Ivory Coast small group tour
Highlights
Abidjan | visiting villages of the Baulé people | Ferkessedougou | witness traditional iron metallurgy | Korhogo | watch a dance performance by initiated young men | visit Senoufo, Fulani, Yakuba and Malinké villages | Liana Bridges | Gbepleu rainforest | rubber and coffee plantations | Yamoussoukro | Grand BassamDescription of Ivory Coast small group tour
This Ivory Coast small group tour takes you to a country that is off the radar to most travellers, due to its recent troubled past. Now that it’s safe to visit once again, those who do choose to come discover a country that is stunning in its diversity, both in terms of natural beauty and culture.Starting in the lively and rapidly developing capital city of Abidjan, you’ll explore markets and museums, before heading upcountry to experience life with some of the country’s many different ethnic groups, including the Dan, the Senoufo and the Fulani people. Visiting local villages, you’ll experience lively tribal festivals, watch initiation rituals, local dances and traditional blacksmith techniques, and walk through rainforest and savanna, learning about local flora and fauna. Your tour ends with a visit to a grand Basilica in Yamoussoukro as well as the town of Grand Bassam, which is full of dishevelled colonial architecture. This is a trip that’s full of surprises and truly off the beaten path.
Travel Team
If you'd like to chat about this holiday or need help finding one we're very happy to help. The Travel Team.
01273 823 700 Calling from outside the UK? rosy@responsibletravel.com
Check dates, prices & availability
Responsible tourism
As the pioneers of responsible tourism, we screen every trip so you can travel knowing your holiday will help support conservation and local people.
Our guides will brief travellers on appropriate behaviour, both cultural and environmental and when exploring places of beauty such as the lagoon in Yamoussokro, the Gbepleu Rainforest and Ebiné Lagoon delta, and we make a point of ensuring that we leave no permanent traces of our stay behind taking all rubbish with us. We work with our local suppliers to highlight best practice in terms of environmental issues. This trip spends time visiting some of the most remote communities on our planet and we place a great emphasis on treading sensitively. Where possible we buy supplies along the way, and although our groups are small this can make a significant input into the local economy of villages which otherwise have little opportunity to trade.When exploring the Savannah in Boundiali and in the Gbepleu Rainforest, we ensure that we stick to the marked footpaths and follow the advice of the local guide, as to not disturb any local habitats, flora or fauna.
We believe that tourism is a double edged sword that needs to be wielded very carefully. Our philosophy is to have a limited amount of departures - usually between one and three a year - for each of our itineraries. By limiting our presence in areas where local culture can be quite fragile, we hope to avoid as much as possible the phenomenon whereby an area changes in character due to repeated and prolonged exposure to tourism.
Our groups average only six clients, and many tours operate on a private basis with just two travellers. This has much less impact when travelling through rural areas, reducing our environmental and social affects. Finally to emphasis our commitment to Responsible Tourism all clients will receive a copy of our Travellers Code of Conduct with their travel documents.
The Impacts of this Trip
On this tour we visit several ethnic villages, to gain an insight into local life. We may be invited into the homes of the Fulani Nomads, and will only enter when invited to do so. We want to visit an area as friends, not intruders and to ensure that what we see will also be there for others to enjoy for many years to come.
We visit local villages as well as a local market, and both our clients and guides are briefed on local customs and general courtesy (such as asking permission before taking photographs/dress-codes/conduct in places of worship etc) and behave appropriately to ensure no disrespect is given to the local people. We will not provide travel plans for individuals who are not prepared to travel in a courteous and responsible manner and we ensure our guides and clients are sensitive to local attitudes and act responsibly in their interaction with local people.
Travellers also have the opportunity to support local communities by purchasing local handicrafts.
We only employ local staff and unlike many operators we believe that to send a foreign Tour Leader along to accompany your trip is an unnecessary burden on your wallet and our carbon footprint. We believe that locals know best. Our local operators only use locally owned accommodation. This means your money stays in the area to benefit the local community. When possible we use local transport, (i.e. rail or bus) and we always use local restaurants, markets and shops and encourage our clients to interact both financially and socially with the communities that they are passing through. In doing this your travels are supporting and encouraging the development of local services.
Our guides will brief travellers on appropriate behaviour, both cultural and environmental and when exploring places of beauty such as the lagoon in Yamoussokro, the Gbepleu Rainforest and Ebiné Lagoon delta, and we make a point of ensuring that we leave no permanent traces of our stay behind taking all rubbish with us. We work with our local suppliers to highlight best practice in terms of environmental issues. This trip spends time visiting some of the most remote communities on our planet and we place a great emphasis on treading sensitively. Where possible we buy supplies along the way, and although our groups are small this can make a significant input into the local economy of villages which otherwise have little opportunity to trade.When exploring the Savannah in Boundiali and in the Gbepleu Rainforest, we ensure that we stick to the marked footpaths and follow the advice of the local guide, as to not disturb any local habitats, flora or fauna.
We believe that tourism is a double edged sword that needs to be wielded very carefully. Our philosophy is to have a limited amount of departures - usually between one and three a year - for each of our itineraries. By limiting our presence in areas where local culture can be quite fragile, we hope to avoid as much as possible the phenomenon whereby an area changes in character due to repeated and prolonged exposure to tourism.
Our groups average only six clients, and many tours operate on a private basis with just two travellers. This has much less impact when travelling through rural areas, reducing our environmental and social affects. Finally to emphasis our commitment to Responsible Tourism all clients will receive a copy of our Travellers Code of Conduct with their travel documents.
The Impacts of this Trip
On this tour we visit several ethnic villages, to gain an insight into local life. We may be invited into the homes of the Fulani Nomads, and will only enter when invited to do so. We want to visit an area as friends, not intruders and to ensure that what we see will also be there for others to enjoy for many years to come.
We visit local villages as well as a local market, and both our clients and guides are briefed on local customs and general courtesy (such as asking permission before taking photographs/dress-codes/conduct in places of worship etc) and behave appropriately to ensure no disrespect is given to the local people. We will not provide travel plans for individuals who are not prepared to travel in a courteous and responsible manner and we ensure our guides and clients are sensitive to local attitudes and act responsibly in their interaction with local people.
Travellers also have the opportunity to support local communities by purchasing local handicrafts.
We only employ local staff and unlike many operators we believe that to send a foreign Tour Leader along to accompany your trip is an unnecessary burden on your wallet and our carbon footprint. We believe that locals know best. Our local operators only use locally owned accommodation. This means your money stays in the area to benefit the local community. When possible we use local transport, (i.e. rail or bus) and we always use local restaurants, markets and shops and encourage our clients to interact both financially and socially with the communities that they are passing through. In doing this your travels are supporting and encouraging the development of local services.
1 Reviews of Ivory Coast small group tour
Reviewed on 26 Nov 2018 by Martin Stringer
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your holiday?
All of it was both memorable and exciting. I found the sultan's palace in Fouban, and the other chief's palaces very interesting. The eco lodge and trip out on
the Nyong river was magical and the two days with the Ba'Aka is like nothing else I have ever experienced.
2. What tips would you give other travellers booking this holiday?
It is not an easy trip, even compared to other tours we have taken in Africa, but is certainly worthwhile. I guess it depends on the time of year, but we were not
really prepared for the rain and slightly cooler weather.
3. Did you feel that your holiday benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
I guess some of it did, but it is not always easy to see how.
4. Finally, how would you rate your holiday overall?
It was excellent and highly recommended.
Read the operator's response here:
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