Arrival at Lungi International Airport, and then transfer to Freetown arriving in style. We will board a water taxi to take us on a half hour journey from the port at Lungi into the centre of Freetown across the natural harbour of Tagrin Bay. A bus will then meet us to transfer us through the bustling streets of Freetown to our accommodation for our next three nights. We'll have time to freshen up before dinner, an introduction to our guides and the epic journey that lies ahead.

Today we embark on a full exploration of the capital city of Sierra Leone. The tour will include visits to the railway museum, Old Fourah Bay College, The Peace and Cultural Museum, and the gateway to the King's Yard, amongst other highlights. We'll also seek out the remains of the symbolic cotton tree, blown down in a recent storm. Despite this it remains a symbol of freedom, shelter and the founding point of Freetown hundreds of years ago, when freed slaves returned to their hometown to claim this place, rightfully as their own. We'll be hopping on and off our bus throughout our busy day visiting sites across the city and learning all about the epicentre of this fascinating country.

After a busy day's exploration, we'll retire to the comfortable surrounds of our hotel in the hilly suburbs of Freetown.

We head out on a boat ride today, bound for an island that symbolises a low point of British colonial rule. Today will be a sombre day of exploration and reflection. Bunce Island was once home to the largest British slave fortress on the west coast of Africa. Founded in the 17th Century, on the site of an even older Portuguese slave fort, Bunce Island exported tens of thousands of African captives up until 1807 when the British government finally abolished the trading of slaves. The buildings, left to dilapidate since that time, are now partially reclaimed by the forest that surrounds it, perhaps symbolic of Sierra Leonians' reclamation of their land, and people, as their own. Our boat then departs for the neighbouring Tasso Island, a larger island in Tagrin Bay. We return to Freetown for another night in this vibrant city.

A day to settle into West African life after a couple of jam packed days getting under the skin of Freetown. Take time to relax in our comfortable hotel here in the hilly suburbs, take a dip in the pool or perhaps take time to explore your surroundings. This will be the perfect time to rest after a couple of busy days deep diving into the chequered history of this country before the adventure continues tomorrow.

Our first walk in Sierra Leone begins just outside of the city of Freetown. We head to the base of the small but impressively formed Sugar Loaf Mountain (727m) on the outskirts of Freetown. From here we'll stride out for the summit through patchy forest on good but rocky paths. From the top we will have great views of the sprawling Freetown with the beautiful coastline beyond.

After a steady descent we make a short onward journey to the Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary. This afternoon we'll have a tour of the sanctuary and learn all about the incredible work this community does to rescue and rehabilitate orphaned and previously abandoned chimps. We'll have an initial tour of the sanctuary, and then some free time to explore independently. We are staying at chalets within the sanctuary tonight, so you may choose to retire to your room for an hour or two, or alternatively there is the possibility to join a guided walk around the sanctuary's 100 acre reserve. Many species of plants, animals and bird life live within this sanctuary, but it is the chimpanzees who take centre stage. Listen out for troops of chimps crashing through the trees and calling to each other through this wide expanse of rainforest. You'll certainly hear them before you see them!

This evening we will stay on site in the small and functional chalets nestled in the rainforest and be treated to a meal by the staff who run the accommodation here.

Heading East today we embark on a drive through the heart of the country headed for the town of Makeni. We'll stop here to stretch our legs before travelling on to Rogbonko to meet and pay homage to the chief of the village. We'll be introduced to the village community who will encourage us to join in with their day to day activities including basket making and cooking. After an hour or two we will bid a fond farewell to the locals and return to Makeni for our evening meal and overnight stay in a comfortable but basic hotel.
Drive time to Makeni: 2h 30mins. Makeni to Rogbonko: 30mins each way.

Another drive of a couple of hours today, this time North heading to Kabala where we'll have chance to explore the shapely Wara Wara Mountains. These hills lie close to the heart of many Sierra Leoneans, gathering here every year on New Year's Day, from far and wide to climb to the top of these hills to celebrate and socialise. Our walk will take in one of the subsidiary peaks of this range, Albitaya (755m). We'll gain the tor-like summit, initially through forest paths and then open hillside, to reach our top, typical of many others in the range for its bare igneous rock formations. The paths are well trodden here, and our guides will ensure safe passage to the higher reaches of the hill, affording great views of the other numerous nearby tops, as well as the sprawling community of Kabala. We'll return to the base of the hill, and on to a local cotton weaver who will show us how to weave, and we may have a chance to participate. We'll retire to a local and comfortable guesthouse for the evening, here in Kabala.

We start the day with a drive this time in 4x4s on unmade roads towards Mount Bintumani, the highest mountain in Sierra Leone, and indeed, West Africa at 1,945 metres asl. This journey will take around three hours through increasingly impressive scenery as we reach the foothills of the Loma range.

