Sierra Leone
Revealed

Land at Lungi International Airport (FNA). Clear immigration — have visa and yellow fever certificate ready. Meet your local guide at arrivals. Take the water taxi across the Sierra Leone River to Freetown (30–40 min — the crossing itself is a dramatic introduction to West Africa). Transfer to Yogi's Stay, your base for the week. Evening: orientation walk to the Cotton Tree. Dinner at the guesthouse: Sierra Leonean plasas (cassava leaf stew) and rice.

Full day exploring Freetown. Morning: National Museum (history of Sierra Leone, "secret society" masquerade traditions, artefacts) → King Jimmy Market (the most authentic local market in Freetown — spices, palm oil, fresh fish, crafts) → Big Market (arts, crafts, textiles, a treasure hunt for unique souvenirs). Afternoon: St George's Cathedral and the old colonial quarter. Lumley Beach — the main beach in Freetown, lively on weekday afternoons. Cold Club beer or Malta at a beach bar watching local football on the sand. Sunset drinks.

DAWN: Speedboat from Freetown to Bunce Island (1 hour). Walk the ruins of the slave fort with your guide — dungeons, cannons, broken tombstones, the factor's house, all swallowed by jungle. An hour here will stay with you forever. Return by noon. Afternoon: Drive 40 min to Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary in the Western Area Forest Reserve. Guided sanctuary tour (2 hrs) — see chimps in the different stages of rehabilitation, from infant care through to the semi-wild enclosure where fully rehabilitated chimps roam freely.

Full-day boat excursion to the Banana Islands (three islands at the southern tip of the Freetown Peninsula, connected by a stone causeway). Morning: Swim and snorkel in the crystal-clear water — the reef is close and rich with fish. Explore the colonial ruins from Banana Islands' time as a European trading post. Walk through the friendly fishing village. Picnic lunch on the beach. Afternoon: second island crossing, kayak or paddleboard the lagoon, or simply lie on the sand. Return Freetown by late afternoon.

Scenic drive down the Freetown Peninsula through dense rainforest. First stop: River No. 2 Beach — the most celebrated beach in Sierra Leone, where the river meets the ocean. Swim the river lagoon, walk the sand, watch fishermen landing their catch. Continue to Tokeh Beach (1.5 mile stretch of white sand, mountain backdrop, clear warm water — almost completely undeveloped). Afternoon: Bureh Beach — Sierra Leone's surf beach. The Bureh Beach Surf Club will get you on a board if you want to try. Watch the sunset from the beach with a cold drink.

ESSENTIAL TIER: Morning rainforest walk in the Western Area Peninsula Forest — the same forest as Tacugama, where wild chimps occasionally appear. Guided hike (2 hrs). Afternoon: free time in Freetown for shopping, exploring, or relaxing at the guesthouse. SIGNATURE + PREMIUM TIERS: Depart morning for Tiwai Island (5–6 hr drive south to the Moa River). Arrive Tiwai Island eco-lodge. Evening guided riverside walk. Night canoe on the Moa River for nocturnal wildlife spotting — pygmy hippos sometimes surface at dusk.

SIGNATURE + PREMIUM: Dawn guided jungle hike on Tiwai Island — listening for chimp calls, tracking red colobus monkeys leaping through the canopy, birdwatching (over 130 species). Afternoon: canoe the Moa River. Return Freetown by evening. ESSENTIAL TIER: Last Freetown morning — beach, markets, final palm wine experience. Farewell dinner at the guesthouse — your guide invites a local musician for an evening of Sierra Leonean highlife music.

Check out from Yogi's Stay. Transfer to the water taxi terminal (allow 45 min for crossing + 30 min airport security). Airport security fee: $25 per person payable at departure. Connect via Brussels, Casablanca, Addis Ababa or direct, depending on your airline.