Sierra Leone
This is a beautiful tract of savannah and jungle, with very diverse wildlife. You'll find primates such as chimpanzees, colobus monkeys and sooty…
Must-see attractions in West Africa
Monts de Cristal National Park
Gabon
Botanists believe this park has the most diverse flora in Africa. Rare plants, butterflies and large mammals abound in the virgin forest. Almost constant…
Parc National de la Langue de Barbarie
Senegal
This park includes the far southern tip of the Langue de Barbarie peninsula, the estuary of the Senegal River (which contains two small islands) and a…
Parc National de Fazao-Malfakassa
Togo
This 1920-sq-km national park is one of the most diverse West African parks in terms of landscape, with forest, savannah, rocky cliffs and waterfalls. The…
Gabon
Situated on the Chaillu Massif, this park is known as a Pleistocene refuge, meaning that its ancient savannahs, forest and the caves date back at least 40…
Gabon
Of vital importance to migrating birds, juvenile fish and nesting green turtles, Akanda National Park lies along the bays of Mondah and Corisco, an easy…
Cameroon
Campo-Ma'an comprises 7700 sq km of protected biodiverse rainforest, sheltering many wonderful plants and animals, including buffaloes, forest elephants,…
Moukalaba-Doudou National Park
Gabon
Encompassing both coast and forest, this park has a variety of terrain: rainforest, mountains, dry savannah, lakes and rivers. Here you'll find the…
Cabo Verde
On the main highway about 1km before the centre of Tarrafal is the ominous former Tarrafal Concentration Camp. Here Portuguese authorities used to hold…
Sierra Leone
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…
Guinea
The chutes de Kambadaga, around 35km west of Pita, make for a brilliant day out. The waterfalls crash over three separate falls and they're surrounded by…
Sal
A great attraction is this surreal, lunarlike crater of an ancient volcano, where seawater is transformed into shimmering salt beds. You can see the old…
Mindelo
Inside the Torre de Belém, Mindelo's most intriguing museum gives an overview of São Vicente's history, from the island's role in the triangular trade to…
Nigeria
Home to a colony of rescued drill monkeys and chimpanzees, the Drill Ranch is home to Pandrillus, one of Africa's most progressive primate-conservation…
Rio Muni
This tiny Fang village is worth visiting for its spectacular beach. Standing on the clean sweep of sand, you can see Gabon and the Elobey Islands across…
Gabon
Surrounded by dense rainforest, beautiful Lake Zilé is dotted with some 30 islands and is home to loads of birds (white cormorants congregate on one of…
Centre d'Exposition Artisanal de N'zérékoré
Guinea
This modern and impressive arts and handicrafts centre allows you to watch craftspeople carving, weaving, hammering and stitching dyed mudcloth, wooden…
Gabon
Occupying a 90-sq-km site, there are around 35 caves located in dense primary rainforest close to the town of Lastoursville. They were formed some 50…
Nigeria
The museum sits on the site of a 15th-century slave-trading warehouse. Exhibits explore local slave markets, the grim paraphernalia of the trade including…
Banjul
West from the ferry terminal towards the wide Ma Cumba Jallow St (Dobson St) is a chaotic assembly of decrepit colonial buildings and Krio-style clapboard…
Togo
Unpretentious and relaxing, Parc Sarakawa is easily accessed from Kara as a day trip. While its wildlife-watching can't compare with that of the better…
Gabon
Baï is the Pygmy word for a marshy clearing in the forest. Langoué Baï lies in the south of the Ivindo National Park and is about 1km x 300m. The earth…
Accra
Bojo Beach is so clean and chilled out that you'd never guess it was such a short drive west of Accra city. On arrival there's a small entrance fee to pay…
The Gambia
Quirky and wonderful, Tunbung Arts Village is a ragged assembly of skewed huts, wildly painted walls and random sculptures that peer out behind walls and…
São Tomé
The Casa das Artes, Criação, Ambiente e Utopias (House of the Arts, Creativity, Environment and Utopias) is an ambitious attempt to create a true cultural…
Cabo Verde
Pop into this airy colonial mansion with two floors of exhibits, showcasing old photographs, traditional music instruments, sewing machines and sundry…
Cabo Verde
This small museum and foundation is dedicated to preserving the memory of freedom fighter Amilcar Cabral (1924–73). Photographs and other memorabilia shed…
Boa Vista
A short stroll south of the Sal Rei town centre, this lovely beach has turquoise waters and white sands, making it a fine setting for a day out. A handful…
Senegal
This serene 700-hectare reserve is a great spot for seeing some of the avian wildlife along the coast. Pelicans, egrets, herons and flamingos are among…
Museo do Mar e da Pesca Artesanal
São Tomé
This charming marine and fishing museum is located in a whitewashed fisherman's shack up on stilts by the water's edge. Created by local marine…
The Gambia
This fascinating cultural museum presents Gambian nature and life scenes by recreating a traditional Mandinka village, where you can peer into huts and…
Republic of Congo
One of the oldest national parks in Africa, the Parc National d’Odzala is Congo's calling card, a massive slice of the Guineo-Congolian rainforest that's…
Parque Natural Serra da Malagueta
Cabo Verde
Parque Natural Serra da Malagueta encompasses the dramatic, tumbling ridges 15 minutes' drive back along the road to Praia. There are a number of…
Republic of Congo
A Unesco World Heritage Site since 2012, Nouabalé-Ndoki is home to important populations of forest elephants, western lowland gorillas, chimpanzees and…
The Gambia
The Tanji River Bird Reserve is an area of dunes, lagoons and woodland, and contains Bijol Island, a protected breeding ground for Caspian terns. True to…
Dakar
An arts tour around Dakar is simply not complete without a visit to this famous art complex, where some of Senegal's most promising and established…
São Tomé
This interesting island, which faces Santana Resort, is unique in that a natural tunnel runs straight through the centre of it. Boat trips operated by the…
Ghana
Set up to protect the forest and its inhabitants, the mona monkeys, this community-run sanctuary makes for a fun excursion. The monkeys, revered by the…
Cotonou
Named after the family that started it, this fantastic exhibition space seeks to promote contemporary African art among Beninese people through…
Liberia
This small archipelago is home to chimpanzees that were evacuated from a hepatitis research lab during the war. Enquire in town about the most up-to-date…
