonomy a commission.
In Aug, Yaounde typically sees ~26°C daytime highs and 21 rainy days.
Cheapest destinations travellers searched recently — refreshed daily.
Flight prices are real fares travellers found in the last 48 hours, refreshed daily — the booking site confirms the final price. Train, bus and ferry fares are shown on the operators' booking sites. Weather data by Open-Meteo; exchange rates: ECB reference. Data updated 2026-08-06. Some links earn Stayonomy a commission at no cost to you.
stayonomy