Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Hiking
There are many spectacular hiking trails in West Africa. Morocco is arguably the region's premier hiking destination
with a range of fine and reasonably well-marked hiking trails throughout the Atlas Mountains. Most of these are access-
ible year-round and the network of maps and guides is sparse by European standards but easily the best in the region.
The set-up in this region is very different from that in East or Southern Africa and the experience is often less wilder-
ness than a stirring combination of cultural and natural landscapes. There's little in the way of good walking infrastruc-
ture, such as detailed maps, marked trails or trail accommodation, and much of the hiking is through populated areas.
All of which means that, as long as you don't mind roughing it, hiking can be a great way to interact with the locals: on
foot you can meet on more equal terms than staring at each other through the windows of a bush taxi.
As there's very little formal organisation, expect to arrange everything yourself (eg bring a good water filter/purifier).
Hiring a local guide (either for the entire expedition or to lead you from village to village) is usually a good idea. In
some places, because of the distances involved, it may also be necessary to use donkeys, hitching or public transport to
get around.
WEST AFRICA'S TOP HIKING TRAILS
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Sindou Peaks, southwestern Burkina Faso
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Mt Cameroon, Cameroon
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Mandara Mountains, northern Cameroon
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Santo Antão, Cape Verde
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Mt Fogo, Cape Verde
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Parque Natural Serra Malagueta, Cape Verde
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Tongo Hills, Ghana
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Around Ho, Ghana
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Jebel Toubkal, Morocco
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Rif Mountains, Morocco
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Dadès & Todra Gorges, Morocco
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Bassari country, Senegal
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Gola Forest Reserve, Sierra Leone
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Mt Bintumani, Sierra Leone
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Kpalimé, Togo
Rock Climbing
West Africa has one world-class climbing destination, but it remained off limits at the time of writing: the area around
Hombori in Mali, where some spectacular rock formations rise above the Sahel and attract a small but growing number
of serious rock climbers from Europe. Another area with rock-climbing potential is Mali's Falaise de Bandiagara.
Otherwise, well-known 'climbing' destinations such as Mt Cameroon, Cape Verde's Mt Fogo and Sierra Leone's Mt
Bintumani are actually strenuous hikes that involve no technical climbing.
