Sierra Leone is a lowkey West African country which promises to be an exciting up and coming travel destination. The country is filled with beautiful natural landscapes and friendly people who are proud of their Salone.
I visited the country in the first week of May 2024, hosted by the Sierra Leone tourism board so I’m excited to share my experience with you.
If you’re visiting for the first time and only have a week, here is how to maximise your time:
Days 1 – 2
Freetown – the capital of Sierra Leone is a great place to start your trip – it offers everything from culture, art, beaches and more.
Stay at Radisson Blu Mammy Yoko Hotel – it’s well located to the city and is comfortable with plenty of onsite amenities, great varied breakfast, pool and plenty of space to relax.
I recommend booking a city tour which will cover the main places to visit over 2 days with transport included. You can book our guide Peter and his colleagues from Tourism is life who will take care of you! The city tours will include the following:
National Museum – learn about the history of the country and also influential modern day Sierra Leoneans in the arts and culture space.
Railway Museum – learn about the history of the country’s previous network rail and also you can ride the Queen Elizabeth train (which HRH never actually got to ride).
Peace Museum – an emotional part of the city tour to learn about the civil war and the events following it and efforts to restore the country following this.
Peace and Cultural Monument – created by the military with artists to commemorate the Civil War.
The Cotton tree – an important historical monument in Freetown. Unfortunately it was felled during storms in May 2023 but the trunk remains – the sheer size of that alone is incredible.
Old Furber College – the oldest University in West Africa – there are plans to restore it and turn it into a cultural centre.
Big Markit – a popular market for tourists and locals alike – you can find everything from handmade clothes to jewellery, art and more. Bring your A game haggling skills!
For anyone who enjoys cooking classes or sampling local food, do book onto Susan Senesie’s cooking class – she is an award winning chef who cooks for Idris Elba when he’s in town! Message her directly on instagram to book your class..and check out her shop Treat food as well.
For anyone enjoys nightlife, Aberdeen-Lumley is the place to go!
There are also many great viewpoints over Freetown. Leicester Peak (which is currently under construction as of May, is due to reopen later this year for fun activities in the clouds).
The View is a cool rooftop bar/restaurant/lounge – delicious food and perfect view over the city.
Day 3
A day trip to Bunce and Tasso islands is a must (again book with your tour guide). You will be taken via boat from the seaport terminal to Bunce island first, which was used during the transatlantic slave trade. Lots of important history to unpack here.
Following this you will visit Tasso island where you can have lunch, relax on the beach or even stay over and enjoy the ecotourism on this island.
Day 4 – 5
Tacugama chimpanzee sanctuary (just outside Freetown) has been doing amazing work to protect the chimps of Sierra Leone. They do guided tours throughout the day and have ecolodges onsite so I recommend spending 1 night in the jungle for the full experience.
It wa sone of our highlights to see how these chimpanzees are being rehabilitated and to learn about the country from a wildlife conservation prospective. Also your visit contributes to the running of it and you can even “adopt” one of the chimps after your visit for ongoing support.
Now it’s time to get acquainted with Sierra Leone wonderful beaches!
Day 5
Banana island is home of the Krios and is made up of 3 islands. To get here, you must drive to Kent beach and then will be taken across in the boat to the island.
Here you can enjoy a variety of water sports, do a walking tour of the island to learn about its history, enjoy the beach bar vibes of the resorts and even stay over in the campsites.
It can be done as a day trip if you prefer.
Day 6 -7
Back on the mainland, I recommend ending your trip at Tokeh beach, one of the most beautiful beaches we visited this week. Soft white sand beaches with the ocean waves sound and perfect sunsets.
Stay at The Place for at least 1 night to enjoy a beach resort feel – it’s luxurious and peaceful. they have onsite restaurant serving all types of cuisines from local food to Indian and Lebanese.
River no 2 is a 20 min walk away along the beach – if you visit during the weekends, it’s popular with tourists and locals alike.
Alternatively you can stay at the chalets of The estuary resort and visit John Obey beach – where you can enjoy beautiful views and peaceful boat rides.
The 7 day itinerary is busy but great to give you a flavour of everything Sierra Leone has to offer.
If you have a longer trip planned, you can also visit the provinces, go for hikes and explore more nature including waterfalls.
Save for your next visit and check out the next blog post for practical tips to plan for your Sierra Leone trip!
J Xo
Road2Culturedom 