Rb 295
By Mark Stratton
MAY 14, 2024

West Africa Destination Overview

Under a giant cotton tree, a punchy staccato beat from goatskin-covered drums created an intoxicating rhythm amid the dilapidated Portuguese buildings. We arrived ashore by zodiac dinghies into the quay at Bolama in the Bijagós Archipelago, one of eighty-eight small islands off the little-known coastline of Guinea-Bissau, in West Africa. This was our welcome to a community that hardly any visitors ever visit. By the seafront, fruit bats rose into the withering heat as half a dozen local ladies with red blouses emblazoned with silver-coloured leaves sashayed, seemingly effortlessly, to the drumbeat. A singer related stories of the Bijagós people’s animist beliefs of the spirits of the forest.

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West Africa Map

West Africa Map

West Africa Port Guides

When and how to Travel

There isn’t actually a great deal of choice about when to sail given that only a handful of expedition vessels offer itineraries more than likely to be during repositioning between the poles. If the ship is travelling North, from Antarctica, the timing will likely be in West Africa’s warm early summer, around April. If a vessel is returning south from the Arctic, it may likely be October, just avoiding West Africa’s peak ferocious summertime temperatures, which can nudge 40ºC.

It was mid-April, and for much of our voyage, we had hot sunshine. On one morning, the expedition leader on our vessel announced it would be 30ºC at 8 a.m. and 29ºC at 8 p.m. Summer heat can be stifling. In February 2024, a report noted temperatures were 4ºC hotter than normal. During our voyage, Atlantic sea temperatures were recorded at 32ºC, which affected the performance of the vessel by slowing its rate of knots.

Weather: The dry season is typically the best time to visit most West African countries. During this period, rainfall is minimal, making it easier to travel and enjoy outdoor activities. Wildlife viewing is often better as animals gather around water sources. Expect hot and dry conditions, especially from December to February when the Harmattan winds blow from the Sahara, causing cooler mornings and evenings.

Wildlife: The best months for wildlife viewing in West Africa typically coincide with the dry season when animals congregate around water sources, making them easier to spot.

Scenery: The best weather is typically from November to April, with countries like Senegal, Ghana, and the Gambia offering beautiful coastal experiences.

Weather: The dry season is typically the best time to visit most West African countries. During this period, rainfall is minimal, making it easier to travel and enjoy outdoor activities. Wildlife viewing is often better as animals gather around water sources. Expect hot and dry conditions, especially from December to February when the Harmattan winds blow from the Sahara, causing cooler mornings and evenings.

Wildlife: The best months for wildlife viewing in West Africa typically coincide with the dry season when animals congregate around water sources, making them easier to spot.

Scenery: The best weather is typically from November to April, with countries like Senegal, Ghana, and the Gambia offering beautiful coastal experiences.

Weather: The dry season is typically the best time to visit most West African countries. During this period, rainfall is minimal, making it easier to travel and enjoy outdoor activities. Wildlife viewing is often better as animals gather around water sources. Expect hot and dry conditions, especially from December to February when the Harmattan winds blow from the Sahara, causing cooler mornings and evenings.

Wildlife: The best months for wildlife viewing in West Africa typically coincide with the dry season when animals congregate around water sources, making them easier to spot.

Scenery: The best weather is typically from November to April, with countries like Senegal, Ghana, and the Gambia offering beautiful coastal experiences.

Weather: The dry season is typically the best time to visit most West African countries. During this period, rainfall is minimal, making it easier to travel and enjoy outdoor activities. Wildlife viewing is often better as animals gather around water sources. Expect hot and dry conditions, especially from December to February when the Harmattan winds blow from the Sahara, causing cooler mornings and evenings.

Wildlife: The best months for wildlife viewing in West Africa typically coincide with the dry season when animals congregate around water sources, making them easier to spot.

Scenery: The best weather is typically from November to April, with countries like Senegal, Ghana, and the Gambia offering beautiful coastal experiences.

Weather: The dry season is typically the best time to visit most West African countries. During this period, rainfall is minimal, making it easier to travel and enjoy outdoor activities. Wildlife viewing is often better as animals gather around water sources. Expect hot and dry conditions, especially from December to February when the Harmattan winds blow from the Sahara, causing cooler mornings and evenings.

Wildlife: The best months for wildlife viewing in West Africa typically coincide with the dry season when animals congregate around water sources, making them easier to spot.

Scenery: The best weather is typically from November to April, with countries like Senegal, Ghana, and the Gambia offering beautiful coastal experiences.

Weather: The dry season is typically the best time to visit most West African countries. During this period, rainfall is minimal, making it easier to travel and enjoy outdoor activities. Wildlife viewing is often better as animals gather around water sources. Expect hot and dry conditions, especially from December to February when the Harmattan winds blow from the Sahara, causing cooler mornings and evenings.

Wildlife: The best months for wildlife viewing in West Africa typically coincide with the dry season when animals congregate around water sources, making them easier to spot.

