Our Ivory Coast holidays and tours explore a part of West Africa that exemplifies the notion of ‘off the beaten track’ travel. They take you to a land steeped in complex and arcane traditions that are bewitching, mysterious and utterly captivating.

After the political and social turmoil of the last years, Ivory Coast is now starting to cautiously open itself up to tourism once again.

The wonderful scenery, the cultural diversity, and its colonial Atlantic towns make France’s most beloved West African ex-colony a fascinating destination for the adventure traveller. There are no concessions made to tourism here – what you see is what you get – and often what you see are rituals and ceremonies that defy conventional explanation, and an Africa that is more magic than modern.

One of the most interesting aspects of travel in West Africa are its mask dances and rituals, and it is here that Ivory Coast excels. The Dan, or Yacuba, people perform elaborate dances on high stilts, while the Senoufou have fascinating rituals based around the veneration of leopards. To witness these is to step back a couple of generations. Ivory Coast may be modern in many ways, but as with many countries you only need to scratch the surface to see something quite different.

Top highlights on Ivory Coast holidays and tours

  • Watch the incredible mask dances of the Dan, Senoufou and Baoule people
  • Wander through the vast basilica in Yamoussoukro
  • Check out the old colonial architecture in coastal towns like Grand Bassam and Sassandra
  • Visit the ancient mud-built mosque at Kong
  • Pick up some great arts and crafts in Korhogo

This is also one of the best places in the region to pick up local crafts, and the markets of Korhogo hold some real treasures, both newly made and antique – a must for the African art collector. All this is juxtaposed with the glittering modernity of Abidjan and Yamoussoukro, which may as well be a different country – examples of Africa on the rise.

On our Ivory Coast holidays, you will be one of the first to discover the treasures of one of the continent’s most thrilling corners.

Culture

Cote d’Ivoire is religiously diverse, with no one religion forming the majority belief. There are roughly similar proportions of people adhering to Christianity (in the south), Islam (in the north) and traditional beliefs (everywhere), which are both complex and fascinating. If you get a chance to see any traditional ceremonies these are not to be missed.

Indigenous beliefs are still widely practised even by those who profess to be Christian or Muslim. The official language of Cote d’Ivoire is French, but at the last count, there were about 80 different individual languages.

When to go on holiday to Ivory Coast

Cote d’Ivoire experiences two distinct seasons. The dry season runs from October until April, and the wet season from May until September. These can change by a few weeks either side depending on climate variations. Although most people choose to visit in the dry season, it’s also possible to visit in the wet season – the rains, although heavy, do not last the whole day and usually take the form of short sharp bursts. Some roads can be difficult during the wet season though.

Start planning your trip to Ivory Coast

Check out our small group tours to Ivory Coast, Ancient Gods of West Africa. Although many of our trips are small group adventures with set departures, as a bespoke operator, we can design and create trips to suit any traveller, from solos to larger group. If you would like to find out more about tailor-made holidays to Ivory Coast or our group tours, call us on 01473 328546 or email us via our contact page. We’d love to hear from you.

Ivory Coast Holidays and Tours - Zaouli masked dance

Ivory Coast

Good for:Tribal Cultures & Historic Sites