Sierra Leone Cycling through Culture Holiday
Click here to enquire about or book this holiday!
Location: Sierra Leone
Date: November 7th - 20th 2010
Duration: 14 days
Group size: 6+
Price: From £968 (less than six people add £65) including lodging, two meals/day, guide, museum fees and more. Not including flights.
Average out of pocket expenses per program £65 plus or minus £30.
Date: November 7th - 20th 2010
Duration: 14 days
Group size: 6+
Price: From £968 (less than six people add £65) including lodging, two meals/day, guide, museum fees and more. Not including flights.
Average out of pocket expenses per program £65 plus or minus £30.
What will I be doing on this trip?
The diversity characterizing Sierra Leone is considerable. This explains its offering of verdant forests, mountain landscapes, and drier savannahs, as well as beaches and the sun throughout the year. Much of the coast is lined with coconut trees and dotted typical fisherman's dwellings. Freetown has many modern conveniences and an active scene, while the villages are serene, and reflect traditional values and lifestyle, including wonderful hospitality. "Sierra Leone People-to-People" is a engaging mélange of modern and traditional.
The maritime region of West Africa is the origins of much to the traditional religion and music that many Westerners associated with Africa. It is not coincidence, because this is also the region that supplied much of the human cargo of the trans-Atlantic stave trade, which allowed these religious and cultural traditions to seep into the culture of the America such as jazz and gospel music.
Sierra Leone's appeals to visitors is its people, their traditions and folklore. People fall in love with the process of bargaining in a market and the sort of interaction it involves. Any purchase, however small, is a keepsake, not necessarily to ‘show off’ your travels, but to enrich your life -- a tokens of another cultures as a daily reminder that there are many ways people live in this world. Westerners who sit and 'cut rice' ('break bread' -- eat) in Sierra Leone leave with a treasure.
The diversity characterizing Sierra Leone is considerable. This explains its offering of verdant forests, mountain landscapes, and drier savannahs, as well as beaches and the sun throughout the year. Much of the coast is lined with coconut trees and dotted typical fisherman's dwellings. Freetown has many modern conveniences and an active scene, while the villages are serene, and reflect traditional values and lifestyle, including wonderful hospitality. "Sierra Leone People-to-People" is a engaging mélange of modern and traditional.
The maritime region of West Africa is the origins of much to the traditional religion and music that many Westerners associated with Africa. It is not coincidence, because this is also the region that supplied much of the human cargo of the trans-Atlantic stave trade, which allowed these religious and cultural traditions to seep into the culture of the America such as jazz and gospel music.
Sierra Leone's appeals to visitors is its people, their traditions and folklore. People fall in love with the process of bargaining in a market and the sort of interaction it involves. Any purchase, however small, is a keepsake, not necessarily to ‘show off’ your travels, but to enrich your life -- a tokens of another cultures as a daily reminder that there are many ways people live in this world. Westerners who sit and 'cut rice' ('break bread' -- eat) in Sierra Leone leave with a treasure.
My holiday itinerary...
Day 1: Arrive and organize
Day 2-4: We start our bicycling towards the savannah lands, visiting villages, school, markets
Day 5-7: The next few days take us through an agricultural area towards the notorious diamond region
Day 8-11: Cycle through forest -- our destination is Tiwai Island Sanctuary
Day 12-13: We head to the capital, Freetown and explore the city
Day 14: End of program
Day 1: Arrive and organize
Day 2-4: We start our bicycling towards the savannah lands, visiting villages, school, markets
Day 5-7: The next few days take us through an agricultural area towards the notorious diamond region
Day 8-11: Cycle through forest -- our destination is Tiwai Island Sanctuary
Day 12-13: We head to the capital, Freetown and explore the city
Day 14: End of program
Additional information
Starting/Ending Point: Freetown, Sierra Leone
Skill Level: Suitable for fit Beginner/Intermediate/Advanced. This is an excellent first tour for the less experienced bicycle tourer, yet it has lots of options to keep even the most experience traveller occupied.
Mileage Daily / Total: 18-56 miles / 580km, 350 miles
Cycling Conditions: 70% paved roads, pleasant, rolling, scenic terrain, occasional big hill.
Accommodations: Mostly small hotels (some rustic), no tent camping.
Van Support: None. Local transport is generally available.
Meals Included: Two meals per day, generally breakfast and dinner (meat, chicken, fish, fruit, traditional food: rice with potato leaf or cassava leaf; Bitters, Crain Crain, Sawa Sawa and Okra soups, foofoo (cassava) and Jollof rice.)
Other Activities: walking, bus
Bike: Mountain bike or touring bike with wide tires suitable.
Bike Rental: Not available.
Starting/Ending Point: Freetown, Sierra Leone
Skill Level: Suitable for fit Beginner/Intermediate/Advanced. This is an excellent first tour for the less experienced bicycle tourer, yet it has lots of options to keep even the most experience traveller occupied.
Mileage Daily / Total: 18-56 miles / 580km, 350 miles
Cycling Conditions: 70% paved roads, pleasant, rolling, scenic terrain, occasional big hill.
Accommodations: Mostly small hotels (some rustic), no tent camping.
Van Support: None. Local transport is generally available.
