Tour Notes Guinea-Bissau Discovery Tour Duration – 10 Days From 29th October to 7th November 2020 Tour Rating Fitness ●●●○○ | Off the Beaten Track ●●●●● | Culture ●●●●○ | History ●●●○○ | Wildlife ●●●○○ Tour Pace Moderate Tour Highlights ✓ Discover tiny Guinea-Bissau, one of Africa's least visited nations ✓ Travel to the stunning Bijagos Archipelago, one of the most traditional regions of the continent ✓ Look for rare saltwater hippos, or learn about the esoteric rituals of isolated tribes and witness a local festival Tour Map Tour Essentials Accommodation: Tourist class hotels, which although comfortable can be quite basic against Western standards Included Meals: Daily breakfast (B), plus lunches (L) and dinners (D) as shown in the itinerary Group Size: Maximum group size 16 (you are likely to be joined by travellers from companies other than Undiscovered Destinations, with a mix of nationalities) Start Point: Bissau End Point: Bissau Transport: Minibus and/or 4WD, private speed motorboats Country Visited: Guinea-Bissau Group Size – Important Information The maximum group size for this tour is 16. The group will be led by an experienced local guide and dedicated transport will be provided. As tourism facilities in West Africa are limited and some tours including those that include a festival can be popular, it should be noted that on occasions other tour groups will be travelling in the region and may be following the same or a similar itinerary. They may also be staying at the same hotels. Guinea-Bissau Discovery Guinea-Bissau is one of the smallest, and least visited, countries in Africa – few western travellers make it to this former Portuguese colony, but those that do return full of incredible experiences and memories of a stunning part of the continent. Starting in Bissau, we travel by boat to the magnificent Bijagos Islands – a group of islands where traditional culture is at its strongest and ancient customs still hold sway. We visit local communities to learn about their lifestyles, some of the most traditional on the continent. Returning back to the mainland we visit the ‘ghost town’ of Bolama with its colonial remnants then spend time with the traditional Pepel people. The joy of this trip is the fact that you will be visiting an almost untouched corner of Africa; expect truly genuine encounters with local people and feel privileged to be one of the very few to have travelled here. Tour itinerary notes While our intention is to adhere to the day-by-day itinerary as printed below, a degree of flexibility is built in. Overnight stops may vary from those suggested and on occasions alternative accommodation, of a similar standard to that named below, will be used. Please note that the itinerary is subject to changes due to sea and weather conditions. Tour Guide Our guides are a key strength, chosen for their knowledge of and passion for the areas in which they work. All of our guides are carefully hand-picked, and are not just passing through these countries, but are usually locally born. Unlike some companies it should be noted we do not send a guide or tour leader from Undiscovered Destinations in the UK as we have every confidence in our locally appointed representative who is responsible for operating the tour on our behalf. Where possible you will have the same guide throughout your trip but on occasions it may be necessary to change the guide at one or more points during the tour. Depending on the mix of nationalities in the group, and the group size, the guiding may be conducted in English plus additional languages, and there may be more than one guide with the group. Itinerary Day 1, 29th October 2020: Arrival Bissau Arrive into Bissau and transfer to your hotel. Overnight Hotel Azalai or similar. No meals are included today. Bissau Guinea-Bissau’s capital is a small and fairly unassuming place, with old colonial buildings and a generally easy-going pace – although that changes at the time of the annual carnival. It’s a pleasant place to wander around to witness everyday scenes of life, but doesn’t offer much in the way of traditional sightseeing – rather the attraction is to experience a slice of urban Africa that is much easier to deal with than some other African capitals. Some of the traditional crafts to be found here are particularly excellent. Day 2, 30th October: Excursion to Quinhamel – Pepel tribe (Approx. driving time today is 4 hours) After breakfast and some time to relax in the morning, we depart to Quinhamel, where we discover the magical and animist traditions of the intriguing Pepel ethnic group. In this region the forest hides a fetish endowed with feared powers, and only the initiated young men can carry it on their shoulders. We also visit a local rum distillery which has been in use since colonial times, and visit a cashew nut