Tour Unexplored West Africa – 26 Days

Hygieneprotocol

Face masks required for travelers in public areas Temperature checks for travelers upon arrival Regular temperature checks for staff Guides required to regularly wash hands Transportation vehicles regularly sanitized Gear/equipment sanitized between use Regularly sanitized high-traffic areas Social distancing enforced throughout experience Hand sanitizer available to travelers and staff Face masks required for guides in public areas

Guide

Experienced tour guides

Transport

Transportation in private vehicle

Accommodation

Hotel accommodation in the indicated properties

Meals

Meals indicated

Others

Meeting and assistance upon arrival Admission to sites listed

Not included:

Others

International Flight to/from Africa Travel insurance Cost of Visas Gratuities for driver and guide

Optional

Other activities and services not included

Flights

International flights not included.

Insurance

Insurance is not included

Start planning your experience

Day 1 Day 1: Dakar
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 1: Dakar

Meet at the airport and transfer to the hotel. Your experienced tour guide will brief you on what to expect during your stay in Senegal

The rest of the day is at leisure.

Overnight at Djoloff Dakar
Day 2 Day 2: Dakar
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 2: Dakar

After breakfast, we will head to Dakar, for a city tour of this former capital of French West Africa.

From Independence Place and the presidential palace, we will continue by a seafront drive towards the main cathedral, to feel the contrasts between some upscale residential areas and other popular neighbourhoods.

We will stop at the African Renaissance Monument, being the highest world bronze statue, and the Museum of black civilisation. Since 1966 after the success of the first World Festival of Negro Arts, the idea was to show the African influence in today’s progress.

From the ground floor with the first hominids to the fourth floor, different concepts and different exhibitions showing Africa the cradle of humanity, to the invention by Africans of metallurgy, mathematics, chemistry, astronomy, medicine ...

Lunch and departure for the port, there a ferry will lead us to Gorée Island a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Land of martyrs and suffering, Goree Island was an important slaves transit center before their deportation to the Americas

Our visit will start at the famous slave’s house, built in 1776 by the Portuguese, a presentation by the curator in this last house of slaves, to know about the captive’s life and to observe the “Door of No Return” through which millions of Africans passed on the way to slavery in the Americas.

We will walk through the alleys of Goree, to better discover its homogeneous architecture, the first buildings of which date from the 15th century.

Overnight at Djoloff Dakar

Meal(s) Included: Breakfast and Dinner
Day 3 Day 3: Dakar / Pink Lake / St. Louis
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 3: Dakar / Pink Lake / St. Louis

After breakfast, we will check out from Dakar for a tour of the Pink Lake, a rare phenomenon caused by a unique combination of microorganisms and a high concentration of salt which gives the lake its different colours. With 380g of salt per liter of water, the concentration is beyond saturation, so everything is floating in this lake.

We will experience the swim floatation, before heading north to St. Louis, the former French colonial capital of Senegal. 

Meal(s) Included: Breakfast and Dinner

Overnight at Residence Hotel
Day 4 Day 4: St Louis – Djoudj Birds Parc
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 4: St Louis – Djoudj Birds Parc

After an early breakfast, visit Djoudj Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Enjoy a pirogue ride to better view the many species of cormorants, pelicans, ducks, flamingos, various songbirds, and more. Go on a tour of the Djoudj National Park to see crocodiles, boas, and wild boars. 

We will return to St. Louis to explore the narrow streets flanked by houses with carved wooden balconies and verandas. 

St Louis is also the settlement of the Signares: A race of mixed peoples, descendants of black African mothers who were the slaves and European fathers who were the slave masters.

We will visit Guet Ndar village, the fishermen’s populous area located between the Atlantic Ocean and the west bank of the Senegal river.

Back to the hotel for overnight

Meal(s) Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Overnight at Residence Hotel
Day 5 Day 5: Saint Louis / Touba / Kaolack
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 5: Saint Louis / Touba / Kaolack

Following breakfast, you depart to Kaolack in the south of Senegal. Along the way, visit the city of Touba to see the Grand Mosque which is the largest and most magnificent in all of West Africa. See the tomb of Cheikh Ahmadou Mbacke the founder of Mouridism (African brotherhood or African Islamic movement) and those of his 4 sons. Spend a few minutes in the large library which holds thousands of volumes many of which were written by the mystic founder.

Learn about the history of the Touba, Kaolack, and Wadiour/Keur Khaly. Touba is an autonomous city in Senegal much like the Vatican in Italy. Meet locals who live in Kaolack and learn about their daily activities and customs. You’ll also visit the nearby traditional hospital at Malango where you will meet healers from different ethnic groups and walk through the large open-air market.

