Discover our Holidays to Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone is one of West Africa’s most enticing and least-known holiday destinations. The troubles of the 1990s prevented the development of the mass tourism that dominates nearby Gambia. Now is the time for travel in Sierra Leone and it remains an exciting journey into undiscovered Africa. Holidays to Sierra Leone are most definitely for the more adventurous traveller; those who want to discover something fresh and well away from the beaten track. Our guides and drivers are outstanding and they make sure that all our guests have the best experience on our Sierra Leone holidays.
Some of Our Sierra Leone Holiday Ideas
Sierra Leone Natural History Explorer
10 nights from £3,425 p/p
Sierra Leone Made Simple
9 nights from £3,145 p/p
Sierra Leone Discovery
10 nights from £3,992 p/p
Our expertise in Sierra Leone
I’d love to create your perfect destination experience to Sierra Leone . Give me a call and I’ll share my first-hand expertise so you get the most from your trip.
Travel Specialist
Helen's review
Before I visited myself, I didn't know anyone else who had been to Sierra Leone. I had heard the famous Bounty advert was filmed on a beach there (showing my age now!), plus stories of chimpanzees using tools, so getting to see wildlife and scenery off the beaten track ticked several boxes for me. My travels there showed me far more than expected; beautiful forests and rivers, very English sounding place names, history of the slave trade at Bunce Island, unique ecotourism and community projects and lots of very fresh seafood.
Helen's Top Tips
- Travel with a professional local guide and stay in locally run guesthouses. There are no big chain properties here.
- A stay on Banana Island offers snorkelling, boat trips, and a laid-back island way of life.
- Franco, a well-known expat, runs a guesthouse and restaurant on the peninsula – a great spot for lunch by the beach.
Best Time To Visit Sierra Leone
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Quick Country Facts
Time Zone:GMT +0 hours
Capital:Freetown
Currency:Sierra Leonean Leone
Sierra Leone travel guides
Why visit Sierra Leone?
You’ll find wonderful, welcoming people, 400 kilometres of virtually deserted white sand beaches and a fascinating heritage entwined with the abolition of slavery. Inland, the country still has expansive evergreen rainforests, which are home to some interesting primates - notably the (Endangered) Diana monkey and Upper Guinea red colobus, and an extensive list of birds such as Turati's boubou, the rare Gola malimbe and the near-endemic Emerald starling. (Do note that population densities of rainforest-dwelling mammals tend to be low and animals are skittish due to years of persecution).
Our Sierra Leone programme is a work in progress, which aims to capture the essence of this poorly known destination. Itineraries are tailor-made, drawing on our extensive, first-hand knowledge and the most up-to-date information from our local partners. Our very own Helen Kennedy is one of the UK's very few travel specialists who has personally been able to explore the country.
Whether you want to retrace the footsteps of freed slaves returning to Africa, watch the sunset from a deserted beach, drop into a Krio village in the hills behind Freetown, or head inland to Gola and Tiwai in pursuit of rainforest-dwelling birds and perhaps some mammals confined to the Upper Guinea ecosystem, we can arrange a trip to suit your interests.
Travel in Sierra Leone is all about connecting with the places you visit and the people who live there. English is widely spoken and you can expect a warm and genuine welcome wherever you go.
Helen Kennedy
Travel Specialist
Guides & vehicles
All our Sierra Leone holidays include the use of a private four-wheel drive vehicle and a professional guide and driver. Your guide will explain the history of the areas you visit, offer insights into local life and customs, and help track down the perfect gift to take home. It's the quality and personalities of our guides and drivers that make our Sierria Leone holidays so special.
Personal connection with Sierra Leone
Some of our guests have a personal connection with Sierra Leone, either tracing their ancestry to this part of Africa or through relatives who lived and worked there. We can tailor-make itineraries to include specific areas or buildings with which you have a link and can concentrate on the historical and cultural aspects of the areas or ethnic groups that interest you.
First major UK tour operator to Sierra Leone
We are proud to be the first UK tour operator to have opened a programme offering a selection of Sierra Leone holidays and we are committed to promoting tourism that has a positive impact on this inspiring and beautiful country. Local guides and community-run guesthouses not only offer a distinctive travel experience, but also ensure that your Sierra Leone holiday is enjoyable, fulfilling and benefits the permanently resident people. In 2019, we co-hosted a group of eight of the UK's most respected travel journalists on a tour of Sierra Leone and they loved it. Contact us if you would like to see copies of their output.
First-hand knowledge
Benefit from our experts' knowledge of Sierra Leone when you're ready to plan your holiday. Our travel specialist Helen Kennedy, has visited the country and travelled extensively within it.
Where to go in Sierra Leone
Looking for inspiration?
You'll find expert travel guides, holiday ideas and insider tips now on the Rainbow blog
Why Choose Us?
Passionate travel experts
- We've been leading wildlife travel since our first South Africa tours over 25 years ago
- Our Travel Specialists have lived in their specialist area for years
- We work with local guides to immerse you deeper in our diverse range of experiences
Personal & tailor-made
- You'll speak to your own expert who'll share their first-hand knowledge
- We'll make your itinerary seamless with 24/7 emergency contact available
- Your Travel Specialist will listen to ensure you have the best chance of seeing the wildlife you love
Responsible by nature
- We take care to actively contribute to the conservation of environments we visit
- For select countries, we make a charitable donation on your behalf when you make your booking
- We've partnered with conservation experts and NGOs to curate responsible tours
For the latest travel advice from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office check www.gov.uk/travelaware
