Must-see attractions in Sierra Leone

  • Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary

    Sierra Leone

    In the dense rainforest of Western Area National Park, Sri Lankan founder Bala created Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary, a leafy, waterfall-framed hideaway…

  • Tiwai Island Wildlife Sanctuary

    Sierra Leone

    'Big Island' in the Mende language, 12-sq-km Tiwai Island certainly packs a punch when it comes to its primate population. Set on the Moa River, the…

  • Sierra Leone National Museum

    Sierra Leone

    There are two galleries inside the Sierra Leone National Museum – one housing a collection of cultural and historical artefacts, including Temne Guerrilla…

  • Lumley Beach

    Sierra Leone

    This wide sweep of beach has lost some of its atmosphere since the 2015 demolition of dozens of bamboo and thatch food shacks, and the numerous, ugly…

  • National Railway Museum

    Sierra Leone

    You don't have to be a rail fan to enjoy this Clinetown museum, where enthusiastic staff guide you around a surprising collection of restored locomotives,…

  • State House

    Sierra Leone

    The State House, up on Tower Hill and overlooking the downtown area, is an example of Freetown's old Krio architecture, which features brightly washed…

  • Old Fourah Bay College

    Sierra Leone

    Gutted by fire in 1999, only the stone shell of the Old Fourah Bay College remains, but this 1848 building is graceful even in its decay. The World…

  • Outamba-Kilimi National Park

    Sierra Leone

    This is a beautiful tract of savannah and jungle, with very diverse wildlife. You'll find primates such as chimpanzees, colobus monkeys and sooty…

  • Gola Rainforest National Park

    Sierra Leone

    A short hop from Tiwai Island, the Gola Rainforest National Park is home to an abundance of creatures great and small, from rare, intricately patterned…

  • King's Yard Gate

    Sierra Leone

    The ancestors of nearly all present-day Krios passed through King's Yard Gate, atop Tower Hill in the strategic military Martello Tower, built in 1805…

  • Tiwai Island Wildlife Sanctuary

    Sierra Leone

    Sierra Leone's most visited natural reserve is home to over 700 different plant species, 135 bird species (including eight species of hornbill), plus…

  • Cotton Tree

    Sierra Leone

    Freetown's most famous landmark is the fat Cotton Tree, which looms large over the buildings of central Freetown. Rumoured to be hundreds of years old, it…

  • St John's Maroon Church

    Sierra Leone

    St John's Maroon Church is a squat white building with big windows built around 1820. An example of the area's Krio architecture, it was built by returned…

  • Old Boundary Cannons

    Sierra Leone

    Over at the junction of Kissy Rd – known locally as 'Up Gun' community – you can see one of the three old boundary cannons that were used to mark the…

  • Old Wharf Steps

    Sierra Leone

    The Old Wharf Steps, sometimes erroneously called the Portuguese Steps, lead up from Government Wharf. The stones were set in 1818. Many of the new…

  • St George's Cathedral

    Sierra Leone

    Built in the early 1800s, this grand cathedral provides welcome respite from hectic downtown Freetown, as well as an interesting insight into the city's…

  • Town Bell

    Sierra Leone

    Dating back to the days of the slave trade, the bell was reputedly used to alert people to important events or emergencies. It is used for the same…

  • Law Courts

    Sierra Leone

    The ornate Law Courts have been beautifully restored following considerable war damage. Located immediately east of the Cotton Tree.

  • York Cemetery

    Sierra Leone

    One of the oldest in the country, this cemetery is the final resting place of several former colonial masters.

  • Clock Tower

    Sierra Leone

    This 19th-century clock tower sits at the intersection of some of Freetown's busiest streets.

  • York Centenary

    Sierra Leone

    A stone monument commemorating the first centenary of York village.

  • Indian Temple

    Sierra Leone

    A functioning temple serving the city's Hindu population.

  • Lighthouse

    Sierra Leone

    This 19th-century lighthouse was refurbished in 2010.

  • Mosque

    Sierra Leone

    This imposing mosque is the largest in the country.

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