Meal(s) Included: Breakfast and Dinner

Overnight at Le Relais de Kaolack
Day 6 Day 6: Kaolack / Sine Ngayene / Banjul
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 6: Kaolack / Sine Ngayene / Banjul

After breakfast, we’ll visit the Sine Ngayene complex, a UNESCO World Heritage Site consisting of 52 circles of standing stones. There are 1102 stones at the site, about 1km east of the circles (outside the incredible property), and is the quarry from which the monoliths were extracted. About 150 stones also trace their roots from there. The site was excavated in the 1970s. The single burials that were found in the region appeared to precede the multiple burials associated with the stone circle.

The capital city of Gambia is Banjul, which is surrounded by the beautiful scenery of tropical grassland and fascinating beaches.

Meal(s) Included: Breakfast and Dinner

Overnight at Atlantic Hotel, Banjul
Day 7 Day 7: Banjul
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 7: Banjul

After breakfast, go on a tour of the Gambia River and visit sites where the stories from Alex Haley’s Saga "Roots’’. Cruise up-river from Banjul Port and go back 200 years in time. Upon arrival at the ancient trading station of Albreda, we will observe the ruins of the Sao Domingo Church erected by the Portuguese in the 17th Century. The church is reported to be one of the oldest churches in West Africa. Albreda gained fame in the period of slavery as a result of its Flag Pole which many believed would guarantee freedom to any slave who touched it after escaping from nearby James Island. The village of Juffureh where “Kunta Kinte” of Roots fame traced his ancestry is just fifteen minutes’ walk away.

We will also visit the original home of Alex Haley’s great grandfather, which stands near the mosque and is still occupied by the Kinte family. The current leader of the community is a female cousin of Alex Haley. Continue to the “Museum of Slavery where you will get a good insight into Gambian slave history.

We will go on a short river cruise to James Island, steeped in slave trade history. The fortress ruins tell the tale of colonial rivalries, and the beads still buried in the sand conjure pictures of the hundreds of slaves shackled together waiting to be transported to an unknown land.

Early in the evening, get in a boat and go back to Banjul. Sail along with black dolphins that mostly appear.

Meal(s) Included: Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

Overnight at Atlantic Hotel Banjul
Day 8 Day 8: Banjul / Ziguinchor
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 8: Banjul / Ziguinchor

After breakfast, begin the tour of Banjul at the National Museum where you can learn about the history of the Gambia. Have a short drive through the city and pay a visit to the bustling Central Market where you can find anything from live chickens and vegetables to herbs. (We caution that care is taken with travellers’ valuables such as handbags and cameras when visiting crowded areas.)

Late afternoon, visit Serrekunda, the most densely populated town in The Gambia. There, you will see Tye and Dye skills and the handling of beautiful Batik cotton on display. Afterward, continue to Ziguinchor, stopping at Jola villages on the way where you will learn about the Jola tribe.

Meal(s) Included: Breakfast and Dinner

Overnight at Kadiandoumagne
Day 9 Day 9: Ziguinchor /Oussouye / Karabane/ Ziguinchor
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 9: Ziguinchor /Oussouye / Karabane/ Ziguinchor

After breakfast, visit the last king of the Jola people, who will welcome you in his palace located in a sacred forest. Currently, he rules 18 villages which keeps him busy doling assistance and settling disputes.

Continue to the historical Island of Karabane facing the Casamance river where you will have lunch. Return to Ziguinchor through Cap Skirring, known for its stunning beaches.

Meal(s) Included: Breakfast and Dinner

Overnight at Kadiandoumagne
Day 10 Day 10: Ziguinchor/Bissau
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 10: Ziguinchor/Bissau

After breakfast, depart from Ziguinchor, then cross the border into Guinea Bissau. Have an afternoon city tour. You will receive your Guinea Bissau visa at the border.

Visit the National Museum and the military museum and you’ll learn about the unique history of Guinea Bissau. You will see the mausoleum of Amilcal Cabral and his companion in the revolution. Stop by the Mercado Central (Central Market) known for its vibrant atmosphere, fold art, handcrafted items, and the “Centro Artistico Juvenile” where an artist exhibits their wares.

Go to the old colonial center of Bissau Velho, Porto Pidjiguiti, and the Presidential and the Presidential Palace and Fortaleza d’Amura barracks which include a memorial to Amilcal Cabral. Stop by the National Arts institute for a few minutes before returning to your hotel.

