Yaoundé is the capital of Cameroon, a sprawling city of hills and greenery set at around 750 metres altitude in the south-central part of the country. It is quieter and more administrative than the economic capital Douala, with a calmer pace and a more agreeable climate thanks to the elevation.
The city has fewer conventional tourist sights than some African capitals, but what it has is genuine. The Musée National occupies the old presidential palace and holds an impressive collection of Cameroonian art and artefacts. The Musée de la Blackitude is a private institution with thousands of objects documenting African and Afro-diasporic culture. The Benedictine Monastery of Mont Fébé sits on a hill above the city and produces excellent chocolate sold at the monastery shop. The Marché de Mokolo is one of the largest markets in Central Africa, worth an hour of your time even if you buy nothing. The Mvog-Betsi Zoo and Botanical Garden is the main attraction for families, with gorillas and chimpanzees among its residents.
Yaoundé is also, unavoidably, a stopping point — a place to organise permits, arrange onward transport, and stock up before heading into the rest of the country. But it is worth a day's proper exploration rather than just a transit.