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Sierra Leone

For the traveler, Sierra Leone is still West Africa's secret beach destination. Sweet sands rise from the soft waters of the Atlantic, with the backdrop dressed in sun-stained hues, rainforest green and the red, red roads of the north.

In Freetown, colorful stilted houses remember the days when freed enslaved people from the Caribbean resettled upon these shores. In the north, the Loma Mountains form the highest point west of Cameroon. Further east national parks and rainforest shelter endangered species like the black-and-white colobus monkey and the elusive pygmy hippo.

Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Sierra Leone.

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Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary
In the dense rainforest of Western Area National Park, Sri Lankan founder Bala created Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary, a leafy, waterfall-framed hideaway set up with the purpose of rescuing and rehabilitating endangered primates, and in the process educating humans about one of our closest relatives. The passionate and committed staff offer twice-daily tours of the sanctuary, during which you'll watch rescued chimps frolic in enclosures and spot those who have been released to a larger area in the mountains beyond.
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Tiwai Island Wildlife Sanctuary
'Big Island' in the Mende language, 12-sq-km Tiwai Island certainly packs a punch when it comes to its primate population. Set on the Moa River, the entire island is run as a conservation research project. There are over 700 different plant species, 11 species of primates – including Diana monkeys and chimpanzees – 135 bird species plus otters, sea turtles and the endangered, elusive pygmy hippopotamus.
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Tiwai Island Wildlife Sanctuary
Sierra Leone's most visited natural reserve is home to over 700 different plant species, 135 bird species (including eight species of hornbill), plus otters and sea turtles. Tiwai is most famous for its primate population – the forests are home to the striking black-and-white Diana monkey as well as chimpanzees. The endangered, elusive pygmy hippopotamus is also a resident here – of the estimated 2000 left in the wild, they are only found in Sierra Leone, Liberia, Guinea and Côte D'Ivoire.
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Outamba-Kilimi National Park
This is a beautiful tract of savannah and jungle, with very diverse wildlife. You'll find primates such as chimpanzees, colobus monkeys and sooty mangabeys; hippos, bongo antelopes, buffalo, and perhaps even forest elephants, along with over 150 bird species.
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Sierra Leone National Museum
There are two galleries inside the Sierra Leone National Museum – one housing a collection of cultural and historical artefacts, including Temne Guerrilla leader Bai Bureh's drum, clothes and sword; and another devoted to temporary exhibitions (at the time of research a fascinating collection of photographs and documents detailing the city's colonial past).
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Lumley Beach
This wide sweep of beach has lost some of its atmosphere since the 2015 demolition of dozens of bamboo and thatch food shacks, and the numerous, ugly construction projects lining the beach road don't add to its appeal. During the week it feels deserted, save for a few joggers pounding the paved beach walkway, but it comes into its own on weekends and public holidays, when Freetown's residents come out to relax and party on the golden sands.
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Gola Rainforest National Park
A short hop from Tiwai Island, the Gola Rainforest National Park is home to an abundance of creatures great and small, from rare, intricately patterned butterflies to lost, lumbering forest elephants having a hard time locating the rest of their species (as in most parts of West Africa, their numbers are critically low). Multi-day forest walks and canoeing are some of the ways to take in the spectacle.
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National Railway Museum
You don't have to be a rail fan to enjoy this Clinetown museum, where enthusiastic staff guide you around a surprising collection of restored locomotives, including one commissioned for the Queen of England in 1961. Other attractions include a display of model trains, and fascinating photos of the glory days of the Sierra Leone railway. There's also a small gift shop. Admission is free but donations are encouraged.
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State House
The State House, up on Tower Hill and overlooking the downtown area, is an example of Freetown's old Krio architecture, which features brightly washed buildings and higgledy-piggledy window frames. This building incorporates the bastions and lion gate from Fort Thornton (built at the turn of the 19th century).