Meal(s) Included: Breakfast and Dinner

Overnight at Hotel 24 Septembro
Day 11 Day 11: Bissau / Quinhamel/Bissau
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 11: Bissau / Quinhamel/Bissau

After breakfast, drive to Quinhamel along with the Mar Azul (in Portuguese) meaning blue sea. Visit the Quinhamel weavers’ workshop and witness how local sugar cane rum and palm oil cashew nuts are made. This offers a great opportunity to interact with the local people. You will also visit other villages nearby and return to Bissau overnight.

Meal(s) Included: Breakfast and Dinner

Overnight at Hotel 24 Septembro
Day 12 Day 12: Bissau / Cacheu / Bissau
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 12: Bissau / Cacheu / Bissau

Following a good breakfast, drive to Cacheu in northwestern Guinea Bissau. Due to its strategic location on the Cacheu River, Cacheu was one of the earliest European colonial settlements in sub-Saharan. The Portuguese crown officially used Cacheu in the seventeenth and eighteenth as a landmark to ensure that duties on all exports, including humans, were paid.

After you arrive in Cacheu, start your city tour with a visit to the Fortress of Cacheu and the Slavery Museum, the Rua Grande, and the Nativity Church (the first church built in Guinea- Bissau).

Meal(s) Included: Breakfast and Dinner

Overnight at Hotel 24 Septembro
Day 13 Day 13: Bissau/ Conakry
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 13: Bissau/ Conakry

After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your flight to Conakry. Upon arrival in Conakry, you will be met assisted, and transferred to your hotel. Time permitting; begin the city tour of Conakry and its vicinity.

Meal(s) Included: Breakfast and Dinner

Overnight at Hotel Petit Bateau
Day 14 Day 14: Conakry / Dalaba
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 14: Conakry / Dalaba

After breakfast, drive to Dabala and visit the marketplace before we continue the drive to Fouta Jalon – an interesting farming region called the African Switzerland. The area was a favorite second home for the late Mariam Makeba, the famous South African singer whose home, dating from the French colonial period is still immaculately kept.

Meal(s) Included: Breakfast and Dinner

Overnight at SIB Hotel Fouta
Day 15 Day 15: Dalaba / Kindia
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 15: Dalaba / Kindia

After breakfast, begin the city tour of Dalaba. Visit the palace of Sekou Touré where Ahmed Sekou Toure, the first President of Guinea lived. Visit the artisans and drive to see the waterfalls of Kinkon in Pita. Afterward, continue for dinner and Overnight in Kindia.

Hotel: Hotel Masibi
Day 16 Day 16: Kindia / Conakry
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 16: Kindia / Conakry

After breakfast, drive to Conakry; En route, visit Waterfall, Le Voile de la Mariee (Weeding Veil), you will also visit the natural swimming pool at Kilissi and view the landscape from the Valley of Labota. Arrive in Conakry and begin a tour of the city.

Meal(s) Included: Breakfast and Dinner

Overnight at Hotel Petit Bateau
Day 17 Day 17: Conakry/ Freetown
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 17: Conakry/ Freetown

Following breakfast, travel to Sierra Leone. Stop to admire the landscape and villages along the route. After crossing the border into Sierra, we will continue to Freetown for dinner and overnight.

Meal(s) Included: Breakfast and Dinner

Overnight at Home Suites Hotel
Day 18 Day 18: Freetown
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 18: Freetown

After breakfast, depart to Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary. The 100 acres sanctuary which was created to save and rehabilitate chimps before freeing them, allows a close encounter with the chimpanzees. You can observe the Chimpanzees living in their natural habitat in large enclosures and feeding wild in the forest. Most chimpanzees live semi-wild inside large enclosures.

A short walking distance from the chimpanzee sanctuary you will find Charlotte Falls, a spectacular waterfall on a steep rock cliff down to a river below.

Meal(s) Included: Breakfast and Dinner

Overnight at Home Suites Hotel
Day 19 Day 19: Freetown/Bunce Island / Monrovia
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 19: Freetown/Bunce Island / Monrovia

After breakfast, drive to the oldest University in West Africa, the University of Sierra Leone/Fourah Bay College at Mount Aureol. Enjoy the stunning views from the elevated location and the Botanical Gardens. Cruise to Bunce Island, which was declared a national monument in 1948 and was a famous European commercial fort built during the slave trading era. It was a location for European and African traders to meet.

Meal(s) Included: Breakfast and Dinner

Overnight at Bella Casa
Day 20 Day 20: Monrovia
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 20: Monrovia

Drive through the tropical rainforest and small villages, where you’ll see Kpatawee waterfalls. There are two waterfalls, one male and one female.

Travel to Gbarnga in Bong County, the capital of Bong Visit a tribal chief and learn about the history and culture of the tribes. Return to Monrovia late in the evening.

