Bananarama | Journey Across Sierra Leone and Liberia + Guinea Conakry

Sierre Leone and Freetown, Liberia and Monrovia, two destinations where slavery and emancipation take on a whole new meaning, with one being the site of African resettlement from Europe and the other from America, these are lands of searing heritage.
Sierre Leone’s Freetown, with its vast beaches along the peninsula, lively surfing culture, chimpanzee sanctuary among the rainforests, and nearby islands with decaying slave fortresses, or another with butterfly colonies and pygmy hippos!
Bunce Island, where trading in gold, ivory, cane wood, and slaves in the tens of thousands was launched from a fortress all the way across the Atlantic to the Americas, where the vast majority of the slaves of the Antebellum south came from. Today it’s a ruin of old stone and rusty cannons but the memories of this place continue to haunt.
Just a little bit American and kind of West African, Liberia is unlike anywhere you’ve been before, with mountains to climb, world’s most beautiful beaches to surf and swim, vast parks full of untouched wildlife, city scenes out of the American south, and founded as the homeland of freed American slaves, it’s a step off the map into Africa’s last frontier!
Monrovia is a scene of stately ruins, like the Hotel Ducor and it’s famous swimming pool, or the Masonic Temple’s peeling paint, broad streets of plantation-style mansions and Antebellum architecture, a marked contrast to Freetown’s Portuguese influence. You’ll even find a few speakers of “Pidgin” English, if you listen carefully!

Let’s go!!

Day 1 // Liberia Arrival
After arrival and immigration clearance, we’ll hop on the bus that gets us to hotel, for a dinner and rest.

Day 2 // Firestone & The Rubber Trees
Start the day on a somewhat bumpy road towards a spectacular forest of rubber plantations known as Firestone. It is the largest continuous rubber plantation in the world located in Harbel, Liberia, which was first established in 1926. In the mid 1990s, former Liberian President Charles Taylor's soldiers, many of whom were children, attacked the Firestone plantation to steal fuel and supplies.

Day 3 // Libassa and crossing to Sierra Leone + Tiwai Island
Leisure morning in tropical idyll setting. For curious, exploration of the site - live a dream of Liberia's wild and unspoilt nature. Later in a day, its time to head to Sierra Leone. Further on the boats to Tiwai Island for some monkey jumping, bird calls, and maybe a crocodile or two. If we’re really lucky, we’ll spot the elusive Pygmy Hippo!

Day 4 // Banana Island
Early in the morning - still in the dark -walking through the rainforest in search of pygmy hippos, who come ashore from the river at night to graze in the rainforest. Next, set out for Banana Island, where we spend the day getting to know the local community, explore the Portuguese influence, and learn the ways of the Krios peoples of this former slave island.

Day 5 // Bunce Island + Freetown
Bunce Island, made famous for being the last stop on the slave trade before being sent off to the Americas. We’ll check out the European commercial fort and learn the sobering history of this island. Afterwards, head back to Freetown for a stroll through the National Museum and some local markets of crafts and mystical medicines, check out the monuments and relics and meet a few Sierra Leoneans along the way, maybe we’ll bump into Madam Woke herself! We’ll stop for an indigenous lunch at Way Li.

Day 6 // Departure
Its time to say good bye to Africa and head back to airport for a flight back home.

or extension to Guinea Conakry - Ile de Los

Early departure for sea coach transfer to Conakry to visit Iles de los, a group of islands lying off Conakry in Guinea. There are three main islands: Tamara (Fortoba), Kassa and Roume. The islands have been inhabited for a long time. The British took possession of them and then handed them in France in 1904 in exchange for France relinquishing fishing rights in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Day 7 // Conakry City Tours + Departure
Sightseeing tour in Conakry: visit the National Museum, the Market Place, the cathedral, and the grand mosque - Fisal. Today will have a unique opportunity to understand Guinea, truly renowned for its artistic and cultural diversity exemplified by songs, dances, and traditions. In the afternoon departure home.

Grade: Easy - available for everyone.
Activities: Trekking, boating, swimming, sightseeing.
Accommodation & meals: hotels. Meals included.

Cost: 7,100 AED excl. flights
Cost with extension to CKY: 9,620 AED excl. flights.

Flights: Day 1-6 Liberia + Sierra Leone, Ethiopian: 4750 AED
Flights: Day 1-7 incl CKY, Ethiopian + Emirates approx. 4900 AED

Excluded: Return flight from Dubai, visas, insurance, meals in Conakry.

Visas:

SL: Most passports are entitled for visa on arrival - https://slid.gov.sl/visa-on-arrival/ or visa support at 90 USD.
Liberia: Visa arrangements available, 170 USD.
Guinea Conakry: Visa arrangements at border crossing available, 160 USD.

See yah in Africa x

Trekkup Crew
Whatsapp 050 4848238