Forts, Chimps and Beaches
Sierra Leone Small Group Tour
Tour Overview
Join this small group holiday in Sierra Leone and explore the country’s little-visited forts, wildlife areas and beaches with few other foreign visitors in sight. The country is slowly shaking off its troubled imaged and is once again welcoming intrepid travellers to experience its beautiful landscapes and vibrant cultural traditions. After time spent getting to know the lively, ramshackle capital Freetown, you’ll head to Bunce Island for a sobering visit to the country’s former slave fort. Then you’ll visit the Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary, a lush slice of forest near Freetown that’s dedicated to rescuing and rehabilitating endangered primates. A few days on a tiny but beautiful tropical island comes next. The Banana Islands sit just off the Freetown Peninsula and are home to clear waters, sandy beaches and friendly fishing villages, with a few old colonial relics thrown in. Your final stop is the Tiwai Island Wildlife Sanctuary, a unique rainforest island home to diverse plant, animal and bird life, where you can camp under the trees and awaken to the calls of monkeys and hornbills in the surrounding trees.
Tour Highlights
• Relax on the spectacular Banana Islands
• Observe the chimpanzees at the Tacugama Sanctuary
• Visit the historical monuments and ruins which bear testimony to the history of Sierra Leone
Tour Rating
To help our travellers choose the right tour for them we have applied a grading system of 1 to 5. Tours with a fitness level of 1 will generally be suitable for all ages and will not be particularly strenuous, whereas tours with a fitness level of 5 are likely to be physically challenging. To find out more please contact our well-travelled team who will often have first-hand experience of the destination.
Fitness
2/5
Unexplored
4/5
Culture
2/5
History
3/5
Wildlife
4/5
Tour Pace
3/5
Map + Tour Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Freetown
Arrive in Freetown and transfer to the hotel, which includes a 30-minute boat ride. The rest of the day is at leisure for you to either relax after your journey or start exploring the town. No meals or activities included today. Overnight at Country Lodge Hotel, Cole Street Guesthouse or similar.
Freetown
Sierra Leone’s capital was founded back in 1792 by freed American slaves, one of the older sub-Saharan African capital cities. Seeing much of the fighting in the country’s vicious civil war, Freetown is today rather dilapidated and run down – but in the right light, delightfully so. The city is divided into a number of different areas, many of them named after the groups of emancipated slaves that settled there. A number of historical monuments dot the city, including the Cotton Tree, which predates Freetown and is where slaves were once sold, the Slave Gate, and several churches dating back to the early 19th century.
Day 2: Freetown - Tacugama
Today we start by exploring the vibrant capital, Freetown and learn the history of the city. Visits include the Railway Museum, St. Georges Cathedral, National Museum, Peace Monument, the Maroon Church, the Cotton Tree, the Gateway to the Old King’s Yard and Fort Thornton where the Presidential State House now stands. This afternoon we head to Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary, which is located about 40 minutes from the centre of Freetown. The Sanctuary was set up in 1995, and is committed to the rescue and rehabilitation of orphaned and abandoned chimpanzees. The chimps enjoy a semi-wild life within the 100-acre reserve. Overnight at Country Lodge Hotel, Cole Street Guesthouse or similar (B)
Tacugama Chimp Sanctuary
The Tacugama Chimp Sanctuary was set up in 1995, and is committed to the rescue and rehabilitation of orphaned and abandoned chimpanzees. The chimps enjoy a semi-wild life within the 100-acre reserve. The overall aim of the programme is to provide a home for confiscated and rescued chimps, while helping to stop the cruel and wasteful trade of the species - thus securing a future for the wild population. Closely related to humans, chimpanzees live in large communities headed up by an alpha male. Although they eat mainly fruit, there have been cases of them hunting monkeys in groups as well as using tools to catch termites. Once widely spread throughout Africa, their habitat has been reduced by deforestation and the encroachment of human settlements, and chimpanzees can now be found in twenty-one countries.
