This traditional homestay experience is located in the North of Benin near the major national parks. Being so remote, you will witness the sky at night in all its glory as well as being able to immerse yourself within village life. Ecobenin, who arranges the stays are very involved in the responsible tourism movement in their country. Click here for more.

Camp on the banks of The Gambia River, overland through the beautiful Casamance region of Senegal, absorb yourself in the old colonial port city of Bissau, trek or cycle in Guinea’s Fouta Djalon, relax on some of the best beaches in the world in Sierra Leone. So be prepared for a true overland adventure along a route rarely travelled. Discover more here.

Discover the music and magic of Mali’s landscapes and people through a journey to Timbuktu the mysterious city and beyond.  Behold! The Festival on the Niger, a popular cultural festival gathers top Malian musicians, artists, craftsmen, dance and traditional puppet troupes from across the country, celebrating Mali’s diverse cultures in the ancient Bambaran Capital of Segou. Learn more.

This unique trip is perhaps the most challenging of the amazing holiday ideas we list on the portal. This is the first truck-based overland company to attempt this route so expect the unexpected! This is truly off the beaten track – overlanding through a remote but stunning part of West Africa few get to see. Click here to lean more about this exciting new addition.

This trip takes you along a part of the old trans Saharan trade routes, famous for the trading of gold, ivory, spices and cloth from every part of Africa to the Middle-east. Departing the vibrant capital of Mali, Bamako, you will travel through World Heritage sites, visit ancient tribes and, last but not least, take part in one of the most amazing music festivals in the World, 'Le Fesstival du Desert'. Click here to learn more.

The resort is situated in the middle of nature, surrounded by least five villages with different cultures. All staff working at this accommodation are local people from the surrounding villages which gives them the opportunity to have a job during the dry season. There are 12 fine bungalows, a conference hall, restaurant and a newly constructed swimming pool. To learn more about this accommodation, click here.

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Highlighting Responsible Tourism week, we have teamed up with Travel Matters to host an event in which we will cover  'voluntourism'. The theme is 'Volunteering: Good, Bad or Ugly?' Guest speakers Ben Keene from Tribewanted and Chris Hill from Hands Up Holidays will talk about their views on volunteering, and their vision for the future. You can learn more here.

Part 3 of Thomas' trip to Sierra Leone follows on from 'Responsible Travel in Sierra Leone - Part 2 - The Provinces: Waterloo to Bo & Beyond' which you can read here. This time, Thomas explores the western Peninsula and meets with members of the communities along the coach that he walked along. To read more, click here.

Following on from the first installment of his adventure, Thomas recounts his experiences on his journey through Sierra Leone to discover tourism projects which work towards implementing the responsible tourism concept of "making destinations better places to live in, and better places to visit". To read more about this adventure, click here.