We will round out our day with a short walk into the remote village of Sinikoro, deep within the rainforest and our overnight camp in the foothills of the Loma Mountains. The walk will be flat but may be muddy, and potentially on rather busy muddy tracks. The locals use motorbikes to get around round here, so be prepared to dodge the infrequent traffic. Upon arrival we make sure to pay homage to the chief of Sinikoro and then gather around the campfire to enjoy some folklore by firelight. This evening is our first night under canvas on this trip, with the background crackle of a dwindling fire, a brightly lit star filled sky, and the sounds of the rainforest lulling us off to sleep.

We start out early today, eager to cover some ground before the heat of the day, heading first to camp one through rainforest, emerging at around 770m. This forest is home to a wide array of wildlife including deer, buffalo and chimpanzees, and we may be lucky enough to spot these, or hear them as we progress through this wild and untamed jungle. We then continue on to camp two (1350m), emerging from the trees on a high rocky plateau.
The remainder of the hike will be in open grassland with far reaching views of the extensive wilderness surrounding the mountains. Keep eyes to the skies here for vultures and eagles who catch and soar on the thermals created by the shoulders of this vast landscape. We reach our high point of the day, a col of the mountain just underneath the rocky monolith summit, where we will make camp finding shelter from the breeze and bed down for another night under the stars.

Today we complete our mountain route descending the way we climbed up the day before, back down from the plateau, into the tree line and through the forest to return to our awaiting transfer. We'll then make our onward journey south to Bo, Sierra Leone's second largest city. The hustle and bustle of this city will feel a world away from the wilderness and wild camping of the last two days. There will be time to explore Bo and it's vibrant market, and a visit to a Gari making site (a west African style tapioca pudding) before retiring to our hotel for the night in the quieter outskirts of Bo.
Driving time: 2 hrs.

Our destination for today is a village on the banks of the river Moa. Boma is one of eight villages that form the Tiwai Island heritage trail. In its entirety it's a multi day trail encompassing the nationally protected nature reserve of Tiwai Island, home to the elusive pygmy hippo. We'll pay our respects to the chief here, and join in with their dances and rituals. We'll visit the mysterious grave of a giant and learn of the folklore that surrounds it. Then on to the village's cotton tree, the only one for miles around, and learn how it protects and shelters the village and its inhabitants from storms and strong winds. Tonight we'll bed down in the adjoining eco-camp enveloped by the sounds of the rainforest and the rushing of the nearby river that surrounds this remote and peaceful village.

This morning we head out on foot, for the neighbouring village of Nainiahun. Walking on single-track paths through this semi wild landscape of native bush and cultivated crops of rice, cocoa and kola nut plantations, we will learn about the farming practices of the locals as we walk. Upon reaching Nainiahun, the literal translation being 'sand village,' where there are a high propensity of diamonds within the earth and surrounding wetlands. We'll learn about the mining practices here and may even be able to see locals panning for diamonds as we pass through.
We will then be shown into a local cave, used as a hiding place by community members during the tribal wars. We're asked to remove our shoes here, as a sign of respect, before entering. The elders of the village may share mythical stories of elves and invisibility spells before carrying out a libation pouring ceremony said to protect us on our onward journey. We will have chance to rest here and have a light lunch under the shade of the rainforest trees before continuing on to find the banks of the river Moa. This afternoon we take a boat ride across the river to Tiwai Island where we'll delve deeper into the heart of the rainforest. This reserve is home to endangered animal species including colobus and diana monkeys and chimpanzees, as well as hundreds of species of birds and insects. Look out for village weaver birds who create beautiful spherical shaped nests hanging from the trees like baubles, and look up to canopy to find hornbills using their huge beaks to prise open tough hulled fruits to feast on.
This evening we'll spend another night at the eco-camp adjacent to the village.

This morning we say good bye to our hosts at Tiwai and head back out to the coast at Tokeh to board a boat. We'll head out across the breakers of the Atlantic on a short crossing to the idyllic Banana Islands. Once a slave island, this place is now transformed into a tranquil island retreat, with glamping tents and a laidback lifestyle. You'll have the afternoon to unwind after nearly two weeks of exploring in this little corner of paradise. Take a stroll along the beach, enjoy some watersports, or just relax in the hammocks before an evening sun downer admiring the sunset across the waves.

Tonight we'll stay in secluded beach side glamping bell tents. Under inky black and star filled skies the only sound we'll hear will be the gentle hush of waves lapping against the shore.

After a slow morning of coffee and breakfast at our tents, we'll depart the island and return to Tokeh and River No.2 Beach, near to where we began our journey in Freetown. We'll have another day at leisure here, relaxing on this incredible stretch of beach or swimming in the bath warm Atlantic Ocean. You might choose to take a walk along the beach, or perhaps partake in some surfing. The locals recommend this and neighbouring Bureh beach as two excellent destinations to catch a wave. Or simply relax, unwind and soak up the sunshine in this tropical idyll.

This evening we'll stay at a beachfront resort, with views out over the Atlantic, a peaceful and beautiful end to your two weeks exploring Sierra Leone.

This morning we leave the white sand beaches of Tokeh behind and head by transfer to Aberdeen. We'll catch the sea coach across the natural harbour to Lungi to continue our onward journeys from Lungi International Airport.