Who knew that a little known park in eastern Senegal has lions, hippopotamus, water buffalo, the rare giant Eland, and the northernmost population of chimpanzees in the world. West Africa is not known for its game reserves, but there are a few on offer (like Pendjari) that are certainly worth visiting. The Niokolo-Koba National Park [...]
There's more than one way to skin a cat, and in this case, there is more than one way to enter Casamance from Gambia. Most people take the Trans-Gambian highway, which starts up in Kaolack, Senegal. This highway, also known as the N4, crosses the Gambia in the middle of the country before darting south [...]
Getting your visa for Bissau in Ziguinchor just may be the most pain-free interaction you will ever have with bureaucracy in West Africa. The whole thing takes about 5 minutes. What's more, the friendly consular officer will even fill out the paperwork for you. The embassy is located in the center of town, on an [...]
We're not going to lie, you may have to get poked a few times before your trip to West Africa. Some immunizations are required to enter certain West African countries, while others are simply recommended (and recommended should not be considered optional in this case). In this post, we will tell you what you need [...]
(Updated November 18, 2022) It's a testament to the extreme knowledge void with respect to West Africa, that I've been asked on several occasions whether or not the region has banks. So let's get this out of the way now: if you are anticipating some kind of primordial world where financial transactions take place in [...]
I am writing this on a bus in the United States. I am traveling to Washington, DC and eventually, Abidjan. This bus trip is the first leg of my trip. Some of the in-bus amenities include leather reclining seats, power outlets, wi-fi, on-board toilet and airconditioning. Buses in West Africa are typically less generous. While [...]
Depending on where you are flying from, finding a cheap flight to West Africa may be a difficult task. That said, there are certain strategies you can use to ensure that you get the most reasonable flight possible. In this post, we will provide everything you need to know about finding the most affordable airfare [...]
UPDATE: Sadly two tourists and their guide were kidnapped in May 2019. At this time, we cannot recommend visiting Pendjari due to the various security concerns and the park's proximity to the Burkina Faso border. Hopefully the situation will change in the near future. Tucked away in the far northwest corner of Benin is West [...]
Popular throughout the Sahel, this tea is a concentrated, sweetened brew that is served in tiny glasses (think shot glass sized). The tea kettle itself is tiny, and it seems everything has been miniaturized due to the tea's strength. Here we will explain a few pointers for getting the most of the Malian tea experience [...]
