The Ivory Coast

Arrive in the former French colonial city of Abidjan where shining skyscrapers reflect on the waters along the Atlantic Coast surrounded by smaller, humble neighbourhoods. Abidjan is a city of over six million people and is the cultural and commercial powerhouse of the country, with a vibrant music and arts scene. There are no activities planned today, so you are free to arrive in Abidjan at any time. For those arriving on time, our tour leader plans to meet you in the hotel reception at 6pm for a welcome meeting. Should you miss the meeting, our tour leader will inform you of any essential information as soon as you catch up. If you'd like an airport transfer today, you'll need to arrive into Félix Houphouet Boigny Airport (ABJ), which is a short transfer from the airport.

Leaving Abidjan behind, we head out into the country towards Bouake. The morning will be spent driving north along the modern highway, passing through the capital Yamoussoukro where we break for lunch. This afternoon we'll visit the village of Gbomi to see the local women making the Ivorian National dish of attieke. Nearby, we will also find traditional palm wine tappers as we meet a local family to take us through the process. This community are famous for producing traditional kente for generations. We'll meet one of the weavers to take us through the process and then we get to try our hands at weaving. The Baule are known for their fine wooden handicrafts and Goli masks. The Goli masks, often made from cow, antelope and crocodile, can be quite intimidating to look at and we hope to see a Goli Masquerade today. A ceremony where two unidentified villagers wear different types of masks; one representing a human face known as kpan and disc-faced masks known as kple kple. The women start to dance and sing begging the masks to arrive and then proceed to welcome the masks as beloved personages, fanning them with scarves and dancing joyously behind them. Kple Kple masks are called to villages in times of danger or during funeral ceremonies. They are believed to connect people with supernatural powers and gods. After spending the afternoon learning about Baule customs and belief systems, we continue on to Bouake, the Ivory Coast's second-largest city, arriving in the early evening. Our hotel tonight has a beautiful courtyard garden and pool with a good restaurant offering a wide range of home-cooked dishes, the perfect spot to unwind and enjoy a leisurely meal.

We make our way to Korhogo, the main city in the north of the country. On the journey, we'll learn more about the local tribes and communities that live in the area and may stop along the way at points of interest. One of the stops is at Fakaha to witness how the local dye painters use natural materials to create their amazing art. The village was visited by Picasso, who recognized them as a source of inspiration. The skill in which the artists employ is truly impressive and there is the opportunity to purchase pieces should you wish. On arrival in Korhogo, we'll have lunch at a local restaurant. After lunch, we'll visit the Gbon Coulibaly Museum which houses ancient artefacts that tell the history of King Gbon then check into our hotel where we stay for the next two nights. The hotel features a swimming pool and restaurant and is centrally located. We aim to arrive mid-afternoon giving us time to have a swim or a rest before we head out for dinner. Please note that the activities and visits may move around on days 3 to 5, depending on timings. We'll return to our hotel in the early evening and check-in.

After breakfast this morning, we'll explore some of the surrounding Senoufo villages, to get an in-depth understanding of their art culture, daily lives and spiritual rituals. Our first stop will be a Koni village to witness traditional iron making. Iron ore was converted directly into wrought iron by heating the ore while at the same time melting the ore's impurities and squeezing them out with hand hammers. We'll also witness the distinctive dwellings, decorated with bas-relief carvings. Next, we head to a Kapele village, where we will meet traditional clay bead makers who produce beautiful beads using natural materials and ancient techniques. During our time here we will participate in a workshop to create our own single large clay bead learning the ancient process, a great souvenir of our time here. A wide selection of stunning beads is on sale in the small market and priced very reasonably. We'll break for lunch back in Korhogo after which there is free time back at the hotel to have a rest or head out to explore the town and see some of the craft stalls such as the Dalekhana artisan centre. Later in the afternoon we'll witness our second dance and learn about the Senoufo's secret society called the Poro which has a complex, seven-year-long initiation ritual involving their young men, called colobele, spending up to three months in seclusion in the forest. One job of a colobele is to perform traditional spectacular mask ceremonies, known locally as the panther dance. We'll witness the Boloy Leopard Dance which is an acrobatic high-energy dance performed by initiated young men in the community. We'll return to our hotel in Korhogo in the early evening.

