Day 1 - Conakry
Arrive in Conakry and transfer to your hotel. Overnight Hotel Onomo or similar.
Day 2 - Conakry - Kindia
We spend the morning exploring the capital and its small but interesting museum, then drive to the village of Kindia, en route to the Fouta Djalon highlands. Overnight Hotel Moringa or similar. (BLD)
Day 3 - Dalaba
Explore the small town of Dalaba, with its interesting ‘casa a palabra’, a finely decorated building used for local chiefs. We also visit the villa of Guinea’s first president, Sekou Toure, among other sights. Overnight Hotel Safitel or similar. (BLD)
Day 4 - Fouta Djalon
From here we drive into the Fouta Djalon, a stunning area of mountains, waterfalls, plateau and savannah, where we explore the charming Fulani villages with their typical architecture. Overnight Hotel Baylis or similar. (BLD)
Days 7-8 - Macenta - Nzerekore
Explore a lush region of thick forests and remote villages. We may see mask dances while here, including one of the ‘bird men, dressed in feathers and with their faces painted white with kaolin. This is a secret society, and its members are believed to have powers that make them invisible. We also see the impressive bridges made of living vines, believed to be built by spirits during the course of just one night. Overnight Hotel Macenta (Day 7) and Hotel Bethanie (Day 8) or similar. (BLD)
Day 9 - Bossou - Ganta
Head to the small village of Bossou and explore the forest, home to a group of chimpanzees. Constantly monitored by researchers, they are relatively easy to approach. From here we cross into Liberia and drive to the town of Ganta. Overnight Hotel Alvino or similar. (BLD)
Days 10-11 - Monrovia
Drive to Liberia’s capital, Monrovia. We visit the National Museum and the impressive Masonic Temple of Liberia, that has played an important part in Liberian history over the years. In the afternoon of Day 11 we see a rare performance of the female Bundo masks – normally mask societies are for men only. Overnight Cape Hotel or similar. (BLD)
Day 12 - Bo
Cross the border with Sierra Leone and head towards its diamond producing region. Continue to Bo for the night, where we meet diamond traders for an insight into a side of the business few get to see. Overnight Hotel Dohas or similar. (BLD)
Days 13-14 - Banana Islands
We spend time learning about the process of diamond mining, as we join some villagers who show us their craft. Continue from here to the archipelago of the Banana Islands, with its stunning beaches and fishing villages. Overnight Bafa Lodge or similar. (BLD)
Day 15 - Freetown
Return to the mainland and head to the stunning beaches of the Freetown peninsula, slowing the pace a little after a busy trip. After an afternoon relaxing or exploring the surrounding area, Sierra Leone’s capital, Freetown. Overnight Swiss Hotel or similar. (BLD)
Day 16 - Freetown - Lungi
Explore the city visiting its lively markets and seeing examples of old colonial architecture. Finally transfer back to Lungi for your flight home. (BL)
Please note: This is a pioneering trip and so you must be prepared for flexibility and changes to the itinerary if necessary. We most definitely do not recommend this trip if you like rigid plans, 4 star hotels, good roads and well defined ‘tourist sites’ – this is a very adventurous trip through a remote part of the continent, where infrastructure is not great, things change frequently and you can expect a certain amount of discomfort at times. However the rewards more than balance these out – the chance to travel through lands that rarely see western visitors, experience the truly authentic and go to places that few have gone before, in one of the most interesting corners of Africa.
What's included
Airport transfers – We include arrival and departure transfers regardless of whether you book flights yourself, or we book them for you. If you’re booking them yourself, then please let us know the details so that we can arrange the transfers.
Accommodation – Accommodation as listed in the dossier. The nature of the destinations that we operate may sometimes mean that we need to change hotels, but we’ll always endeavour to keep the same standards. Please be aware that as we operate in many countries where tourism is in its infancy, hotel standards may not be the same as you’re used to elsewhere.
Guides – In most cases you will be accompanied by one guide from start to finish. However there may be occasions when this is not practical, for example if your trip covers a number of different countries. In these cases it often makes more sense to include different guides for each place, to take advantage of their specific knowledge of the destination.
Meals – As listed within the itinerary / dossier (B-Breakfast, L-Lunch, D-Dinner). These will vary from trip to trip – in some areas it makes sense to include all meals while in others there is a good choice of restaurants and we feel people might like to ‘do their own thing’ now and again.
Entrance fees – Entrance fees are listed for those sites that we mention within the itinerary. If there are any other sites that you’d like to see, these would be at your own expense.
Not included:
- Visas
- Airport taxes
- International flights
- Travel Insurance
