Bananarama | Journey Across Sierra Leone and Liberia + Guinea Conakry

Sierre Leone and Freetown, Liberia and Monrovia - freedom country and freedom town - 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 :: Arrival + Firestone, The Rubber Tree Forests

Liberia is the only country that has never been either a colony or a protectorate; it was founded by Krio, freed slaves who returned to Africa from the US, hence the name "Liberia: the country of freemen". Krio make up 5% of the population and control a large part of the economy and politics; they are considered the creators of the nation and the modern economy. 80% of the population speaks the Krio language, which is a form of "Pidgin" English.

Immigration clearance and proceed to on a rough road through a spectacular rubber plantation forest called Firestone, the largest contiguous rubber plantation in the world, located in Harbel, Liberia, which first opened in 1926. In the mid-1990s, former Liberian President Charles Taylor's soldiers, many of whom were children, raided the Firestone plantation for fuel and supplies. Firestone pulled its executives out and left the plantation, and many of the company's Liberian workers were later killed. After the civil war, the company revived its operations and is now back on track. After a tour of the plantation and the surroundings, head to our ecolodge for overnight stay.

Day 2 :: Libassa + Monrovia

Leisure morning in tropical idyll setting. For curious, exploration of the site in a search for Pangolins - live a dream of Liberia's wild and unspoilt nature. Later in a day, its time to head to Monrovia city.

Check in to hotel, start exploring Monrovia, we’ll pass by many curiosities including the Temple of Masonic Lodge, the most significant symbol of the Krio culture and the abandoned Ducor Palace Hotel (or what remains of it), a former luxurious hotel with a swimming pool overlooking the ocean. We ll also learn about the Mende people and the Bundu Mask in the forests outside the city. Head back to our hotel in the evening for dinner and rest.

Day 3 :: Crossing to Sierra + Tiwai

Check out from hotel and head to Sierra Leone on slightly better roads towards the border.

Bye bye Liberia!

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 :: Tacugama via Bo

After binch beans and some coffee, we’ll head out to the second capital of Sierre Leone, the bustling Bo before moving on to Tacugama Chimp Sanctuary, home to many chimpanzees who have become injured and need help returning to the wild. We’ll drive into the hills for a panorama of the city and charming sunset.

Day 5 :: Bunce and Tasso Island

Bunce Island, made famous for being the last stop on the slave trade before being sent off to the Americas. The island was declared a national monument in 1948. A major European commercial fort was built here during the slave trading era, serving as a meeting place for European traders and African merchants. Over 50,000 slaves—women, children, and aged men—were transited to the Americas. The trading of slaves, gold, ivory, and cane wood was prevalent during the 1800s, and many slaves sent to South Carolina and Georgia were traded on this island. See and feel the island by touching the history yourself.

Day 6 :: Banana island + Freetown City Tour

Morning set out towards Kent for Banana Island, where we spend half day swimming and getting to know the local community, explore the Portuguese influence, and learn the ways of the Krios peoples of this former slave island.

After lunch, return to the city, start with visiting the National Museum and the Big Market, which operates daily. It is a covered market selling a range of crafts, bric-a-brac, traditional medicines, and mystical items.

Day 7 :: Crossing to Conakry

Bye-bye Sierra Leone!
Early in the morning crossing to Guinea Conakry, check in to hotel, city tour.

Day 8 :: Isles de Los

We will end up our trip with idyllic escape to Iles de Los, tropical paradise of 3 islands, for some swimming, relaxing or just playing beach football with the kids.

Day 9 :: Departure back to Dubai

Its time to head to airport for return flight home, Bye Bye West Africa!

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

Cost: 8,980 AED excl. flights

Flights, approx. 3400 AED:
Day 1 DXB-ROB Ethiopian
Day 8 CKY-DXB Emirates

Specifically excluded: flights from Dubai, visas, restaurant meals.

Visas:

Sierra Leone: E-visa 85 USD
Liberia: Pre-arranged visa 110 USD
Guinea Conakry: E-visa 85 USD

See yah in West Africa x

Trekkup Crew
Whatsapp 050 4848238
Find all trekkups at linktr.ee/trekkup