plantation, the main export of the country. Overnight Hotel Azalai or similar. (BLD) Day 3, 31st October: Bissau – Diola dancing masks - Varela (Approx. driving time today is 6 hours) Leaving Bissau, we depart north-west to see the ritual dances of the Diola sacred mask, rarely shown to foreigners. It is said this mask is animated by the spirits, and drums, dances and a colourful crowd will liven the tiny village. We reach the beaches of Varela in the late afternoon. Overnight Aparthotel Avo Anisa or similar. (BLD) Day 4, 1st November: Varela – Villages of the Flooded Forest – Felupes, Baiotes and Manjaco tribes – Bissau (Approx. driving time today is 6 hours) Today we travel along a unique landscape of streams, salt swamps, flooded lands, clay dams and paddy fields. In this remote environment, some gigantic and isolated Kapok and Baobab trees give shade to some isolated villages inhabited by the Felupes and Baiotes, both tribes of the Diula ethnic group. We will witness their complex tribal technology and how they manage to desalinate the land for crop cultivation and we will hope to see their ceremonies and distinctive adobe huts. We then leave the flooded mangrove forest to reach Bula where we meet a Manjaco king and learn about the Gendiman traditions of his tribe. They worship wooden poles and statues representing the spirits of their ancestors and which are kept in sanctuaries known as Cab Balugun. Return back to Bissau in the evening. Overnight Hotel Azalai or similar. (BLD) Day 5, 2nd November: Bissau, Ghost Capital – Rubane, Bijagos Archipelago (speed boat) This morning we head for the Bijagos Archipelago. Our first stop will be Bolama Island, the former Portuguese capital of Guinea-Bissau but now an atmospheric ‘ghost town’, with charming remnants of its former importance. We then head to Rubane Island which will be our base for our stay in the Bijagos Archipelago. Overnight Hotel Ponta Anchaca or similar. (BLD) Bolama Bolama was the capital of Portuguese Guinea until 1936. Built in a charming colonial style, this ‘ghost’ town is still alive – little by little local people took possession of the town and now they live in the old buildings, many of which are slowly crumbling. The city is characterised by its wide avenues, squares, gardens, fountains and once-luxurious administration buildings. Also to be found here is a memorial in honour of Italian pilots who died in 1931, along with symbols of fascist power. Everything is now covered by tropical vegetation. Bijagos Islands The Bijagos Archipelago is made up of around forty different islands, and has been declared a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve due to their ecological importance and rare and endangered species including turtles and the unique saltwater hippo, which swim between some of the islands. Their distance from the mainland has meant that local culture here has remained far less affected by modern influences than elsewhere and most islanders live a very traditional life, with a different language, Bijago, spoken here. Day 6, 3rd November: Rubane, Bijagos Archipelago – Excursion to Bubaque – Mejo - Poilao - Turtle’s nesting This morning we take a speed boat to Bubaque, the largest village in the archipelago and only one connected to the continent by a ferry once a week. Stroll along unpaved alleys, a tiny colorful market, local shops and the tiny ethnographic museum dedicated to Bijagos culture. Later, we sail in the direction of the Southern Island and stop at Meio, a pristine uninhabited island where our footprints on the sand will be the only human traces. In the late evening, we transfer to Poilao, an uninhabited island where we should be able to observe the many turtles emerge with high tide from the ocean to lay their eggs and nest (sightings not guaranteed). Overnight Hotel Ponta Anchaca or similar. Return to Rubane late in the evening. (BLD) Day 7, 4th November: Rubane, Bijagos Archipelago – Excursion to Orango Island National Park After breakfast, we reach by speed boat the Orango island, enjoying on the way the dolphins jumping in the waves by the boat. Orango Island is classified as a national park where the elusive saltwater hippos may be seen in the the mangrove forests. Sightings can never be guaranteed, but local guides will do their best to show you the local wildlife. Return to Rubane for the evening. Overnight Hotel Ponta Anchaca or similar. (BLD) Day 8, 5th November: Rubane, Bijagos Archipelago – Beach Relaxation (Day at leisure) Today is at leisure to relax on the beach or discover the lush vegetation and villages on the island. Overnight Hotel Ponta Anchaca or similar. (BLD) Day 9, 6th November: Rubane – Bissau (speed boat) After a relaxing morning we return back to Bissau. Take a stroll around Bissau-Vehlo; the lively old quarter with its sleepy streets and alleys.