Guinea-Conakry: A Unique and Diverse Tourist Destination
Thanks to ongoing efforts over the past few years by the Guinean government, the Ministry of Tourism and the Office National du Tourisme Guinéen (ONT Guinée SA), Guinea-Conakry is well on the way to becoming one of West Africa's leading tourist destinations, ahead of its competitors in Senegal and Côte d'Ivoire (business tourism). Already attracting increasing attention in Africa and Europe for its diversity, its rich landscapes, its intense cultural programme punctuated by various festivals and its willingness to encourage private investment in the development of natural and historical sites, Guinea-Conakry is slowly but surely moving along the road to success.
A tourism office that has become a public limited company
In an unprecedented move, the President of the Republic, General Mamadi Doumbouya, set up the National Tourist Office in June 2022 as a public limited company (SA), with a board of directors giving it legal personality and financial and management autonomy, under the technical supervision of the Ministry of Tourism and the financial supervision of the Ministry of Finance, in order to promote and develop the tourism sector more effectively and with complete autonomy.
Multiple assets to develop the Guinean tourism sector
Although there is still work to be done in terms of hotel and tourist facilities (initial and ongoing training), developing modern infrastructures and stepping up international promotion, and undoubtedly encouraging greater inclusion, Guinea-Conakry is nevertheless fiercely determined to become a leading destination in West Africa and is proclaiming loud and clear that it has all the assets to do so: natural riches (forests, mountains, waterfalls and beaches), cultural heritage and enormous potential in eco-tourism.
Another asset is the determination of the very dynamic General Manager of ONT Guinée SA, Ms Kade CAMARA , who, since taking up her post in January 2022, has spared no effort, together with her responsible Minister (Tourism), Mr Moussa Moïse SYLLA, both in Guinea and abroad, where she likes to carry messages of welcome to tourism loud and clear to the various local, regional and international players.
In 2023, it was under her impetus that the La Guinée des Merveilles campaign was launched, a tourist guide (available in print or by QR Code) compiling all the country's riches, intelligently supported by two Guinean ambassadors of choice, the artist Grand P and the footballer Iya Traoré.
The 114-page guide describes the natural regions of Guinea-Conakry, showcasing the different types of tourism, highlights of Guinean gastronomy, accommodation and crafts.
A geography conducive to tourist variety
The region's tourist potential is clearly there, thanks to a natural geographical division that allows it to offer several different types of terrain, climate, flora and fauna, as well as very distinct cultural and historical traditions.
‘Land of rivers. I've loved your quiet ribbons shining through the cotton of the clouds, your immense green expanses so powerful and yet so unfriendly. I've travelled your rugged, welcoming mountains and seen your wide, caiman-filled rivers. I have penetrated your stifling forest where the sacred dance finds its frenzy, and elsewhere still, I have met the beautiful draped Men, grazing their flocks. And over it all, I saw the tornado erupt and the grey curtain of rain spread.’
Alain Olivier de Sanderval (1840-1919).
The four distinct landscapes of Guinea-Conakry
1. Guinea Forestière is made up of dense forest from which stands out Mount Nimba (1752m), the highest point in the country. Home to an extraordinary UNESCO World Heritage site, the Pont des Lianes, on the Djani river, this region is teeming with wildlife (viviparous toads, chimpanzees, elephants, etc.) and is developing its ecotourism facilities, such as trekking.
2. Upper Guinea offers a landscape of high plateaux and grassy, game-filled savannahs. Crossed by major trans-African rivers (the Niger, the Bafing and the Bakoye), it offers an undeniable tourist bonus in that visitors can see the ruins of the former capital of the kings of the Mande Empire, Niani, and of the Wassoulou Empire. The region is ideal for hunting and freshwater fishing, and traditional fishing festivals are celebrated here.
3. Middle Guinea, or Fouta-Djalon, has a mild climate, mountainous landscapes and varied scenery, and is nicknamed Africa's Switzerland... Africa's true water tower, it is the source of several major African rivers and is famous for its waterfalls. It is in this region that you can admire the famous Dame du Mali, carved out of the rock by wind erosion. The region also boasts a wealth of handicrafts.
4. Lower Guinée, or maritime Guinea, stretches along 300 km of coastline bordered by the Atlantic Ocean and beautiful fine sandy beaches, ideal for water sports or just lazing around... The mangrove swamps are home to a variety of aquatic fauna. A visit to the islands of Loos, once the haunts of freebooters and pirates of the high seas, is a must, as is the Forté de Boké, a slave-trading site that was once a slave warehouse, built under Napoleon III. Here too, tourists can admire some magnificent waterfalls, La Voile de la Mariée, for example.
More about Guinea-Conakry
Covering an area of 245,857 km², Guinea-Conakry, in West Africa, has been independent from France since 1958, and 85% of its population is Islamic, with a population of around 14 millions (2024). Bordering Senegal, Mali, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea-Bissau, the country has a dry season from November to April and a wet season from May to October. The official language is French, but national languages (Sousou, Peul, Malinké, etc.) are also spoken.
The world's leading exporter of bauxite, Guinea-Conakry is also rich in gold, diamonds and iron. Its key sector remains agriculture (rice, coffee, bananas, pineapples), as well as mining and fishing.
Useful addresses
1. Tourist Office: click here.
2. Obtaining an e-visa (compulsory from France): click here.
Price of the visa: €82
3. Tourist information: click here.
4. Accommodation: click here.
5. Direct Air France flights from Roissy Charles-de-Gaulle, 6-hour flight. Fares start at less than €600 for a return flight. Click here to find out more.
Comments