Sierra Leone Discovery: 5-Day Freetown, Bunce Island & Banana Islands

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive Freetown

Welcome at Lungi Airport. Speedboat transfer to Freetown. Afternoon walking tour: the Cotton Tree (the 200-year-old kapok tree where Nova Scotian freed slaves gave thanks upon arriving in 1792), the Sierra Leone National Museum, and Lumley Beach. Welcome dinner at a beachfront restaurant. Overnight in Freetown. (D)

Day 2: Bunce Island — The Slave Fort

Boat journey to Bunce Island, the 17th-century British slave-trading fortress. Walk among the ruins of the male and female slave pens, the gun platforms, the cemetery, and the crumbling administrative buildings. A local guide explains the island’s role in the transatlantic slave trade, including its specific connection to the rice plantations of South Carolina. It is a sobering, essential experience that contextualizes Sierra Leone’s entire modern history. Afternoon: visit the historic Fourah Bay College and the King’s Yard Gate. Overnight in Freetown. (B)

Day 3: Tacugama Sanctuary & Freetown Culture

Morning at Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary — guided tour and forest walk among rescued chimps. Afternoon: explore Freetown’s markets — Big Market on Wallace Johnson Street for textiles and crafts. Visit the old Fourah Bay College campus, St. George’s Cathedral, and the boardwalk. Evening: optional live music at a local bar. Overnight in Freetown. (B)

Day 4: Banana Islands Escape

Boat transfer to the Banana Islands. Spend the day in paradise: swim in crystal-clear water, snorkel over coral reefs, and explore the historic Dublin village with its old church and slave-dock ruins. Fresh seafood lunch on the beach. Afternoon: kayaking along the coastline or simply relaxing in a hammock with a coconut. Evening: lobster dinner and bonfire on the beach. Overnight on Banana Islands. (B, L, D)

Day 5: Departure

Final morning on the Banana Islands — a last swim, a last look at the Atlantic stretching to the horizon. Boat back to the mainland and transfer to Lungi Airport. Sierra Leone in five days — you’ve seen its soul. (B)

What’s Included

• Air-conditioned vehicle
• Driver
• Fuel Cost, Parking Fee, Toll Fee
• Accommodation in selected hotels
• Daily breakfast

What’s Not Included

• Entrance fees to attractions
• Tour Guide
• Meal (lunch and dinner)
• International flights
• Travel insurance
• Personal expenses