Meal(s) Included: Breakfast and Dinner

Overnight at Bella Casa
Day 21 Day 21: Monrovia – Accra
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 21: Monrovia – Accra

After breakfast, embark on a historical journey through the capital of Africa’s first independent Republic. This little city holds a tremendous amount of antiquity. Nestled in Monrovia’s highest point, Ducor Hill is the country’s first defense facility. Fort Norris, the country’s first lighthouse, a monument honoring the first president, Joseph Jenkins Roberts, and the remnants of Liberia’s first five-star hotel (the first in West Africa), the Ducor Hotel. The Ducor Hotel. This tour will leave you stunned as the ocean scenery and the river views serve as the backdrop.

The Declaration of Independence for Liberia was signed at the country’s oldest and most prestigious church, The Providence Baptist Church on July 26th,1847.

Monrovia has historical sites including the grave of its most distinguished president, William V.S Tubman, the Centennial Pavilion, and Providence Island where Liberia’s first town was established in 1822. Monrovia’s markets are one the best places where you can observe the city’s diverse population.

Afterward, you will be taken to the airport for your flight to Accra. You will be met, assisted, and transferred to the hotel.

Upon arrival, the guide will brief you on what to expect during your stay in Ghana.

Meal(s) Included: Breakfast and Dinner

Overnight at La Villa Boutique
Day 22 Day 22: Accra And Vicinity
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 22: Accra And Vicinity

Following a refreshing night and a good breakfast, we tour the vibrant city of Accra, which is a blend of historic and modern buildings, with many colonial-era buildings still evident today. Highlights include:

We will first visit the W.E.B. Du Bois Centre was established in recognition of the life of the prominent Pan-Africanists who chose to live and work in Ghana. The Centre is a place for Pan-African Thought and houses a conference room, as well as a memorial/museum documenting Du Bois’ life and highlighting Ghana’s role in Pan-Africanism.

We’ll continue to Independence Square, where you will see the flame of African Liberation that was lit by Dr. Kwame Nkrumah in 1961. The Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park, with its attractive gardens and museum, is a great place to learn about the first President of Ghana. It also serves as the final resting place for the late president, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah after his previous burial in Guinea and Nkroful, his birth town.

We continue to Jamestown Community, the oldest city in Accra. It is the most historic neighborhood where history resides on every corner. Best known for its lighthouses (the first of which was constructed in 1875 by the British) as a navigational aid for trading vessels sailing through the Gulf of Guinea. The original structure was ruined but a larger and more improved lighthouse was completed in 1921.

You may visit the “Brazil House” which is famous for the Afro-Brazilian history behind it. Built-in 1836 and completed 100 years after 1638, this historic house serves as a museum to showcase historic memories indicative of the previous centuries of migration to Ghana by Africans from Brazil and Portugal.

Meal(s) Included: Breakfast and Dinner

Overnight at La Villa Boutique
Day 23 Day 23: Accra/Kumasi
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 23: Accra/Kumasi

After breakfast, drive to Kumasi and then go see the Bunso Arboretum. It’s a protected reserve and a home to over 120 species of birds, some of which are very rare. The Arboretum contains a garden with over 200 different species/varieties of herbs, used for food, and medicine, It is a research center for Plant Genetic Resources Center.

After arriving in Kumasi, have a tour of the city. It begins with a visit to the Kumasi Cultural Center, where you will see the houses Prempeh II Jubilee Museum, named after a former Asantehene, Nana Osei Agyeman Prempeh II. Exhibits include the Okomfo Anokye Sword, an important symbol of Ashanti unity that marks the spot where the Golden Stool “descended from the sky” and has been in place for 300 years. It is said that the Ashanti Kingdom would fall should the sword be removed from its sheath.

Meal(s) Included: Breakfast and Dinner

Overnight at Miklin Kumasi
Day 24 Day 24: Kumasi
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 24: Kumasi

After breakfast, we will visit Manhyia Palace Museum to learn about the history and cultural heritage of the Ashanti Kingdom at the official residence of Asantehene. The museum contains treasured items relating to the Ashanti Kingdom. This is where you obtain first-hand information on the legacies of this unified monarchy.

Enjoy the Akwasidae Festival, the pomp, and the pageantry of the Ashanti Kingdom. The King riding in a palanquin and adorned with all his gold ornaments comes out to receive the homage of his sub-chiefs and people, it’s fascinating to watch the colorful canopies and umbrellas, the skillful drummers, dancers, horn blowers, and praise-singers at these regular festivals, held in honor of their ancestral spirits.

