Tracing the West Coast of Africa

Arrive in Libreville in the late evening and transfer to the Radisson Blu Okoumé Palace Hotel for overnight.

After breakfast, depart on a city tour, visiting the local market, the lovely seafront boulevard, and stylish Louis Quarter known for its fashionable clubs, restaurants, and bars. Enjoy lunch at a lovely beachside restaurant, before embarking the Caledonian Sky in the early afternoon. 

The ship will spend the day anchored off idyllic Bom Bom Resort on Príncipe’s northern tip. Birders and hikers set off for the lush interior to search for several species of endemic birds, including the Príncipe kingfisher, Príncipe sunbird, and endangered Príncipe speirops. The rest of the group will enjoy a tour of photogenic Santo Antonio, home to 1,500 welcoming residents, lovely Portuguese architecture, and colorful produce markets. This afternoon Zodiacs take you to Banana Beach for a swim in the warm waters with the option to snorkel among the ancient volcanic rocks. 

Set out by Zodiac for the town pier at São Tomé. Drive into the interior for a short walk through picturesque forest to the stunning Sao Nicolau Waterfall. From here continue to the Monte Café Coffee Plantation for a guided tour and tasting of what some consider the world’s best coffee. You may then choose to enjoy lunch at the Bombaim plantation, view and photograph another beautiful waterfall, and continue to tiny, picturesque Trinidade Village. Or, opt for lunch in São Tomé and a tour of the Cathedral, the National Museum, the local artisan’s gallery, and enjoy a folkloric dance performance. 

Enjoy two educational days at sea as lecturers recap your experiences in Gabon and São Tomé & Príncipe.  

This morning choose a tour of the Cape Coast Castle, a World Heritage Site, built by the Swedes in 1653 and subsequently conquered by the Danes, the Dutch, the local Fanti tribe, and finally the British, who established the seat of the British administration of the Gold Coast here until 1877. Or, elect to travel into the Kakum National Park for a rainforest canopy walk that includes one of the longest and highest suspended rope bridges in the world. Both groups enjoy lunch at a nearby beach resort before setting off to visit the 15th-century Portuguese Elmina Fort—Africa’s oldest permanent building.  

Cosmopolitan Abidjan is the economic capital of Côte d’Ivoire and a city tour takes you through the business district of Le Plateau, filled with gleaming sky-scrapers, chic boutiques, and outdoor cafes. Observe interesting colonial architecture and colorful markets as you continue on to Abodo, Africa’s largest outdoor laundry where hundreds of Fanicos (washers) crowd together in a stream to wash their clients’ clothes.

Spend your day at sea attending lectures on western Africa’s momentous history, diverse cultures, and natural wonders. 

Liberia’s capital and most populous city boasts beautiful beaches, a thriving culinary scene, and a fascinating history. Visit the National Museum which traces Liberia’s tumultuous history, and browse the bustling Waterside Market, where you can find colorful textiles, leather goods, and pottery.

Today arrive in Aberdeen, a suburb of Freetown, with beautiful white-sand beaches lined with lively shops and restaurants. Permission pending, visit the Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary, set in a spectacular rainforest habitat.

Just off the coast of Guinea Bissau, the Bissagos Archipelago is protected as a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. Today, join naturalists to explore Joao Viera and Poilao Marine National Park, an important nesting site for green, hawksbill, and olive ridley turtles, as well as several species of terns.

The next day, visit Parque Nacional do Grupo de Ilhas de Orango. Spend the day exploring this unique habitat that is home to rare, saltwater-adapted hippos, crocodiles, five species of marine turtles, and the African manatee. In the afternoon, meet with the lovely Bijagos people to learn about their traditional matriarchal system. 

Birders set out this morning for the Abuko Nature Reserve where more than 290 bird species can be seen—including African paradise flycatchers, violet turacos, little greenbuls, and Abyssinian rollers. A second group departs for a tour of the Makasutu Culture Forest showcasing the five ecosystems protected here. Traditional Joal tribal dancing, a pirogue ride, and palm wine tasting are highlights. During lunch, sail upriver to Albreda Village and Kunta Kinteh Island, a World Heritage Site, where The Gambia’s slave history began.

Today, visit the infamous slave-trading center, Gorée Island, including the moving 18th-century House of Slaves, the Women’s Museum, and the fortified Le Castel. An afternoon tour of Dakar includes the Great Mosque, French colonial buildings, the President’s Palace, and the impressive new African Renaissance Monument.