Guinea Bissau tours
Description of Guinea Bissau tours
It may be one of Africa's smallest and least visited countries, but this unique tour reveals Guinea-Bissau to be a wonderland of diverse tribal cultures, unique wildlife and atmospheric old Portuguese colonial towns scattered among forest rivers and idyllic islands.
Travelling by boat from the capital Bissau to the magnificent Bijagos Islands, you'll discover incredible but diverse native lifestyles through first-hand encounters with tribes include the Pepel, Felupes and Baiotes. Gain insights into medicinal forest plants at a tribal 'clinic', then learn how to desalinate land for crop cultivation.
Go in search of elusive saltwater hippos as well as other wildlife from flamingos to crocodiles, sailing between idyllic islands with stop-offs along the way to pay tribute to the tribal chiefs on some 'secret' islands. Depending on the time of year, you may experience the Vaca Bruto Wild Bull Dancing Mask Festival or witness the natural spectacle of nesting turtles.
You'll also visit the ghost town of Bolama (the country's former Portuguese capital) along with the sacred village of Okinka Pampa - resting place of countless tribal queens.
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Responsible Travel
Planet
When travelling in countries such as Guinea Bissau that have very few, if any tourists, there is an additional responsibility on us as a company and on our clients visiting the country to do everything possible to minimise our impact.We do everything possible to reduce our waste while travelling, using local cafes and restaurants. We also work extremely closely with our locally owned suppliers to inform and educate their staff about a range of issues, including litter and waste disposal, and the recycling of material. Clients are advised to bring their own water bottles rather than purchase plastic.
Wherever possible we use environmentally friendly local accommodation. If this is not possible we make every effort to alert the management of the accommodation in question to ways of improving their service with the environment in mind. Many of the hotels and lodges we use are in extremely remote areas and are therefore almost entirely self-sufficient, using local sources of food, labour and construction materials.
People
Our very small groups and limited departures in Guinea Bissau mean that our impact both cultural and environmental on the areas that we visit is small and truly sustainable. We are investing in the future, in the belief that along with our local colleagues we can create sustainable social benefits. All of the guides we use are local, and most have been working with our local team in a full time role for a number of years, rather than just as seasonal jobs.Our supplier in Guinea Bissau are small and locally owned, meaning that the income remains within the country and creates a real economic contribution. We also feel that the passion inherent within our local team means that your experience will be enhanced.
All of our trips include visits to local markets, craft shops and fairs. We also attend local festivals and support the preservation of wildlife. As well as being good for the local economy this gives travellers to the country a real feel for the life and culture of Guinea Bissau.
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. 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.
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