Scenery: The best weather is typically from November to April, with countries like Senegal, Ghana, and the Gambia offering beautiful coastal experiences.

Weather: The wet season brings heavy rainfall, especially in the southern regions. This season is less ideal for wildlife viewing but great for seeing lush landscapes. The central and southern regions experience two rainy periods, while the north typically has one continuous wet season.

Wildlife: Many migratory birds return during the wet season, making it an excellent time for birdwatching.

Scenery: The wet season brings lush landscapes and fewer tourists. It can be a good time to visit if you prefer a more tranquil experience and don’t mind occasional rain. The landscape is lush and green, offering beautiful scenery and opportunities for landscape photography.

Weather: The wet season brings heavy rainfall, especially in the southern regions. This season is less ideal for wildlife viewing but great for seeing lush landscapes. The central and southern regions experience two rainy periods, while the north typically has one continuous wet season.

Wildlife: Many migratory birds return during the wet season, making it an excellent time for birdwatching.

Scenery: The wet season brings lush landscapes and fewer tourists. It can be a good time to visit if you prefer a more tranquil experience and don’t mind occasional rain. The landscape is lush and green, offering beautiful scenery and opportunities for landscape photography.

Weather: The wet season brings heavy rainfall, especially in the southern regions. This season is less ideal for wildlife viewing but great for seeing lush landscapes. The central and southern regions experience two rainy periods, while the north typically has one continuous wet season.

Wildlife: Many migratory birds return during the wet season, making it an excellent time for birdwatching.

Scenery: The wet season brings lush landscapes and fewer tourists. It can be a good time to visit if you prefer a more tranquil experience and don’t mind occasional rain. The landscape is lush and green, offering beautiful scenery and opportunities for landscape photography.

Weather: The wet season brings heavy rainfall, especially in the southern regions. This season is less ideal for wildlife viewing but great for seeing lush landscapes. The central and southern regions experience two rainy periods, while the north typically has one continuous wet season.

Wildlife: Many migratory birds return during the wet season, making it an excellent time for birdwatching.

Scenery: The wet season brings lush landscapes and fewer tourists. It can be a good time to visit if you prefer a more tranquil experience and don’t mind occasional rain. The landscape is lush and green, offering beautiful scenery and opportunities for landscape photography.

Weather: The wet season brings heavy rainfall, especially in the southern regions. This season is less ideal for wildlife viewing but great for seeing lush landscapes. The central and southern regions experience two rainy periods, while the north typically has one continuous wet season.

Wildlife: Many migratory birds return during the wet season, making it an excellent time for birdwatching.

Scenery: The wet season brings lush landscapes and fewer tourists. It can be a good time to visit if you prefer a more tranquil experience and don’t mind occasional rain. The landscape is lush and green, offering beautiful scenery and opportunities for landscape photography.

Weather: The wet season brings heavy rainfall, especially in the southern regions. This season is less ideal for wildlife viewing but great for seeing lush landscapes. The central and southern regions experience two rainy periods, while the north typically has one continuous wet season.

Wildlife: Many migratory birds return during the wet season, making it an excellent time for birdwatching.

Scenery: The wet season brings lush landscapes and fewer tourists. It can be a good time to visit if you prefer a more tranquil experience and don’t mind occasional rain. The landscape is lush and green, offering beautiful scenery and opportunities for landscape photography.

Sustainability and the Region

West Africa Cote D'ivoire Banco National Park 352
West Africa Cote D'ivoire Banco National Park

It’s straightforward to read about a litany of woes for West Africa, not least surrounding climate change and poverty. Environmental degradation and desertification, huge biodiversity, and habitat loss, bushmeat hunting, failing crops in higher temperatures, and increasingly younger societies with high birth rates, lead to unemployment and outmigration. Resource pressure in recent decades has led to political instability and conflict. Sierra Leone and Liberia are tragic examples of this. West Africans will readily talk about these issues. I chatted recently with a Ghanian fisherman who complained large international trawler fleets were reducing their livelihood and spoke with a Sierra Leonian conservationist fearful over habitat loss. A farmer told me higher temperatures were lowering yields of Senegal’s important groundnut crop. West Africa is however a busy shipping route so fear not, your presence cruising here is not the root cause of any of these issues. These are global concerns. If anything, the presence is positive. On my recent voyage in Côte d’Ivoire, I met a cerebral-palsy support group by chance and met women whose husbands had left them to raise their afflicted children. Via a local charity, they were enjoying a picnic and respite from the 24/7 care they administer. On the ship, we arranged a fundraiser and collected $1000 for their very worthy charity. Likewise, many craft souvenirs were bought and visits to the likes of Tacugama chimpanzee sanctuary added needed revenue to their sterling conservation work.

