Tour Overview
| Duration | 12 Days / 11 Nights |
|---|---|
| Countries | Sierra Leone, Ivory Coast (Côte d’Ivoire) |
| Price From | $3,895 per person (twin share) |
| Tour Style | Private / Adventure & Culture |
| Data Source | Overlanding West Africa — 2026 |
Itinerary Highlights
Day 1: Arrive Freetown, Sierra Leone
Welcome to Sierra Leone! Airport transfer by speedboat across the Sierra Leone River to Freetown. The city sprawls across the hills of the peninsula. Afternoon orientation: the Cotton Tree (a symbol of freedom where freed slaves gathered), the Sierra Leone National Museum, and Lumley Beach. Welcome dinner with cassava leaf stew at a beachside restaurant. Overnight in Freetown.
Day 2: Freetown — History & Resilience
Full-day Freetown. Morning: climb to the top of Leicester Peak for panoramic views of the city and the Atlantic. Visit the Old Fourah Bay College (founded 1827, “Athens of West Africa”) and St. John’s Maroon Church, built by returning Jamaican Maroons in 1820. Afternoon: King Jimmy Market for local crafts. Evening at the Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary in the hills above Freetown — home to 100+ rescued chimps. Overnight in Freetown.
Day 3: Banana Islands
Boat excursion to the Banana Islands off the Freetown Peninsula. Snorkel in crystal-clear waters, visit Dublin and Ricketts fishing villages, and explore the ruins of an 18th-century slave fort. Fresh seafood barbecue on the beach. Watch for dolphins in the channel. Overnight at a beach camp on the Banana Islands.
Day 4: River Number Two & Tokeh Beach
Return to the mainland and drive to River Number Two Beach — consistently voted one of Africa’s most beautiful beaches. White sand backed by lush hills, a river estuary on one side, the endless Atlantic on the other. Afternoon at Tokeh Beach, another stunning stretch. Overnight at a beach resort on the Freetown Peninsula.
Day 5: Bunce Island & Departure
Boat trip to Bunce Island, the largest British slave trading station on the Rice Coast (1670-1807). The ruins tell a haunting story — this is where thousands of enslaved Africans were shipped to the American colonies, including to South Carolina and Georgia. Afternoon flight from Freetown to Abidjan, Ivory Coast (not included). Evening arrival. Overnight in Abidjan.
Day 6: Abidjan — African Manhattan
Full-day Abidjan, Ivory Coast’s economic powerhouse nicknamed “Manhattan of Africa.” Morning in the Plateau business district with its gleaming skyscrapers. Visit St. Paul’s Cathedral (a futuristic architectural masterpiece) and the Banco National Park — a preserved rainforest in the heart of the city. Afternoon in Treichville’s vibrant markets and the artists’ quarter. Overnight in Abidjan.
Day 7: Grand-Bassam — Colonial Capital
Day trip to Grand-Bassam (UNESCO), Ivory Coast’s first colonial capital. Walk through the Quartier France with its beautifully decaying colonial buildings — the former Governor’s Palace, the Post Office, and the Ceramics Centre. Visit the National Costume Museum. Afternoon on Grand-Bassam’s palm-fringed beach. Seafood lunch at a beach maquis (local restaurant). Overnight in Grand-Bassam.
Day 8: Yamoussoukro — Basilica of Our Lady of Peace
Drive to Yamoussoukro, Ivory Coast’s political capital. Visit the staggering Basilica of Our Lady of Peace — the largest church in the world (larger than St. Peter’s in Rome), modeled after the Vatican basilica and consecrated by Pope John Paul II in 1990. It holds 18,000 worshippers under a 158m dome. Visit the Presidential Palace with its sacred crocodile lake. Overnight in Yamoussoukro.
Day 9: Man — The Land of 18 Mountains
Journey west to Man, the “City of 18 Mountains” in the lush Tonkpi region. Visit the famous La Cascade waterfall — a 30m cascade in the rainforest. Walk through the forest to the Dent de Man (Man’s Tooth), a dramatic rock pinnacle. Evening at the Man market for traditional Dan masks and fabrics. Overnight in Man.
Day 10: Dan People & Mask Country
Full-day immersion with the Dan people, renowned for their masks and stilt dancers. Visit a traditional village to witness a mask ceremony — Dan masks are among Africa’s most celebrated art forms. Meet the village chief and learn about Dan traditions. Afternoon at the Mount Tonkpi scenic area. Overnight in Man.
Day 11: Return to Abidjan
Long but scenic drive back to Abidjan through cocoa and coffee plantations — Ivory Coast is the world’s largest cocoa producer. Afternoon free for last exploration of Abidjan. Farewell dinner with attiéké (fermented cassava couscous) and grilled fish at a maquis. Overnight in Abidjan.
Day 12: Depart Abidjan
Morning at the CAVA Centre for Artisans for Ivorian masks, korhogo cloth, and woodcarvings. Transfer to Félix Houphouët-Boigny Airport.
Inclusions
- 11 nights (hotels, beach camp, guesthouses)
- Daily breakfast + 5 dinners
- All ground transportation
- Expert English-speaking guide
- Banana Island boat excursion with snorkeling
- Bunce Island boat trip
- Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary
- Dan mask ceremony
- All monument entries
Why Sierra Leone & Ivory Coast
- River Number Two: honestly one of the world’s most beautiful beaches
- Bunce Island: the slave fort that connected West Africa to America
- Basilica of Our Lady of Peace: the world’s largest church, in the African bush
- Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary: 100+ rescued chimps
- Dan mask ceremonies: living traditions of West Africa’s greatest mask culture
- Two countries few travelers explore — true adventure
