TRAVEL EXPERIENCE IN GUINEA CONAKRY

Guinea Conakry, also known as Republic of Guinea, is one of the less known countries in West Africa. A history of political instability has isolated Guinea Conakry from the tourist circuits that happen in neighboring countries such as Mali, Senegal, and Gambia. In Middle-Africa we believe that Guinea Conakry has a great eco-touristic and ethnographic potential. Since 2008 we have been organizing treks around the Fouta Djalon Plateau with great success. We organize the tours in Guinea Conakry both departing from Conakry city, or from Kedougou, in Senegal, which is near the Mali Peak. Fortunately the political and economic situation of Guinea Conakry has seriously improved in the last years and there is a clear government policy to promote eco-tourism initiatives all along the country.

In Middle-Africa we support local eco-tourism projects because we believe it is the best way to preserve the surrounding nature and the local culture. Some of Guinea Conakry’s main attractions are the dry endemic forest of the waterfall-rich Fouta Djalon Plateau in the west (breathtaking scenery and some of the best hiking in West Africa) and the rainforests that remain in the south, around Mount Nimba (UNESCO site). Guinea Conakry has also superb tropical beaches and often empty.                    

Matching Guinea’s natural beauty is its vibrant culture. Across the country there’s a strong tradition of music and dance, and visitors have many opportunities to see performances. Also, thanks largely to Sekou Touré’s impassioned defiance of the French, most Guineans are as proud of their nationality as they are of their ethnicity. They have stood together through the difficult decades of independence instead of turning on each other.   

                                                                                                    

TRAVEL HIGHLIGHTS OF GUINEA CONAKRY                                                     

Conakry city, Guinea Conakry’s capital, is a vibrant Africa city with an important port that boosts the local economy. Daily life revolves around the port and the several food markets around the city.  In Conakry, one of the best places to grab a beer and hangout is the beach bar in Taouyah, a neighborhood with a large market and mostly residential with some night clubs and restaurants. Music in Guinea is one of the best cultural activities the country has to offer. Some of the best Kora players in the world are from Guinea. There are many bars that offer live music. Apart from the markets one you can also visit the Guinea National Museum, the Botanical gardens, and the Conakry Grand Mosque (which was built by Ahmed Sékou Touré, father of Independence).                   

Loos Islands (Iles de Los) can be reached from Conakry city with a ferry. It is one o the best places near Conakry to relax in the beach. Loos Islands used to be a former slaving base, and today are a popular weekend escape for expats.

Guinea Conakry’s Beaches. The coastline from Conakry up towards Guinea -Bissau also offers great tourism with beautiful untouched beaches, mangroves, and wildlife viewing. Bel Air is a well known tourism destination on the beach about 2h from Conakry on a well paved road. A much nicer place to stay if you like more eco-tourism is Sabolan Village which is a small hotel on a beautiful beach. If you have a tent or want to stay in a more authentic and cheaper place, you can go down the beach or along the path, past the actual village, and stay in nice huts made by a local villager and now run by his son.

Tristao Islands. For the more adventurous is a trip to the island archipelago near the Guinea-Bissau border called Tristao. You can drive from Conakry to Kamsar and from there you can get on a local boat to the Tristao islands. The boat takes four hours and usually runs once or twice a week. Manatee, turtles, and many different bird types live in the Tristao archipelago. It is a very isolated place with many animist traditions still in existence.

The Foutah Djalon Plateau has superb hiking, sweeping vistas, waterfalls and cliffs. Since there are no hotels in this mountain area, we lodge the tourists in local houses in villages with part of the revenue going back to the villages for community development. The Fulani or Peul (local ethnic group) culture can be appreciated in the villages of Lelouma, Aïnguel, Lefeyta, Debeya, and Ditin. In Middle-Africa we focus our excursions in both discovering the local mountain culture (vernacular architecture, artisan manufacturing, vine and bamboo bridges, music, dances, etc.) and the surrounding nature (waterfalls, rivers, mountain forests, and scenery).

Mali-ville, is a town in northern Guinea on the edge of the Tamgué Massif at 311km/4h20 from Velingara in Senegal. It is known as a market town and for its honey. Market day is Sunday. Mali lies near Mount Loura (1.538m) where there is a footpath leading to a legendary rock face they call ‘La Dame du Mali,’ which, being perfectly shaped by nature to resemble an elegant woman's head, lives up to the name.

Labe, is the historical capital and seat of the Foutah Empire that reigned in the pre-colonial times, is a bustling city with some interesting history. You can buy beautiful traditional cloth in various navy blue colors.

Dalaba, is where the major chiefs of the country met to determine the fate of the soon to be independent country from the French in 1958. There is an old mansion that you can visit and a ceremonial hut with amazing carvings inside. Kindia has some of the best vegetable and fruit produce and thus a lively market.

National Park of the Upper Niger (Haut Niger National Park) is the birthing place of   Niger River and is home to hippos, elephants, buffaloes, chimpanzees, & waterbuck.

Mount Nimba Nature Reserve is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in both Guinea and Côte d'Ivoire. Mount Nimba Reserve includes significant portions of Mount Nimba range, a geographically unique area with more than 200 endemic species. These species include multiple types of duikers, big cats, civets, Chimpanzees, and several types of viviparous toads. In Middle-Africa we organize treks to Nimba Mountains starting from Bossou village.

Chimpanzees of Bossou. The village of Bossou, is situated in the Prefecture of Lola, 1.050km from Conakry and 6km from the foot of the Nimba Mountains, near Guinea's southeastern border with Cote d'Ivoire and Liberia. Bossou and the surrounding villages provide a rare example of a site where wild chimpanzees and local people have been living side by side in relative harmony for many generations, sharing the resources of the same forest. The Manon people, who hold the neighbouring chimpanzees as the reincarnation of their ancestors, come into contact regularly with the wild chimpanzees either by the road side or around cultivated areas.

Vine bridges of River Oulé. Along River Oulé, Forested Guinea, you can find many interesting examples of indigenous bridge engineering. In the village of Koladou 30kms from Kissidigou there is one of the longest and most beautiful vine bridges in Africa. In the hamlet of Koya you can also admire one of this wonderful vine bridges (pont de liane).

The Forest of Ziama, 40km south of Macenta, is one of Guinea Conakry’s few remaining virgin forests and one of the last refuges for the Guinean elephants. Ziama Nature Reserve was designated a Biosphere Reserve in 1981 covering 1,161.70 km². It’s considered by conservationists as a relic of the diminishing Upper Guinean forest.



ORGANISING YOUR TRIP TO

Middle-Africa organises travel tours to every corner of Guinea Conakry all year around. Please feel free to contact us at any time.