9-Day Liberia Tour from Monrovia with Mount Nimba and Monkey Island

• Airport pickup and transfer to your homestay or hotel accommodation, as agreed upon.

• Depending on your arrival time, it can be decided whether there is any time left to visit the city.

Overnight at the hotel.

• After breakfast, make the three-hour drive to Robertsport, famous for its surf conditions and offering beautiful beaches, hiking, and historical importance.

• Many of the first US settlers, including the first President of Liberia, arrived via this port. The area is now scattered with large plantation-style Victorian homes similar to those of Virginia.

• Enjoy a bonfire and barbecue night with fresh local fish and seafood, if available.

Overnight at Nana's Lodge in Robertsport.

• This morning, there are several activities on offer in Robertsport, including rainforest hiking in search of wildlife and birds, swimming off the beach, visiting nearby Messima village, or surfing.

• In the late afternoon, return to Monrovia.

Overnight at the Mamba Point Hotel in Monrovia.

• Start the day with a tour of Monrovia before continuing into the countryside, with a stop for lunch at Wulki Farms, the largest livestock and vegetable farm in Liberia.

• Later, pass rainforest and tiny villages en route to visit Kpatawee Waterfall, located about an hour outside Gbarnga. Covered by a lush canopy, this tumbling waterfall and large natural swimming pool offer a great way to relax and enjoy Liberia's natural wonders.

• Also, take a hike through the rainforest to see Kpatawee's twin falls.

Overnight at a guesthouse in Gbarnga.

• Drive to the top of Mount Nimba, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, in about 3 hours, and visit East Nimba Nature Reserve (ENNR), located in the north of the country and covering 13,569 biodiverse hectares.

• The reserve borders both Cote d'Ivoire and Guinea and covers much of Liberia's share of the Mount Nimba mountain range. This extremely geographically unique area is home to more than 200 endemic species. ENNR also shelters endangered species, including the Nimba toad and the West African chimpanzee. It was officially established as a reserve in 2003.

Overnight at a guesthouse in Sanniquellie.

1. After an early breakfast, spend most of the day searching for wildlife and birds throughout the beautiful East Nimba Nature Reserve.

Overnight at a guesthouse in Sanniquellie.

• Head to Libassa Ecolodge, located 30 minutes outside Monrovia in a stunning setting between a lagoon and the Atlantic Ocean. It is a family-owned business, and the founders built the lodge, made up of hand-built double cottages, over three years while working with the local community, whom they trained in carpentry and hospitality skills.

• Either enjoy the natural surroundings around the palm-fringed beaches or keep watch for some of the exotic birds known to frequent the area.

Overnight at the Libassa Ecolodge in Kpan's Town.

• Today, visit Firestone, the world's largest rubber plantation and a part of Liberia since 1926. The plantation has been well maintained over the years and offers vast, beautiful views of elegant white rubber trees.

• Your guides will teach you how the trees are tapped and how rubber is made. Then venture out to Monkey Island, located in Marshall, which is a sanctuary for chimpanzees that were once used as test animals at the local research institute. Pressure from advocacy groups to stop experiments on chimps, coupled with a lack of funding, resulted in the closure of such institutions and the need to find a home for these primates, who could not survive on their own in the wild. The chimps are fed daily by locals who use canoes to visit them from a safe distance.

• Join the canoe ride to see these beautiful animals. In the afternoon, return to further explore the surrounding areas of the lodge, where several activity options are available.

Overnight at Libassa Ecolodge in Kpan's Town.

• Today is the departure day, with an airport transfer from the hotel.