Day 3: Bunce Island – Tasso Island - Freetown
This morning we head to Bunce Island. The island was established as a major slave trading fortress and castle in 1670 and is located approximately 20 miles upriver in the Freetown Harbour on the Sierra Leone River. Bunce Island is a powerful experience for anyone interested in the history of the country and the slave trade. We then visit Tasso Island before heading back to Freetown. In Freetown, we take a short tour of the peninsula beaches, arguably the best in the sub-region. Stop at Lakka, Hamilton and River Number 2, before an early dinner at one of the beaches. You will then be transferred to your hotel. Overnight at Country Lodge Hotel, Cole Street Guesthouse or similar. (B)
Bunce Island
Constructed by the British, the slave fort at Bunce Island is one of the largest on the West African coast. During the 17th and 18th centuries it held tens of thousands of slaves destined to be shipped out to America and the West Indies. Finally closed down by the British government in 1808, it remains a chilling place, and testament to the brutal trade that once haunted these shores. There are substantial ruins on the island including the remains of a factory, storehouse, prison and watchtowers.
Day 4: Tiwai Island Wildlife Sanctuary
Drive to Tiwai, a unique rainforest island where visitors can camp in prepared tents surrounded by an evergreen forest and the sounds of hornbills and monkeys calling from the canopy. We expect to arrive at the sanctuary around 3pm. Early evening we take a boat trip up the Mao River where you have spectacular views of the island and neighbouring mainland, and look out for monkeys, the occasional crocodile and elusive pygmy hippo. Overnight camping at a permanent campsite. (BLD)
Notes: All non- alcoholic drinks and camping items are provided (tents, bed sheets/blankets)
On occasions it may not be possible to visit Tiwai Island Wildlife Sanctuary. On these occasions the trip will be replaced with Outamba-Kilimi National Park, which is equally as impressive.
Tiwai Island
Tiwai, which in the local Mende language means ‘big island’ is Sierra Leone’s first and so far only community conservation programme. It has an astonishing variety of wildlife with one of the highest concentration and diversity of primates in the world - 11 species including wild chimpanzees that use stones as hammers and tree roots as anvils to crack open hard nuts. Tiwai is also home to other intriguing animals such as the rarely seen pygmy hippopotamus, colobus monkeys, otters and the rare white-breasted guinea fowl.
Day 5: Tiwai Island
We spend today exploring the area. This morning walk through the forest and search for Tiwai’s wildlife. After an early lunch we take a boat to the mainland and explore the fascinating culture and heritage of the rural villages of Kambama and nearby Nianiahun, including sites of traditional sacrifice, meeting points of the village elders birth ceremonial sites and the ‘blood stream’ hiding place for the weapons of ancient warriors. This evening head back into forest to search for monkeys and birds. Overnight camping at a permanent campsite. (BLD)
Day 6: Banana Islands
The Banana Islands lie south west of the Freetown Peninsula. The journey to the islands takes us about 2 hours by a combination of car and boat. Once here, you will be staying in a traditional eco-chalet with mod-cons. There is ample time for you to explore the Island and snorkel in the clear blue seas. Overnight at Bafa Resort or similar. (BLD)
Banana Islands
The Banana Islands are made up of three islands - Dublin Island, Ricketts Island and Mes Meheux, which is uninhabited. The scenery here is spectacular – think deserted beaches, lush rainforest and dramatic rock formations. The islands also host an array of historical monuments and ruins which act as testament to its murky past as a slaving station, including the remains of an old slave fort, colonial buildings, and ruined Anglican churches. The wildlife here includes a variety of reptiles, monkeys and birds, and the snorkelling here is superb, with excellent marine life and shipwrecks to explore.
Day 7: Tokeh
After breakfast we leave Banana Islands and travel to Tokeh, with a stop at Bureh beach. After a seafood lunch, head to Tokeh where there is time to enjoy the beach or pool area. Overnight The Place Resort or similar (BL)
Day 8: Departure from Freetown
Time at leisure until you are transferred to the airport on due time for your flight home. (B)
Tour Inclusions
Arrival and departure transfers
Overland transport throughout with professional driver
All accommodation
Services of English-speaking guide / tour leader
Meals as listed
B – Breakfast
L – Lunch
D – Dinner
Entrance fees for sites listed as part of the itinerary
Feedback from our Travellers
Foreign Office Travel Warnings
Before booking your tour, please familiarise yourself with the country specific information provided by the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) - www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice. This includes important information such as latest immigration requirements, and details of any travel advisories.
