ITINERARY

West Africa Tour #3
with Congo Extension
February 2 - February 24, 2008

Arrive ABIDJAN in the afternoon

Leave ABIDJAN by minibus along the coastal route, cross into Ghana at Elubo.

Drive to Sekondi Takoradi, enjoy a brief city tour and view of Takoradi Harbour and market area. Continue your drive to Ghana 's renowned Cape Coast.
HOTEL ELMINA BEACH RESORT

CAPE COAST

Full day tour of the Cape Coast Slave Castle, the Museum – developed in collaboration with the Smithsonian Institution. Ghana 's formal education started in Cape Coast. Our visit to Cape Coast takes you to the Dungeons – dark room where slaves were kept for shipment to the Americas and the Caribbean.

• Elmina Castle built by the Portuguese in 1482, visit will include:
• The Negotiation House where slave prices were bargained.
• The Door of No Return - the entrance where slaves passed to enter the ships to the Americas
• The secret passage from the female slave yard to the Governors residence
• The Men and Female Slave yards

Both Cape Coast and Elmina Castles are on the World Heritage List.

TUE. Feb 5
B,L,D

CAPE COAST

Full day Kakum National Park.
This morning continue the scenic drive through the Central Region of Ghana to Kakum National Park, the foremost nature reserve in Southern Ghana, with stunning primal rain forest preserved as habitat for a wide species of birds, butterflies and local animals. Relax in the contemporary visitor's center or experience the Canopy Walkway, the first of it's kind in Africa. High above the treetops, venture out onto the walkway, a rope and wood footbridge that literally affords you a bird's eye-view of the tropical trees and nature below. This is a sightseeing excursion designed for the brave and adventurous at heart, with a Panoramic view not to be missed.

On return from Kakum Nature Park, visit Hans Cottage to see the crocodile in the Pond. By throwing a piece of bread into the water the crocodiles jump for the bread, very relaxing and entertaining.

Enjoy a fascinating morning drive through several villages and towns to Kumasi. Located in the Ashanti Region of Ghana, Kumasi is the ancient capital of the region and it's regarded as Ghana 's cultural city. Check into the Royal Basin Hotel and begin a tour of the Manhyia Palace Museum and a courtesy call on the King of Asante (ASANTEHENE) at his Palace.

Return to your hotel for dinner. In the absence of the King meet any of his Divisional Chiefs.
HOTEL ROYAL BASIN

KUMASI

Today, visit the National Cultural Center, a sprawling complex that houses museum of Asanti History, craftshop and exhibition hall. Continue on to the small Prempch II Jubilee Musuem of Ashanti History, which was designed to resemble an Ashanti chief's house and contain a collection of rare Ashanti king's war attire and regalia. Also visit the cultural villages, drive through small pottery artisans and the Adinkra Cloth, stool carving and the popular Kente village of Bonwire.

This morning make a return journey to ACCRA through Ghana 's lush central and southern regions.
HOTEL ROYAL PALM BEACH

Afternoon: Modern Township Tour.
Drive along Gulf of Guinea. Arrive at Tema, Ghana 's modern township & industrial area, visit leading factories and the fishing harbor. Return to Accra via Ghana motorway.

ACCRA

Morning: City tour
Old and new township. Seaview drive along Gulf of Guinea, see the Christiansborg Castle. Visit Independence Square, State ceremonial grounds. Tour James Town where former President Kwame Nkrumah started his political campaign for independence. Visit National Museum, Dubois Centre, Arts Centre and Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum.

Leave ACCRA via several friendly towns and villages and Sogakope bridge overlooking the Volta Lake. Arrive at Aflao, complete border formalities and enter

TOGO

to arrive at LOME
HOTEL TWO FEVRIER

LOME

Morning city tour of Lome, driving along the Presidential Palace to Aflao, located at the border between Togoland and Ghana. Then come back to Independence Place with its typical monuments and the Benin Breweries. Visit the Historical Museum of Kponton, then proceed to the Cathedral and the typical market. After a stop at this colorful market, return to the hotel.