This morning we head to Boundiali stopping along the way to view the striking architecture of a Niofoin sacred building. This sacred building is where we find the fetish Diby known as the black fetish that protects the communities of Diby and Kalegbin. This community have houses decorated with bas-relief carvings and large clay granaries, and as these areas are generally untouched by Western visitors expect a warm but sometimes wary welcome. Later this morning, we'll drive to Boundiali, a small town two hours away. We'll have lunch in town, before visiting the surrounding area, home to the Fulani nomads. A nomadic society who are easily recognised by their conical straw hats, the Fulani live in villages and graze cattle on the nearby land. The ladies here are very welcoming and colourful in their dress and our Leader will arrange for us to spend some time with the women in their homes, learning about their daily life and getting an insight into their culture. Later in the afternoon, we attend a Senufo village to see the dance of the virgin girls - called Ngoro, part of the Poro Initiation. The young initiates spend months together in secluded sacred groves where they learn the social and religious secrets that turn a girl into a genuine Senoufo. After seven years there is a big celebration for those who have undergone all stages of initiation, in particular, the dance of the virgin girls is performed at the end of the first stage of initiation. We'll return to Boundiali in the evening. It's worth noting that hotels in the far north are more basic, whilst the rooms will have ensuite bathrooms and air conditioning, they will be simple and dining options are much more limited, we will pre-order dinner to eat at the hotel. This is the most basic overnight stay of the trip. The hotel advertises that it has a swimming pool, however, it is not in use.

From Boundiali we drive for around four hours to the small town of Odienne, in the north-west of the country. Along the way, we'll make a stop at a local shea butter cooperative to meet local women producing organic shea butter. The Odienne region is populated by the Malinke people, descendants of the former empire of Mali and this community includes the Dozo, a hunter-gatherer sect who are feared and respected for their courage on the battlefield. We'll have a late lunch in Odienne, and around mid-afternoon, after the heat has subsided we will drive outside the main town and meet with the Dozo. From here we walk on rocky terrain to meet the Dozo hunters who will teach us about their way of life, hunting in the bush, about the plants and their importance for traditional medicine. There is the opportunity to take a short walk accompanied by the Dozo hunters chanting and playing musical instruments (no more than ten minutes each way, although it is steep in places and involves climbing over some small boulders) to a sacred lookout with fantastic views. It's well worth the effort, however, if you prefer, you can stay in the forest clearing with our tour leader. After this amazing experience, we will meet a local family who has been brewing local beer known as \ Djapalo' and during our time here we see first-hand the entire process and get to try the finished product. We spend the night in Odienne. The hotel tonight has an in-house restaurant and is set in spacious grounds. Please note that the swimming pool is currently under renovation.

Today is a long drive of around seven hours to the town of Man, which sits at the foot of the Toura Mountains in a greener part of the country. The roads in the far north are not as good as the rest of the country, so it can be slow-going at times but in this region, it's part of the adventure. We will travel through the lands of the Yacouba people, often known as the Dan. The area is fertile with green rolling hills and we will visit villages built on the slopes, characterized by big round mud huts with thatched roofs. Hopefully, we'll have the chance to witness a mask dance, as the villagers call the dancers from the forest to the beat of the tam-tam drum. As they approach, the people begin to sing traditional songs and the dancers enter the circle on long stilts entertaining the crowd with incredible acrobatics to the sound of the tam-tam. Each mask has its own dance and song, steeped in local culture. There are no restaurant options along the way today, however we will make stops to purchase snacks and drinks. We hope to arrive in Man at our accommodation around 4pm. Our hotel tonight is a three-star property set on the hillside with great views of the surrounding forests and hills, it's very scenic and quiet, in contrast to the town all around it which is buzzing with market traders and stalls. The bedrooms have air con and ensuite bathrooms and there is a great swimming pool, bar and a large terrace with wonderful views of the surrounding hills.

This morning we will meet the Guere people - also known as Gere, Ngere and Wee to witness one of their mask ceremonies. The Gla or Guere mask dance is the protector of the community. They believe that their god communicates to them through only a couple of humans - the masquerades; we will watch the dance where the masquerades interact with their god. The Guere people are also known for their elaborate face paintings. There will be free time for lunch in Man; due to the French influence within the country, there is a choice of traditional West African cuisine such as attieke - a couscous-like dish made with cassava - or something more familiar such as French baguettes. Late afternoon we'll head to Zadepleu waterfalls on the outskirts of the town. This natural attraction's close proximity to the town attracts locals and visitors alike for a refreshing dip in the waterfall's pools that are surrounded by lush and green vegetation. We will also visit the sacred forest of Gbepleu inhabited by a population of Campbell monkeys, revered by the Yacoubas. The troop of monkeys live wild in the forest so viewing is not guaranteed, but almost all groups do get to see them.