Ship types

West Africa Guineau Bissau Boloma Vega Offshore 365
A small expedition ship in West Africa, Guineau Bissau, Boloma

The only way to see this coast is by a small and nimble expedition ship. S/H Vega has 76 cabins and is equipped with zodiac dinghies for onshore landings because some of the more basic ports like Elmina in Ghana do not have proper wharves so tendering passengers to land is a logistical challenge. The ship also needs a shallow draft because offshore depths frequently dipped below 20 metres and around Guinea-Bissau, the seabed was uncharted. Small is also beautiful for activities on land because onshore trips may be organised by local tour operators unused to large groups of foreign visitors.

Activities

With expedition voyages being relatively new to West Africa most activities involve land visits. This will include city tours to the major port cities, which have the capacity to host larger vessels, such as Monrovia, Freetown, and Dakar. Wildlife-watching, which isn’t a well-established activity in West Africa includes reserves and animal sanctuary visits such as Tacugama’s wonderful rescued chimpanzee project. Throughout though, it’s the legacy of the Trans-Atlantic slave history that dominates daily visits with sobering trips to the likes of Elmira slave castle (Ghana), Bunce Island (Sierra Leone), and Isle Gorée (Senegal), where enslaved Africans were exported in their millions to the Americas.

Wildlife

Chimpanzees: This iconic species shares 98.6% of human DNA and it’s a privilege to visit the dynamic communities of these forest-dwelling primates. Yet, through habitat loss and bushmeat hunting, they face significant challenges in West Africa. In Sierra Leone, alone, over the last three decades the chimpanzee population has fallen significantly from over 20,000 to around 5,500 now. 

West African crocodiles: Not long ago, the West African crocodile was thought to be the same species as the better-known Nile crocodile. Now taxonomically established in their own right, these crocs can reach 4 metres in length and are marked with banded tails. A good guide will help you spot them but do avoid supporting the so-called sacred crocodile pools in The Gambia, where animal welfare standards are low. 

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What to Pack

Clothing

It’s hot, humid, and sometimes rainy, so your wardrobe should be airy and lightweight:

  • Factor for a change of cotton/linen tee-shirt, blouses or shirts, every day.
  • 2x light long pair of trousers: one for outdoor wear, one for evening wear in case of mosquitos.
  • 2x pair of shorts
  • Sunhat essential and polarised sunglasses
  • Smart-casual garment for ship functions
  • Light, breathable waterproof for wetter days
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Reading List

A generational fictional classic by the masterful Achebe set in Nigeria’s Igbo community in pre-colonial times.

Things Fall Apart By Chinua Achebe

An impressive tome tracing West Africa’s changing relationship with Europe during slavery.

A Fistful Of Shells West Africa From The Rise Of The Slave Trade To The Age Of Revolution By Toby Green

A novella set in Benin by the mercurial Chatwin about the slave trade set in the Beninese voodoo capital.

The Viceroy Of Ouidah By Bruce Chatwin

A fraction dated but this guidebook is a starting point to help planning a trip and understanding the cultural variety of this heterogenous region.

West Africa By Lonely Planet

Expert Tips

Rb 295
By Mark Stratton
TRAVEL WRITER AND RADIO BROADCASTER
Taking pictures in such a hot and humid environment presents challenges, not least preserving your equipment and making sure to avoid cultural offence. Condensation can be damaging to your camera and lenses. I always make sure to acclimatise my camera to the outdoors heat if it’s been inside my air-conditioned cabin for the night by leaving it outdoors on deck for 30 minutes prior to heading outdoors to photograph.

Silica gel packs are a good addition to use inside your camera bag to contain moisture. Great care also needs to be taken changing lenses as in drier savannah during the summer season wind-blown dust can create havoc, especially by infiltrating the camera sensor. It’s a real dilemma with just a solo camera body.

You see a colourful bird up a tree and want to use a longer lens, then next instance you’re in a marketplace and want to snap close-ups. The dilemma is either to use two bodies with a long and short lens on, which can be cumbersome, or a zoom lens perhaps something ranging from 18-400mm, yet sharpness drops off the further your object is away. I tend to interchange my sharp 24-70mm lens with a longer range wildlife 500mm and keep my kit clean with a mirrorless sensor cleaning kit.

Lighting can also be difficult. West Africa’s powerful summer heat and dry haze is problematic for washing out photographs. Polarising filters help reduce the glare and create a stronger contrast, so your images are not so flat. More accomplished snappers will learn to under-expose images in harsh light. Ultimately though, try photographing in the so-called golden light hours, just after dawn and before dusk, which yield warm honey glows to your shots.

Another very real consideration is cultural sensitivity. I’ve seen visitors behave appallingly in Africa, jamming cameras in people’s faces, most recently in the context of a colourful family christening. It’s improper to do this without at least asking while in some cultures taking photographs of people is considered akin to stealing their souls. So be sensitive. In a market setting, I will walk around, make myself familiar with people and buy a few items to break the ice. If you do take images, show your subjects their pictures. If they ask for an image of themselves, exchange contacts. Most people in West Africa possess smartphones these days”.