Sierra Leone Freetown & islands exploration holiday
Click here to enquire about or book this holiday!
Basic information
Location: Sierra Leone
Departures: This trip can be tailormade throughout the year
Duration: 14 days
Group size: 2+ people
Price: Please enquire for prices. Including accommodation, transport & catering. Excluding flights.
What will I be doing on this trip?
Originally designed for a freelance photographer, this is a fantastic trip to take just after the rains, ideally in October. It's a well paced itinerary which takes you to Bonthe and the Turtle Islands, both remote and beautiful.This is probably not the itinerary for those on a tight budget, but contact us if you wish to experience some aspects of this tour and we would be delighted to help you build your ideal itinerary.
My holiday itinerary...
Day 1: Arrival in Freetown (Lungi)
Disembark and enter the arrivals hall. You will be met by a tour operator representative who will have a signboard with your name on it and who will escort you through customs. You will be transferred to Freetown via the Water Taxi to stay 2 nights at a Hotel in Freetown.
Day 2: Freetown historical tour
You will have the vehicle, driver and guide at your disposal for a tour of Freetown. During the course of the day you will visit sites such as the St. Georges Cathedral, Railway Museum, National Museum, Maroon Church, Martello Tower and Fort Thornton which is now the location of the State House. Return to your hotel to spend your second night in Freetown.
Day 3: Bonthe town on Sherbro Island
You will depart early in the morning for the town of Yagoi from where you will board a boat for Bonthe Town. Bonthe Town is on Sherbro Island which is the largest Island off the coast of Sierra Leone. It used to be a major trading port. Spend the evening strolling around this sleepy town before going back to the Bonthe Holiday Village to spend the night. All meals included
Day 4: Leave Bonthe for the Turtle Islands ‐ a photographer’s paradise.
You will spend 2 nights in a Conservation Society’s basic accommodation facility on one of the six islands. Accommodation, food and all other costs payable locally.
Day 5: Turtle Islands
Spend the entire day exploring the Turtle Islands. You can for a tour of the islands in a local canoe. Payable locally.
Day 6: Yagoi and Freetown
After the morning spent on Turtle, board your speedboat for Yagoi where you will be met with the vehicle and car for your trip back to Freetown. Feel free to stop and take pictures at any point during your journey. You will spend the night in your hotel in Freetown.
Day 7: Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary
After a morning of rest, you will have lunch in one of the city’s restaurants before being transferred to Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary in time for the 4.30pm tour. Overnight in one of Tacugama’s eco‐lodges overlooking the rainforest. Our chef will deliver your dinner in the evening.
Day 8: Charlotte Falls
After a basic breakfast you have the option of either doing the 10.30pm morning tour or you could spend the morning walking to Charlotte Falls and in the Krio villages of Charlotte, Bathurst and Regent. Please let us know in advance if you would like to do this so we can arrange a local guide for you (available at extra cost, payable locally). You will then be transferred to Sussex, Florence’s Resort where you will spend 2 nights.
Day 9: Beach tour
Spend the day relaxing and exploring Sussex Beach and enjoy great Italian Cuisine at Florence’s restaurant. Breakfast included.You will then continue South on the Freetown Peninsula to River Number 2 where you will 2 nights at a basic beach front room. Breakfast included.
Day 10: River No.2
Spend the day and night at Number 2.
Day 11: Bureh & Kent beach and Banana Islands
You will be transferred by Bureh Beach before continuing on to Kent Beach and then by boat to Banana Island. You have the option of going of a guided tour of the island which is one of the earliest settling points for freed slaves to the colony. Stay 2 nights in one double chalet at Banana Island Guesthouse.
Day 12: Day activities on Banana Island
Day of activities and leisure on Banana Island.
Day 13: Lungi resort
After breakfast you will be transferred by boat to Kent where your driver will be waiting. You will get the 2pm ferry to Lungi and then be transferred to the Sierra Paradise resort to spend your final night in one of the resort’s five candy‐coloured bungalows. Breakfast included.
Day 14: : Last day and departure
After spending the morning at the resort you will be transferred to the Lungi Airport where you will be assisted with checking in procedures by our Visit Sierra Leone Airport representative.
How does this holiday make a difference?
The tour operator who organizes this tour is part of the Ma Dengn association and focus on reinvigorating 5 pillars of Sierra Leone culture, being music, literature, Arts and Crafts, Cuisine and Music. They organize an annual beach festival with which we will support local arts activities from profit. They also encourage our clients to use community owned/driven projects such as River Number Two, Banana Island and Tiwai Island.
The operator offers one off contributions and free consultancies to projects such as River number two on how they can make their operation better.
This tour encourages their guests to visit local attractions, eat in local restaurants and by local produce in order to provide economic opportunities to the local communities along the itinerary. Usually, private vehicles are used to transport guests, but sharing is encouraged to reduce the carbon footprint of the holiday. If our guests ask to use public transport, the relevant information will be provided.
The tour operator operates a strict “take your litter home” policy if there is no proper garbage disposal facilities along the itinerary.All of the tour staff are trained and are all employed from the locality. A couple of the guides have just graduated from the first ever tour guide training course.
All ingredients used for the guests meals are purchased locally. Ingredients include lobsters, crabs and fish prepared by the local fishing/beach communities.
Local service providers are contracted to help maintain the accommodations and transport during the tour.
Where is it?