We'll start this morning with a tour around Man. Man is an energetic, colourful little town with a buzzing market selling all sorts of produce along a dusty street packed with pedestrians, trolleys, vans and cars, and not many tourists! After a break for lunch, we will begin the four-hour journey to Daloa. Our leader will ensure there are plenty of breaks along the way to stretch the legs or at points of interest. As one of the world's largest cocoa exporters, our leader will look for an opportunity to stop at a cooperative cocoa farm for the chance to learn about the country's biggest agriculture.

An early departure from Daloa this morning to make our way to Yamoussoukro, the capital city and one of the most surreal urban areas in Africa. Firstly, we will stop to visit a nearby village known as Tibeheita to see the traditional Zaouli dance. The dancer is always male but the mask itself honors a legendary goddess Djela Lou Zaouli which translates as The Lion's Daughter. It is believed the male who wears the mask takes on a spirit as he dances for the drums. We'll arrive into Yamoussoukro around mid-afternoon. The first post-independence President of the Ivory Coast was Houphouet-Boigny from Yamoussoukro and he had big dreams to create a city that could rival the best in Europe and as we drive into the city it's possible to see the remnants of his vision. We will have lunch and visit the Basilica of our Lady of Peace, inspired by Saint Peter's in Rome this giant church complex was finished in 1990 and stood as the largest church in the world. It is really hard to believe that you are in West Africa as we walk around this mind-boggling building; the basilica has 7000 seats and space for over 11,000 standing worshippers, though it only attracts a few hundred on most Sundays. Though this is an unmissable stop of any trip to the Ivory Coast, the church is shrouded in controversy as many feel anger and sadness at the incalculable waste of money, given the country's current level of poverty. From here we will pass by the former presidential palace and see the crocodiles that lurk in the surrounding lakes. Our evening is free to relax.

We'll have an early breakfast this morning so we can depart first thing for Abidjan, the country's economic capital set on the Ebrie Lagoon. The drive will take the whole morning but we'll arrive in the city just in time for lunch and after we've eaten, our leader will show us the highlights. It's a chance to see where traditional meets new, with colourfully dressed women in traditional clothes and businessmen in dapper suits going side-by-side about their daily lives. We will visit the lively market of Treichville, one of the city's bustling markets where people come to barter, hawk and catch up on gossip. There will be a short amount of free time for shopping at the Craft Centre Kava. We'll then visit the National Museum and the Cathedral and drive across the peaceful neighbourhood of Cocody, a residential area which houses the Prime Minister's office and many old French colonial buildings. We'll drive about one hour to Grand Bassam which is sat on the coast and over a lagoon, laidback Grand Bassam is full of faded French colonial charm and it's an ideal place to enjoy a sundowner on the beach. Our beachfront property has individual well-appointed bungalows. There is an excellent restaurant and bar and a swimming pool. The hotel has a section of private beach with an expansive sun terrace. The perfect spot to enjoy a drink looking out to the ocean.

There is no rush at all this morning as we wind down for our last day of discovering the Ivory Coast. Our leader will take us on foot around UNESCO-listed Grand Bassam this morning to experience the slower pace of life. Once a French colonial capital, Grand Bassam was all but deserted after a yellow fever epidemic broke out in the late 1800s but has since built itself up again as a modest seaside town set upon golden beaches. We'll get to take part in a batik craft activity and visit the craft centre which brings together cultures from all over the Ivory Coast and the museum. This afternoon will be free to carry on wandering around taking in the atmosphere. Although swimming in the sea is not advised because of the strong Atlantic current. There are plenty of places to have a drink and just take in the view, or alternatively relax by the hotel's pool to wrap up your Ivory Coast adventure. Grand Bassam is quiet in the evenings but there are a few places to choose from for the last night's meal including international and African food. Several simple marquis serve rustic Ivoirian food on little wooden terraces by the sea.

The trip ends this morning after breakfast at our hotel in Grand Bassam. There are no activities planned today, so you're free to depart from Grand Bassam at any time. If you'd like an airport transfer today, you need to depart from Felix Houphouet Boigny Airport, which is around a one-hour drive.