ITINERARY

West Africa Tour #1
Visiting Mauretania, Cape Verde Islands, Senegal, Gambia,
Guinea Bissau, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast
January 4 - 21, 2010

11:00 PM

Arrive NOUAKCHOTT
HOTEL MERCURE

NOUAKCHOTT

Morning sightseeing
Drive of the capital of Mauritania, to see the Moresque-style Ksar where the National Office of Carpet Shops, the big Mosque with its ten domes, the Independence Avenue with the Presidential Palace, the National Museum which houses prehistoric vestiges, the Souk, the market, handicraft village and time permitting the beach of fisherman.

Arrive DAKAR, Yoff International Airport
Leave DAKAR by VR #8009

PRAIA

Full day excursion to Tarrafal with lunch.
Leave the city Praia to the interior of the island. By the Avenue Cidade de Lisboa, it passes by the Government Palace, Luise da Silva Basto’s Stadium, the Municipal library and the auditorium, the Amilcar Cabral statue (he was one of the founders of the party that gained the country independence), the Sucupira (kind of shop). On the way to the interior of the island, visit the Aldeia Infantil SOS can be visited. Then there’s a stop at Sao Domingo’s village to visit the handicraft cooperative to see the potteries and other workmanship made of sisal, horn at the showroom.

Following, it’s the visit to the Botanic Garden Luis Grandvaux Barbosa at Sao Jorge dos Orgaos village. After that it proceeds to Assomada City. There’s a stop at the belvedere at Cruz de Picos from where there’s a panoramic view of the city and of the Fogo Island. At Assomada, it’s time to visit the Cultural Centre (handicraft showroom and Tabanka Musuem) and the Municipal Market that it was the first built at the whole island at the colonial epoch. Leaving Assomada behind, it stars the ascent to the Serra Malagueta, one of highest points of the Island. From here it can be caught a glimpse of Ribeira Principal 1,000 meters down.

Finally, it reaches Tarrafal village. It’s time to visit the ancient political prison was built by the Portuguese fascist regime. The way back by the west coast with some stops at the principal points as the Rabelados community, the banana plantation of Santa Cruz, Pedra Badejo, and Milho Branco.

PRAIA

Morning excursion to Cidade Velha.
The excursion starts with City Tour at Plateau from the Cruzeiro’s belvedere. There’s a panoramic view of the harbour and the zone of the international airport. It passes in front of the Military Quarter Jaime Mota to reach the statue of Diogo Gomes (one of the discoverers of the Cape Verde Island). From here there’s a panoramic view of the bay of Gamboa, the islet of Santa Maria, the lighthouse Maria Pia. Next, it passes by the square Alexandre Albuquerque surrounded bybuildings of the 19th century as the Church of Na Sra. da Graca, the Courthouse, the City Hall and the lldo Lobo’s cultural palace.

The city tour ends with a visit at the Municipal Market where there are always fresh fruits, vegetables, legumes and fish and some spices. It follows then to Cidade Velha, the first city for the archipelago. Here the visits start by the Fortress of Sao Felipe II (1578-1585); the ruins of the Cathedral, the Pelourinho (symbol of the justice and local execution of the justice); the Church of Na Sra. do Rosario, the distillery for the fabrication of the gorgue and the Convent of Sao Francisco. The excursion ends at Praia de Frente.

PRAIA

Morning free

BISSAU

Full day city tour of the capital.
Drive down the main street the wide Avenida Amilcar Cabral with its Presidential Palace. Along here you will find most banks, the Cathedral and the cinemas. Also visit the central market. Continue to Avenida de 14 Novembro to visit the Bandim market

BISSAU

Morning tour of the surrounding area

TUE. Jan 12
B,L,D

BANJUL

Full day Roots Tour
The most well known trip "up-river" to the land of Alex Haley's Saga "Roots". The trip starts with a long lazy cruise directly upriver taking us on our historic journey 200 years back in time to the ancient Trading Station of Albreda, which gained fame in the slaving days with its Flag Pole, which it once thought would guarantee freedom to any slave who touched it, after escaping from James Island, which is close by. A 15 minute walk bring us to the village of Juffure where "Kunta Kinteh" of Roots fame is alleged to hail from. The original home of Alex Haley's great grandfather, which stands near to the mosque, is still inhabited by the family and may be visited on the way around the village. We then reboard the boat and - after invading the well stocked and reasonably priced bar - take the short river trip to James Island, steeped in slave trade history. Fortress ruins tell the tale of Colonial rivalries, and the beads still buried deep in the sand conjure pictures of the hundreds of slaves shackled together awaiting transport to an unknown and uncertain future.

Morning city tour.

DAKAR

Morning city tour
Dakar, the capital of Senegal, is a modern city at the extreme of the African continent surrounded by sea. The city tour will offer you the possibility to see different districts: The old city in the colonial style with the city hall, the railway station and Kermel Market. Downtown with the Independence Square, administrative buildings, the Presidential Palace, the Cathedral, the main mosque and Dakar University. You will discover contrast between wealthy villas and poor districts, as well as the craft village of Soumbedioune.

Morning city tour, visiting Monument Samory Toure, People’s Palace, National Museum, Port De Peche and the Niger Market, where you can buy artistic crafts and African sculptures.

Afternoon visit to the Island of Kassa.

Leave CONAKRY by bus in the morning

FREETOWN

Morning Freetown city sightseeing
Drive to the center of town along Cotton tree, famous Freetown landmark, 600 years old, the commercial district. Then proceed to the Parliament building, passing along the State House. Continue to Hill Station and through the forest to Fourah Bay College, the oldest University in West Africa, overlooking the bay of Freetown. Back to the hotel through the African district.

Afternoon Krio Villages

• Leicester Hill had a spectacular view of the city
• Regent, Bathurst and Charlotte are authentic krio villages (descendants of freed slaves) with their wooden houses.
• Kongo Dam services the neighboring villages. This area is a nature reserve and home to birds, otters and other wild animals.
• Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary – our safe have for chimpanzees, which are disappearing from our forests at an alarming rate from being hunted and trades as pets. A law has now enforced to prevent the trade of the chimps.
• Charlotte Falls though quite small, this waterfall is set in a very scenic area, quite perfect for a picnic.

Morning Peninsula Tour
Driving via Congo Cross. Continue to Lumley village and along the coast to the well known fisherman village of York, in front of Bananas Island, where used to initiate the slave traffic. On the way back, stop en route at Number Two village with its Polynesian-style beaches

Arrive MONROVIA Roberts International Airport
HOTEL MAMBA POINT

MONROVIA

Full day excursion Firestone Plantation
Drive thorough Embassies district on the top of the hill. After having crossed Monrovia, continue by a good tarmaced road through different African Villages to Firestone rubber plantation, the largest in the world. Short look at the layout of latex factory and the loading docks. Rubber tapping demonstration, if possible.

MONROVIA

Morning city tour including the Waterside Market, the Masonic Temple, partly destroyed after the 1980 coup. Many parts of the city are being rebuilt since the recent war.

ABIDJAN

Morning city tour
A fisherman’s village in 1900, Abidjan has become one of the finest cities and largest port of Africa. It is a futurist city, high rise buildings along the splendid Ebrie Lagoon “Pearl of Lagoons”. Visit the Laundrymen of Banco, “the Fanico Washers”, open air washing place, where hundreds of clothes are washed in a little river, the Banco, the Cocody Market – colorful and bursting with activity. Also visit downtown Abidjan, the Museum and St. Paul Cathedral.

Afternoon free.

Evening Farewell Dinner.

Note: B = Breakfast; L = Lunch; D = Dinner