We constantly monitor the advice posted by the FCDO. In particular we will always advise clients of any travel warnings. At present there are no warnings against travel to the parts of Sierra Leone that we visit on this tour. Please feel free to contact us should you have any specific concerns or would like to know in detail what measures are being taken to ensure visits remain trouble free and without incident.
It should be noted that this information applies to British citizens. Other nationals are asked to check the current position of their respective government.
Visa Information
At the time of writing British, US and Australian nationals require a visa for a tourist visit to Sierra Leone. For further details please visit the applicable website shown below.
British Nationals - www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice
US Nationals - travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel.html
Australian Nationals - www.smartraveller.gov.au
Other nationals should check the latest requirements with the authorities in their home country, or with the destination’s nearest embassy or consulate.
Should you require any documentation to support a visa application, such as a letter of invitation, upon request this will be provided by Undiscovered Destinations after receipt of your balance payment.
As it is the travellers’ responsibility to ensure that they meet all entry requirements it is essential that you check the rules and any other conditions at the time of booking and again when making your balance payment. In addition, we would strongly advise that you make a final check around two weeks before your arrival. This is important as requirements can change at short notice. Undiscovered Destinations, when possible, will provide guidance about entry rules, but in the first instance please contact the relevant authorities, including the applicable embassy or consulate for assistance.
Passports
It is your responsibility to ensure that you are in possession of a full passport, valid for at least six months after the date of return to your country.
We strongly advise that your passport contains a minimum of two blank pages, as this may be a requirement of the local immigration authorities. In addition, certain countries will stipulate that the two blank pages are opposite each other. If you are unable to meet these requirements, you may be refused boarding by your airline or denied entry by the immigration authorities.
For specific information about the requirements for your destination please check with the country’s embassy or consulate. Alternatively, UK citizens can visit www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice.
Vaccinations & Protection
As with travel to most parts of Africa, we strongly recommend that you contact your doctor’s surgery or a specialist travel clinic for up-to-date information, advice, and the necessary vaccinations. For a visit of less than one month, almost certainly you will be advised to have immunisations against the following: Diphtheria and Tetanus, Hepatitis A, Typhoid, Meningitis. The use of a DEET-containing insect repellent is highly recommended.
The legal status and regulation of some medicines prescribed or purchased in your home country can be different in other countries. If you’re travelling with prescription or over-the-counter medicine, read this guidance from NaTHNaC on best practice when travelling with medicines. For further information on the legal status of a specific medicine, you’ll need to contact the embassy, high commission or consulate of the country or territory you’re travelling to.
Travel Insurance
It is a condition of booking with Undiscovered Destinations that you have adequate valid travel insurance. It is your responsibility to arrange appropriate travel insurance and ensure you have read and understood the full terms and conditions of your travel insurance policy to ensure that you are covered for all activities you intend to undertake whilst on the tour, including all optional activities. Your Insurance Policy must fully cover you for medical expenses (including cover for Covid-19 conditions) and emergency repatriation to your home country and be valid for the entire duration of your holiday.
Local Conditions
When travelling to our destinations, many of which are underdeveloped and untouristed by mainstream tourism, a good deal of patience and a sense of humour is an important attribute. This will help you to cope with problems such as ageing or poor infrastructure and when maintenance may not be as high as we would always like.
The choice of appropriate accommodation in some towns and cities (particularly the smaller places) can be limited, and standards of both service and maintenance can be less than polished. Guides and other service providers in some of our destinations do not always have the decades of collective practice and experience that their counterparts in more developed countries can draw upon. Although we will always try and resolve any issues as quickly as possible, on occasions there may be some shortcomings which no matter how hard we try will be unavoidable.
Essential Info