Meals Included: Two meals per day, generally breakfast and dinner (meat, chicken, fish, fruit, traditional food: rice with potato leaf or cassava leaf; Bitters, Crain Crain, Sawa Sawa and Okra soups, foofoo (cassava) and Jollof rice.)
Other Activities: walking, bus
Bike: Mountain bike or touring bike with wide tires suitable.
Bike Rental: Not available.
How does this holiday make a difference?
The structure
The operator offers small group (12 people max.) exploration of fascinating cultures, ethnic diversity, and the natural and social complexity of the world. To enhance their contact with the areas they visit, the primary mode of travel is bicycle. Thus they have a ground level view culture, historic sites, museums, architecture, religion, ecological niches, and the realities of daily life. They meet with unique local people and enjoy bicycling beautiful backroads. The programs are designed to be environmentally friendly, economically beneficial, educational, enriching and culturally sensitive, and accessible to ordinary active people who seek moderate adventure.
Guides with a broad knowledge of the destination accompany each group. Topics range from art to zoology - while local culture, ecology, economics, and history are also explored. You will return with hours of stories to tell.
The operator offers both the resources and social opportunities of group travel and the flexibility to pursue individual interests. If you are new to this type of travel or bicycling, the program will build your self-confidence and self-sufficiency. You gain new insights and positive feelings about yourself and the world.
Defining the program
The term ecotourism is rarely used in any of of the operators publicity. They have long been uncomfortable with the term because it has been used to embrace ANY travel that includes "nature" - getting out of a city - even when getting there by a gas guzzling SUV (sport-utility vehicle or four-wheel drive) and ripping up the savannah in the process.
As an alternative they try to practice what they have come to call "E3 Programs"; environmentally friendly (using primarily non-motorized transport, but reflecting all aspects of the projects including printing, selection of energy efficient lodging and local produced food and goods), economically beneficial (supporting the decentralized, indigenous economy, including local produced food and goods) and educational/enriching (exploring the diversity and complexity of the local natural and human ecosystem.) If you draw these as a triangle, each element reinforces the others. The use of non-motorized transports virtually mandates patronizing local business and the increased exposure to the local culture, economy and environment inherently leads to enhanced educational and enriching experiences. Aiming for a well rounded educational experience, is a natural for getting into the community and supporting local businesses and argues for eliminating the barriers of glass, steel and speed that go with motor vehicles. Including as a goal supporting local suppliers of goods and service dictates increased interaction with the cultural and enriching experiences and the use of non-motorized transport virtually assures that the benefits will be decentralized and widely beneficial.
Within the E3 structure a bike ride and lecture in an urban historic district, a work project in a village and a forest walk learning about ethno-botany and looking for primates all have the same weight.
Where is it?
The structure
The operator offers small group (12 people max.) exploration of fascinating cultures, ethnic diversity, and the natural and social complexity of the world. To enhance their contact with the areas they visit, the primary mode of travel is bicycle. Thus they have a ground level view culture, historic sites, museums, architecture, religion, ecological niches, and the realities of daily life. They meet with unique local people and enjoy bicycling beautiful backroads. The programs are designed to be environmentally friendly, economically beneficial, educational, enriching and culturally sensitive, and accessible to ordinary active people who seek moderate adventure.
Guides with a broad knowledge of the destination accompany each group. Topics range from art to zoology - while local culture, ecology, economics, and history are also explored. You will return with hours of stories to tell.
The operator offers both the resources and social opportunities of group travel and the flexibility to pursue individual interests. If you are new to this type of travel or bicycling, the program will build your self-confidence and self-sufficiency. You gain new insights and positive feelings about yourself and the world.
Defining the program
The term ecotourism is rarely used in any of of the operators publicity. They have long been uncomfortable with the term because it has been used to embrace ANY travel that includes "nature" - getting out of a city - even when getting there by a gas guzzling SUV (sport-utility vehicle or four-wheel drive) and ripping up the savannah in the process.
As an alternative they try to practice what they have come to call "E3 Programs"; environmentally friendly (using primarily non-motorized transport, but reflecting all aspects of the projects including printing, selection of energy efficient lodging and local produced food and goods), economically beneficial (supporting the decentralized, indigenous economy, including local produced food and goods) and educational/enriching (exploring the diversity and complexity of the local natural and human ecosystem.) If you draw these as a triangle, each element reinforces the others. The use of non-motorized transports virtually mandates patronizing local business and the increased exposure to the local culture, economy and environment inherently leads to enhanced educational and enriching experiences. Aiming for a well rounded educational experience, is a natural for getting into the community and supporting local businesses and argues for eliminating the barriers of glass, steel and speed that go with motor vehicles. Including as a goal supporting local suppliers of goods and service dictates increased interaction with the cultural and enriching experiences and the use of non-motorized transport virtually assures that the benefits will be decentralized and widely beneficial.
Within the E3 structure a bike ride and lecture in an urban historic district, a work project in a village and a forest walk learning about ethno-botany and looking for primates all have the same weight.
Where is it?
Click here to enquire about or book this holiday!
To discover other Responsible Tourism projects, click here.
To discover more about Sierra Leone, click here.
Click here for 'Home'
Home - Trips - Responsible Tourism - Who are we? - Gallery - Blog - Links
West Africa Map - Disclaimer - Contact us
West Africa Map - Disclaimer - Contact us
