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Guinea |
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Travel information and tips on Guinea including passport information, accommodations, transportation to and in
Guinea, attractions and things to see and do, restaurant suggestions, tours, and much more. "Getting Away With Jim Bruner" - your first stop for travel information on
Guinea!
Click on any one of the following below for specific information on getting around
Guinea; attractions, museums, tours, and other places
to go and things to see and do; some ideas for accommodations and dining; and some of my favorite
things in Guinea. |
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Quick Overview
on Guinea
To understand this country, you would first have to
understand the jungle as it is a country with a past as tangled as its wild jungles.
In Guinea you can trek through beautiful highland scenery
and track wildlife in the jungles of the southeast. But the
country still reels from a regime that turned its back on
liberté ,
égalité and
fraternité and
embraced Maoist ideology in the 1950s.
Passport
and Visa information
When to go
Travel Insurance
Language
Currency
Electrical
Information
Weather
Time Zone - Country Dialing Code - Weights & Measures
Travel
Warnings
All foreign nationals must have a passport. Passports must be valid for at least 6 months beyond the intended departure date. Visas are required by all visitors with the exception of the nationals of Algeria, Benin, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Cuba, Egypt, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Nigeria, Romania, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo, and Tunisia. On visa application you may be asked to show you have sufficient funds to support your stay and an onward ticket. If you are traveling overland be sure to state this on your application. As visa requirements change fairly regularly, it is advisable to check with your Consulate or Embassy. Listing of Guinea Embassies, Consulates and/or Tourist offices located around the world
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When to go
The best time to visit is November and December, after
the rains but before the dusty harmattan winds
(December to March) spoil the views. The rains sometimes
make minor roads impassable, though there's something to be
said for visiting the Fouta Djalon when it's wet. The rains,
which generally don't last very long, make the waterfalls
more explosive and the countryside more verdant while the
clouds lower the daytime temperatures.
Currency
The currency of Guinea is the Guinea Franc (Code: GNF -
Symbol: GFr). Visitors will find that there are very
few banks. It is suggested that you arrive in country with enough of the local
currency to meet your needs.
Current Exchange Rate:
Check Today's Exchange Rate
Travel Warnings
While the situation is now relatively calm, recent
political demonstrations in Guinea have become violent
and there is the possibility of further unrest.
Travellers should exercise caution, especially in
Conakry, avoid any large gatherings and monitor news
sources carefully. Security circumstances in areas bordering Sierra
Leone, Liberia and Cote d'Ivoire are still very unstable
and any travel to these regions should be reconsidered.
Travel Warnings are issued to describe long-term, protracted conditions that make a country dangerous or unstable. A Travel Warning is also issued when the U.S. Government's ability to assist American citizens is constrained due to the closure of an embassy or consulate or because of a drawdown of its staff. The countries listed below meet those criteria. Additionally, the State Department issues Country Specific Information for every country of the world with information on such matters as the health conditions, crime, unusual currency or entry requirements, any areas of instability, and the location of the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate in the subject country. Check with the U.S. State Department for Travel Warnings, Consular Information Sheets & Public Announcements.
If you have something you think should be added to this section of Getting Away, please contact Jim at Getting Away. mailto: jimbruner@gettingaway.com
Getting To and AroundBush taxi, bus and minibus cross into all neighbouring countries, but forget about Côte d'Ivoire, and make sure you get an update on Liberia. You can also reach Mali by river boat when the Niger River is high enough, and a fast and luxurious hydrofoil service is scheduled to start operating again between Conakry and Freetown soon, but once the last stretch of road is paved in Sierra Leone, it will be quicker to take the highway. Boats also go from Kamsar to Bissau, stopping in Cacine and Kamkhonde on the way, but the schedule is erratic.
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Getting Around
Domestic air services come and go. When available,
flights from Conakry usually go to Kankan, Siguiri, Labé
and N'zérékoré. Most travel is by bush taxis, which are
usually impressively overcrowded. Private buses operate
between large towns and are more comfortable and cheaper
than bush taxis, but are also slow and constantly
breaking down. Although minibuses are cheaper than bush
taxis, they are just as overcrowded and usually take
longer. Post buses, which deliver the mail and
passengers, run between Conakry and Dabola, Kankan,
Faranah and Kissidougou, and are the most comfortable
option, but seats must be reserved well in advance.
Passenger trains no longer run anywhere in the country.
You can, however, often find accommodation at the
hotel-buffet at old stations.
There is a limited and slow
rail service between Conakry, Kindia and Kankan. Roads
are generally in poor condition and impassable during
the rains. Traffic drives on the right and an
International Driving Licence is required
Cities, Towns and Areas of Guinea
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Conakry
I don’t believe that Conakry will ever be a real tourist destination. Most of
the visitors here come on business. There are less than 2000 hotel rooms in the
whole country, and very few good ones in Conakry. Photography is almost
virtually prohibited, although new regulations allowing to take photographs were
announced in 1992. Visitors need to really be cautious when they travel outside
of the city as in the countryside there are so many corrupt police controls that
travelers will easily be discouraged by their greed. After midnight, when all
restaurants and night clubs are teeming, police controls seem to spring up
everywhere, turning Conakry's nightlife into a nightmare. If the government does
not solve these serious obstacles, traveling around the country will hardly be
worth the pain.
If you have something you think should be added to this section of Getting Away, please contact Jim at Getting Away. mailto: jimbruner@gettingaway.com
Suggestions for Accommodations in Guinea
Click on Suggestions for Accommodations in Guinea for suggestions for places to stay in Guinea.
Things to See and Do in Guinea
Bossou
Cape Verga
Mt Nimba
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Bossou
This sleepy village on the Liberian border is one of the
best places in west Africa to see chimpanzees. Guides
from the research centre track the chimps daily, so
face-to-faces are nearly guaranteed, and the hikes
through the remaining patch of primary forest covering
the surrounding hills are scenic regardless of who you
meet along the way. There are
several small hills that are protected for religious
reasons, situated within a primarily agricultural region of small villages and
fields. The chimpanzees are not completely isolated and it is quite likely that
you will see some of them. The nearest neighboring population is in the Nimba
Mountains, about 7 miles away.
Cape Verga
Cape Verga, just a few hours from Conakry, has some of
the best beaches in Guinea. Bel Air beach, once a great
place to chill in beach huts is now dominated by
President Conté's flash hotel. Thankfully, nearby Sobané
beach has comfy bungalows and options for al fresco
sleep outs. The deserted stretch of sand between Bel
Air and Sobané is ideal for exploration. Except for the
fishing families who live here, Cape Verga is deserted
for most of the week, but comes alive at weekends with
expatriates from the capital and the bauxite mines
inland. Getting there without your own wheels is
difficult because few vehicles travel this way, even
though it is one of the best roads in the country.
If you have something you think should be added to this section of Getting Away, please contact Jim at Getting Away. mailto: jimbruner@gettingaway.com
Suggestions for Dining in Guinea
Local cooking often includes roast meat and cous-cous
with a vegetable sauce. Much of the food, although perhaps a little
different from what you may be used to, is very good. I would recommend
you always have bottled water on hand.
Coming Soon. In the mean time, if you have something you think should be added to this page of Getting Away, please contact Jim at Getting Away. mailto: jimbruner@gettingaway.com
Some Favorites in Guinea
As I have never been to Guinea I do not have any "favorite things." Therefore the favorites listed here are
favorites of others.
Coming Soon. In the mean time, if you have something you think
should be added to this section of Getting Away, please contact Jim at Getting
Away.
mailto: jimbruner@gettingaway.com
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