Location: Sierra Leone
Departures: This trip can be tailormade throughout the year
Duration: 14 days
Group size: 2+ people
Price: Please enquire for prices. Including accommodation, transport & catering. Excluding flights.
What will I be doing on this trip?
Originally designed for a freelance photographer, this is a fantastic trip to take just after the rains, ideally in October. It's a well paced itinerary which takes you to Bonthe and the Turtle Islands, both remote and beautiful.This is probably not the itinerary for those on a tight budget, but contact us if you wish to experience some aspects of this tour and we would be delighted to help you build your ideal itinerary.
My holiday itinerary...
Day 1: Arrival in Freetown (Lungi)
Disembark and enter the arrivals hall. You will be met by a tour operator representative who will have a signboard with your name on it and who will escort you through customs. You will be transferred to Freetown via the Water Taxi to stay 2 nights at a Hotel in Freetown.
Day 2: Freetown historical tour
You will have the vehicle, driver and guide at your disposal for a tour of Freetown. During the course of the day you will visit sites such as the St. Georges Cathedral, Railway Museum, National Museum, Maroon Church, Martello Tower and Fort Thornton which is now the location of the State House. Return to your hotel to spend your second night in Freetown.
Day 3: Bonthe town on Sherbro Island
You will depart early in the morning for the town of Yagoi from where you will board a boat for Bonthe Town. Bonthe Town is on Sherbro Island which is the largest Island off the coast of Sierra Leone. It used to be a major trading port. Spend the evening strolling around this sleepy town before going back to the Bonthe Holiday Village to spend the night. All meals included
Day 4: Leave Bonthe for the Turtle Islands ‐ a photographer’s paradise.
You will spend 2 nights in a Conservation Society’s basic accommodation facility on one of the six islands. Accommodation, food and all other costs payable locally.
Day 5: Turtle Islands
Spend the entire day exploring the Turtle Islands. You can for a tour of the islands in a local canoe. Payable locally.
Day 6: Yagoi and Freetown
After the morning spent on Turtle, board your speedboat for Yagoi where you will be met with the vehicle and car for your trip back to Freetown. Feel free to stop and take pictures at any point during your journey. You will spend the night in your hotel in Freetown.
Day 7: Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary
After a morning of rest, you will have lunch in one of the city’s restaurants before being transferred to Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary in time for the 4.30pm tour. Overnight in one of Tacugama’s eco‐lodges overlooking the rainforest. Our chef will deliver your dinner in the evening.
Day 8: Charlotte Falls
After a basic breakfast you have the option of either doing the 10.30pm morning tour or you could spend the morning walking to Charlotte Falls and in the Krio villages of Charlotte, Bathurst and Regent. Please let us know in advance if you would like to do this so we can arrange a local guide for you (available at extra cost, payable locally). You will then be transferred to Sussex, Florence’s Resort where you will spend 2 nights.
Day 9: Beach tour
Spend the day relaxing and exploring Sussex Beach and enjoy great Italian Cuisine at Florence’s restaurant. Breakfast included.You will then continue South on the Freetown Peninsula to River Number 2 where you will 2 nights at a basic beach front room. Breakfast included.
Day 10: River No.2
Spend the day and night at Number 2.
Day 11: Bureh & Kent beach and Banana Islands
You will be transferred by Bureh Beach before continuing on to Kent Beach and then by boat to Banana Island. You have the option of going of a guided tour of the island which is one of the earliest settling points for freed slaves to the colony. Stay 2 nights in one double chalet at Banana Island Guesthouse.
Day 12: Day activities on Banana Island
Day of activities and leisure on Banana Island.
Day 13: Lungi resort
After breakfast you will be transferred by boat to Kent where your driver will be waiting. You will get the 2pm ferry to Lungi and then be transferred to the Sierra Paradise resort to spend your final night in one of the resort’s five candy‐coloured bungalows. Breakfast included.
Day 14: : Last day and departure
After spending the morning at the resort you will be transferred to the Lungi Airport where you will be assisted with checking in procedures by our Visit Sierra Leone Airport representative.
How does this holiday make a difference?
The tour operator who organizes this tour is part of the Ma Dengn association and focus on reinvigorating 5 pillars of Sierra Leone culture, being music, literature, Arts and Crafts, Cuisine and Music. They organize an annual beach festival with which we will support local arts activities from profit. They also encourage our clients to use community owned/driven projects such as River Number Two, Banana Island and Tiwai Island.
The operator offers one off contributions and free consultancies to projects such as River number two on how they can make their operation better.
This tour encourages their guests to visit local attractions, eat in local restaurants and by local produce in order to provide economic opportunities to the local communities along the itinerary. Usually, private vehicles are used to transport guests, but sharing is encouraged to reduce the carbon footprint of the holiday. If our guests ask to use public transport, the relevant information will be provided.
The tour operator operates a strict “take your litter home” policy if there is no proper garbage disposal facilities along the itinerary.All of the tour staff are trained and are all employed from the locality. A couple of the guides have just graduated from the first ever tour guide training course.
All ingredients used for the guests meals are purchased locally. Ingredients include lobsters, crabs and fish prepared by the local fishing/beach communities.
Local service providers are contracted to help maintain the accommodations and transport during the tour.
Where is it?
Click here to enquire about or book this holiday!
To discover other Responsible Tourism projects in Sierra Leone, click here.
To discover more about Sierra Leone, click here.
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