Ivory Coast Essentials Tour

Sunday 7th February – Abidjan – Grand-Bassam

• Arrival at your convenience into Abidjan. The largest city of Ivory Coast is well connected with flights to and from West and North Africa, as well as Istanbul, Brussels, Paris and Addis Ababa.
• For those coming from our Ghana Tour, we recommend booking the Emirates EK 787 flight, departing Accra (Ghana) at 2:00pm and arriving in Abidjan at 3:00pm.
• Upon arrival in Abidjan, you will be met at the airport and transferred to the coastal town of Grand-Bassam, approximately 45 minutes away. Once the country’s colonial capital, Grand-Bassam offers a quiet introduction to the country.
• Pre-tour meeting will be held at the lobby of hotel at 6:30pm to discuss tour itinerary and to meet your fellow travellers and YPT guide.
• We’ll then head out for dinner at La Case Bleue, set by the ocean.
• Overnight in Grand-Bassam.

Monday 8th February – Grand-Bassam, Assinie

• After breakfast, we will explore Grand-Bassam, a UNESCO-listed town that showcases the legacy of French colonial rule in West Africa. The historic quarter, known as Ancien Bassam, is divided between the former European administrative area and the African quarter, offering a clear spatial reflection of colonial urban planning.
• Our visit takes us through the historic quarter, the former administrative district, and the Governor’s Palace. We also visit the National Museum, offering insight into Ivorian culture, before a walk along the Atlantic shoreline.

Afternoon

• After lunch, we’ll drive east to Assinie-Mafia, one of the country’s most scenic coastal areas. This area is known locally as a retreat for Abidjan residents, yet it remains relatively low-key, with small resorts and fishing villages rather than large-scale development.
• Here, we’ll take a boat trip on the lagoon, passing mangroves, small islands, and waterside villages, timing it to catch the sunset over the lagoon waters.
• Overnight at Mafia Resort or similar.

Tuesday 9th February – Assinie – Abidjan

• An early start offers the chance to observe and interact with local fishermen as they return from the sea, hauling in nets and sorting the morning’s catch.
• We then return to Abidjan, the economic heart of Ivory Coast and one of West Africa’s most important port cities. The drive will take around two hours.

Afternoon

•  Upon arrival, we head to Blockauss, one of the city’s most energetic seaside districts, where local life plays out along the Atlantic. It offers a very different perspective on the city compared to Plateau or Cocody. This is not a place of formal “sights” in the classic sense: it works better as an observation point for everyday life by the ocean. The main draw is the long stretch of beach, with remnants of old coastal defences, the “blockhouses” that gave the area its name. These concrete structures date back to earlier periods of coastal protection and have since been partially reclaimed by sand and sea air, adding a slightly rugged, almost forgotten feel to the shoreline.
• In the evening, check-in at Golden Tulip, Onomo Hotel, or similar.
• Overnight in Abidjan.

Wednesday 10th February – Yamoussoukro, Bouaké and Baoulé

• After breakfast, we’ll depart early for our three hours drive to Yamoussoukro, the official political capital and birthplace of Félix Houphouët-Boigny, the country’s first president. Unlike Abidjan, Yamoussoukro is defined by wide boulevards, monumental architecture, and an almost surreal sense of space.
• The highlight here is the Basilica of Notre-Dame de la Paix, inspired by St Peter’s Basilica in Rome and built in the late 20th century. Guinness World Records lists it as the largest church in the world, with an area of 30,000 square metres (320,000 sq ft) and a height of 158 metres (518 ft). Its scale is striking, especially given its setting in a relatively small city.
• Nearby, we’ll visit the Presidential Palace, which sits behind a lake inhabited by sacred crocodiles, which are still fed and maintained as part of local tradition.

Afternoon

• We’ll then continue north to Bouaké, historically an important commercial crossroads and today a stronghold of Baoulé culture. The Baoulé are one of the largest ethnic groups in the country, known for their artistic traditions, particularly masks and ceremonial dances.
• Here, we will attend a Goli dance performance, a structured ritual involving a sequence of masks, each with its own meaning and role.
• Overnight in Bouaké, at Hotel Mon Afrik or similar.

Thursday 11th February – Bouaké to Abidjan via Tiassalé

• After a short tour of Bouaké, we will begin our five-hour journey south toward Abidjan. The drive offers a gradual transition from the drier central regions back to the more humid coastal zone.
• On the way, we’ll pass through Tiassalé, a regional town surrounded by agricultural land, particularly known for cocoa and rubber production, both central to Ivory Coast’s economy as one of the world’s leading cocoa exporters.
• Arrival in Abidjan in the late afternoon
• Overnight in Golden Tulip or similar.

Friday 12th February – Departure

• After breakfast, transfer to the airport for departure.
• Tour concludes. YPT is able to arrange post-tour accommodation or advice for ongoing flights.