Leave LOME in the afternoon driving along the coast into

Arrive COTONOU
HOTEL NOVOTEL

COTONOU

Morning: City tour of Cotonou
Proceed to the typical African market. Visit of the main places of the city; Presidential Palace, the main bridge and modern part.

Afternoon: Tour to Ganvie
The landing stage of Calavi from where you can reach Ganvie is at 18 kms from Cotonou, there you will get on motorboats for the cruising to Ganvie, which is at 20 km from this place. With approximately 25,000 inhabitants, Ganvie and its suburbs consist of bamboo huts, built on stilts and each hut houses a family with in average 6 children. Very often also the domestic animals find a place under the house. Enjoy the stay in this unusual town of the lagoon.

COTONOU

Full day excursion to Lagos, Nigeria

Leave COTONOU in the morning for a pleasant drive via PORTO NOVO into

NIGERIA

Arrive LAGOS for a city tour.

In the late afternoon return into BENIN to arrive COTONOU.

COTONOU

Morning free

CAMEROON

DOUALA

Morning: City tour
Visit the Deido Roundabout, the harbor, the Wouri Bridge, the Nylon Handicraft Center, the museum, the cathedral and the local market.

Afternoon free

DOUALA

Day excursion to Malabo

EQUATORIAL GUINEA

Arrive MALABO, ISLAND OF BIOKO
One day stopover only

Full-day Island tour:
The nation's capital, Malabo on the northern end of Bioko, was first colonized by the Portuguese in 1494, later fell into Spanish hands and then became a British navel station in the 19 th century. After British interest in the area waned, the Spanish used the city as the site of their colonial administration, which lasted until independence in 1968. While walking through Malabo, imagine yourself transported back 100 years – you'll be treated to old colonial architecture, thick walls, shutters and blinds on the buildings, the corrugated iron roofing, wrought-iron work and the Spanish tiling in the cathedral square. Worth visiting in the Spanish-Equatorial Guniean cultural center, and afterwards a walk out onto the peninsula where the decaying Hotel Bahia sits. Malabo is built around a natural harbor that's the crater of an ancient volcano.

Located on the crater arm opposite the hotel, you'll see the Presidential compound (no photographs allowed!!!). Visit the modest but tasteful cathedral on your walk. Malabo has a languid, sleepy feel to it (although there is a modest amount of nightlife in the nightclubs and bars).

SAT. Feb 16
B,D

10:30 AM

Afternoon city tour of this African “ Miami ” with it's many beach hotels, wide highway, the ancient harbor, the Saint Marie Church and the Cathedral and St. Michel's Church with its 30 polychrome carved wood columns.

LIBREVILLE

Half-day surrounding area tour

SAO TOME

Full day excursion around the West part of the island, including Roca Aqua IZE, the spectacular blowhole Boca de Inferno, 7 Ondas Beach, San Joao d'Angolares, and a typical lunch at Roca San Joao.

SAO TOME

Morning free

1:30 PM

Arrive PARIS in the morning.
Leave PARIS by connecting flight.
Arrive USA

LIBREVILLE

Morning free

Morning free.
Afternoon city tour of Brazzaville, where we see the sights of Charles de Gaulle, the Cathedral and the National Museum.

BRAZZAVILLE

Day tour to Kinshasa, the

Visa cost not included.
Lunch at the Grand Hotel

Afternoon city tour of this seaport town, drive along the beaches view the port and the Cathedral of Notre Dame.

Excursion to Cabinda – Angola
Which has been separated from Angola since 1975.
Cabinda was a Portuguese Colony until 1975, when it became again part of Angola.

10:30 PM

Arrive PARIS in the morning.
Leave by connecting flight
Arrive USA

Costs are as follows:

Land Portion Sharing $10,900
Single Room Supplement $1,800
Estimated Airfare from New York $4,300
Prices do not include the optional extension to the Congo & Angola

In addition to the above tour, we also have Africa Tour #1 and #2, prior to this tour.

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