2-Day Conakry City and Kassa Islands Tour with Boat Excursion

The journey

Trip highlights

• 01 Visit the historical Cathedral Sainte Marie of Conakry
• 02 Explore the Grand Mosque Façal, one of the largest mosques in sub-Saharan Africa
• 03 Experience Guinea's performing arts at the Centre d'Art Acrobatique Keita Fodeba
• 04 Browse local creations at Camayenne Artcraft Market
• 05 Take a boat trip from Boulbinet fishing port to the Kassa Islands
• 06 Discover colonial-era sites, the lake, Red Beach, and Soroo Beach on Kassa Island

Discover Conakry on a guided tour of the capital's religious, historical, and cultural landmarks, including Cathedral Sainte Marie, the Monument of Nov. 22, 1970, and the Grand Mosque Façal. Experience Guinea's creative spirit at the Centre d'Art Acrobatique Keita Fodeba and browse local works at Camayenne Artcraft Market. On the second day, travel to Boulbinet fishing port and take a scenic boat ride to the Kassa Islands to explore colonial-era remains, the lake, and beautiful beaches before returning to Conakry.

Discover Conakry on a guided tour of the capital's religious, historical, and cultural landmarks, including Cathedral Sainte Marie, the Monument of Nov. 22, 1970, and the Grand Mosque Façal.

From the itinerary

At a glance

What this trip includes

Duration 2 Days

Tour type Shared

Activity level Easy

Accommodation Not included

Transport Included

Wheelchair access Not applicable

City Conakry

Languages English, French

Day by day

The itinerary

1

Day 01

Arrival in Conakry and City Discovery

• Meet the client and start the city tour, which includes:
• Cathedral Sainte Marie of Conakry, a Catholic cathedral built in 1928 and located on 3rd Boulevard near the Presidency of the Republic. This legendary building, with its yellow and red patterns, is an architectural masterpiece of the Catholic Church in Guinea and serves as the mother church for the Archdiocese of Conakry. It was inherited from the Apostolic Prefecture of French Guinea, established in October 1897.
• The Monument of Nov. 22, 1970, dedicated to the victims of the attempted coup in 1970, when Portuguese military forces entered Conakry by sea to liberate prisoners of war and capture Guinean leader Ahmed Sékou Touré.
• The Grand Mosque Façal of Conakry, built under Ahmed Sékou Touré with funding from King Fahd of Saudi Arabia and opened in 1982. It is the fourth-largest mosque in Africa and the largest in sub-Saharan Africa. The mosque has space for 2,500 women on the upper level and 10,000 men below.
• The Centre d'Art Acrobatique Keita Fodeba, launched through the success of the Guinean troupe Circus Baobab. This magical place takes stage performance to a whole new level. The centre's success has made waves worldwide, and its young performers have been invited to participate in circus performances from East Asia to the US. In 2016, some performers won l'Afrique, un Incroyable Talent, the Franco-African equivalent of Africa's Got Talent.
• Camayenne Artcraft Market, where we will see beautiful art galleries from Guinea, a place worth visiting.
• Overnight in Conakry. Meals included: Lunch.

2

Day 02

Boat Excursion to the Kassa Islands

• In the morning, drive to Boulbinet fishing port, where we will board a motorized boat for a 45-minute ride to the Kassa Islands.
• Arrive and visit Kassa Island, including an old bauxite company dating back to the colonial period, the lake, Red Beach, and Soroo Beach. At 15:00, return to Conakry. Meals included: Lunch.

The route

Where you'll travel

The fine print

Trip details

What's Included

• Transportation in a private 4WD vehicle with air conditioning, driver, and fuel included for the whole trip
• Boat to and from the islands
• English-speaking guide
• Mineral water in the vehicle
• Lunch
• All sightseeing and entrance fees as listed above in the itinerary

What's Not Included

• Accommodation: 2-night hotel stay in rooms with air conditioning, private shower, breakfast, and hotel tax
• Dinner
• Drinks (except mineral water)
• Arrival and departure transfer
• Tips and items of a personal nature
• Optional tours or activities not listed in the above program

What to bring

• Please note the suggested packing list and recommended vaccinations, such as Typhoid, Meningitis, and Hepatitis A. Yellow fever is mandatory, and you must bring your vaccination card as proof of vaccination.
• Please note that the weather is very hot during the day, especially on the islands. Therefore, we recommend dressing lightly. A hat and sunglasses are necessary. The shoes most tourists bring to Guinea for walking tours are those that allow your feet to breathe while also supporting and covering the toes, and they should be comfortable.
• However, visiting the Grand Mosque of Conakry requires women to cover their hair and wear comfortable dresses.
• We recommend budgeting 450,000 GNF ($50) per day for lunch and dinner, including drinks and miscellaneous expenses. For your information, a small beer and 1.5 litres of mineral water cost around 7,500-15,000 GNF ($0.85), and a large beer is double the price. This should be used as a guideline; if you want to purchase souvenirs, etc., budget more.
• Money: There are several ATMs in Conakry, and you must, of course, know your PIN number. It is also a good idea to inform your bank that you will be travelling in Guinea; otherwise, they may decline usage because they may think it is a stolen card. You should not rely 100% on ATMs and should bring cash (euro or US dollar). It is easier to change euro, although you can change dollars in Conakry, and the exchange rate is best.

Know before you go

• Often, our clients want to bring a gift or give something to local people. Instead of giving money directly, we feel it is better to support a project that will make a difference in their lives rather than offer a quick money fix. If any of you would like to contribute to any of the following projects, your money will be spent on exactly what is described below, as there is no overhead or salaries to pay.
• There is no comfortable hospital, clinic, or even a pharmacy to buy medicine in the Loos Islands. People have to take a boat to reach a hospital in Conakry or to buy medicine. Often, they only have the means to get themselves to the hospital, but not to pay for the necessary medicine or operation. A donation to help pay for medicine and/or an operation for local people is truly a gift of life.
• Alternatively, if you prefer to give gifts instead of money for a project:
• Reading glasses for older people;
• Any clothing, shoes, belts, etc. (mainly summer clothes);
• Medical supplies, i.e. aspirin, cough medicine, Band-Aids, anti-bacterial creams for cuts and burns, etc.
• We strongly discourage giving sweets, money, and pens to children... If you would like to bring school supplies, pens, notebooks, and books, which are needed most, please give them to the parents or the schools.
• Please let us know if you have any questions. We look forward to hearing from you.

Logistics

Meeting & route

Meeting point

Ahmed Sékou Touré International Airport, Gbessia, Guinée

Tour start

Gbessia, Guinée

Tour ends at the same location as the start point.