We enjoyed a drive through the city with monuments dedicated to the memory of the great Ashanti people on our way to visit the nearby Okomfo Anokye Sword site, an important symbol of Ashanti unity that marks the spot where the Golden Stool “descended from the sky” and has been in place for 300 years. It is said that the Ashanti Kingdom would fall should the sword be removed from its sheath.

We continue to the village of Ahwiaa which has long been known for its many talented craftsmen who fashion Royal Stools, walking sticks, and fertility dolls from wood. This thriving community is also known for producing some of the most talented artisans who create hand-carved jewelry boxes and other wood-carving items of all kinds.

We will also Adanwomase village, where you will witness how the local weavers work on their looms in the town center and demonstrate how the famous Kente cloth is made in a time-honored tradition passed down through generations. You may decide to purchase some of the stunning Kente fabrics on display at the center.

Meal(s) Included: Breakfast and Dinner

Overnight at Miklin Kumasi
Day 25 Day 25: Kumasi- Cape Coast
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 25: Kumasi- Cape Coast

After a hearty breakfast, we will depart Kumasi for Cape Coast. En route, we will visit the burial site of two former slaves from the U.S. and Jamaica whose remains were re-interred in August 1998 during Ghana’s first Emancipation Day celebration. You can see the ‘slave river’ where enslaved Africans were washed before being confined in the castles to await shipment to the Americas and the Caribbean.

Arrive in Cape Coast early afternoon and continue the tour to Cape Coast Castle and its dungeon, where you will be moved emotionally by the ‘’Door of No Return’’.

This evening, enjoy a picturesque tour of Elmina township, which was the first destination of Europeans in Sub-Saharan Africa. It used to be the most cosmopolitan city in tropical Africa. As you walk through the ancient town of Elmina and down to the harbor, you are greeted by colorful fishing canoes getting ready to go to sea for another night’s task of fishing. This is a perfect picture opportunity for photographers.

Meal(s) Included: Breakfast and Dinner

Overnight at Elmina Beach Resort
Day 26 Day 26: Cape Coast/Accra/Depart
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 26: Cape Coast/Accra/Depart

After breakfast visit Kakum National Park, one of Africa’s famous rainforest and canopy walkways. This is a truly beautiful, tropical rainforest and the canopy walkway is sure to be a highlight of your time in Ghana. The walkway consists of a series of 7 bridges, attached to 7 emerging trees, 40 meters above the rainforest oor. Prepare to take a deep breath as you walk the suspended bridges. You will marvel at the outstanding views that stretch for miles across this breathtaking rainforest, as you rest on the tree platforms between the bridges. We are sure you will agree that this is an exciting excursion that won’t be forgotten. We return to the park headquarters where we nd an excellent information Centre that offers an informative overview of the park’s ora and fauna. Over 40 different mammal species have been recorded within the park, which includes forest elephants, leopards and 6 primate species to mention just a few. We stop for refreshments at Han’s cottage Boatel, built over a lake containing Nile crocodiles and set in a beautiful location surrounded by tropical rainforest.

Return to Accra stopping at villages along the way.

Arrive in Accra where souvenir shopping opportunities are in abundance.

At the right time you will be transferred to the airport for your onward ight.

OR EXTEND YOUR STAY IN ACCRA

Meal(s) Included: Breakfast

+23

26 days tour

Unexplored West Africa – 26 Days

This tour includes:

Not included:

Start planning your experience

Itinerary of your trip Unexplored West Africa – 26 Days

Day 1: Dakar

Day 2: Dakar

Day 3: Dakar / Pink Lake / St. Louis

Day 4: St Louis – Djoudj Birds Parc

Day 5: Saint Louis / Touba / Kaolack

Day 6: Kaolack / Sine Ngayene / Banjul

Day 7: Banjul

Day 8: Banjul / Ziguinchor

Day 9: Ziguinchor /Oussouye / Karabane/ Ziguinchor

Day 10: Ziguinchor/Bissau

Day 11: Bissau / Quinhamel/Bissau

Day 12: Bissau / Cacheu / Bissau

Day 13: Bissau/ Conakry

Day 14: Conakry / Dalaba

Day 15: Dalaba / Kindia

Day 16: Kindia / Conakry

Day 17: Conakry/ Freetown

Day 18: Freetown

Day 19: Freetown/Bunce Island / Monrovia

Day 20: Monrovia

Day 21: Monrovia – Accra

Day 22: Accra And Vicinity

Day 23: Accra/Kumasi

Day 24: Kumasi

Day 25: Kumasi- Cape Coast

Day 26: Cape Coast/Accra/Depart

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