Welcome Africa!

 Woo Hoo! Africa will be coming home in 61 days. Home is Cameroon, proud hosts of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations. 

As a journalist who has criss-crossed Cameroon for 15 years, and spent the most part of my childhood and professional life traveling the land for education or work, there is no better way of sharing my experience of the country with you than in this special series on Cameroon. 

As a google maps contributor fonka mutta  with travel experience across four continents from Jegu to Cape Town. I have a clue on some of the details that can make your trip to Cameroon fun.

First of all, welcome to Africa! Our tourism may not be as popular as our football, but trust me there are quite some unique experiences to live in this country. From food to people, culture to agriculture, wildlife and landscapes, Cameroon is certainly Africa. 

For the basics Cameroon is home to some 24 million people mostly youth. We speak about 230 different languages, including the two official languages French and English, and the hugely popular pidgin-English spoken in most of West Africa and other former British colonies. 

Cameroon has four cultural zones, the Sahel, the equatorial forest, the coastal and grass-fields.

The climate may vary depending on if you are in the breath-taking desert plains of the north, the cattle-rich midland mountains of the Adamawa, or coursing through the wildlife and fauna of the southern rainforests. No need for winter clothes though, the seasons are essentially dry or rainy. The weather will be bright and sunny during the Africa Cup of Nations tournament that runs from January 9 to February 6, 2022. 

Eish! Every football lover has certainly heard a thing or two about football and Cameroon. Legendary players, historic rivalries, colourful fans. The last AFCON to be hosted by Cameroon was in 1972. Close to 50 years later football is coming home, Africa is coming home. Five bustling host cities and 6 buzzing state-of-the-art stadia await you. So do 24 million proud Cameroonians waiting to showcase our cuisine, culture, customs, clothes and nightlife.

Take your seats, buckle up and brace up for an exciting four weeks bumpy but unforgettable ride. Over the next couple of weeks our series, will give you tips on where to stay, what to eat, how to travel and the must-see places in Cameroon.