West Africa's Premier Travel Company
Building schools, protecting rainforests, having a sustainable positive impact locally.
Liberia Tours
Liberia
Population – 5,059,787
Language – English
Currency – Liberian dollar
Time Zone – GMT
Capital – Monrovia
Founded by the American Colonization Society and declared the Republic of Liberia on 26th July 1847 Liberia has had a traumatic past but is emerging from the shadows as one of the most exciting must visit destinations in West Africa.
The scars of multiple civil wars are still evident in some locations, however the warm welcome you receive from locals is confirmation that they are tired of the traumas of the past and want to continue the freedom and democracy they have enjoyed for almost two decades. Shimmering golden beaches and tropical Upper Guinea rainforests from east to west protecting a stunning array of flora and fauna. Tracking chimps and searching for Pygmy Hippo’s at Sapo National Park, catching a wave at Robertsport Liberia s surfers paradise, hiking in the stunning Nimba mountains, enjoying more than a thousand butterfly species and birding the forests and mangroves for the many Upper Guinea endemics protected here makes Liberia an exceptional locations for an adventurous expedition.
Zoom in to see where your trip will take you in Liberia
Our tours of Liberia operate year-round, however the dry season here in Liberia is from late November to April which is the most popular time to travel. May and June, we experience heavy rains, however the rains ease and travelling from July to October is not a problem.
Liberia Tours
Discover Liberia with Ashanti African Tours
Our Price Promise
If you receive cheaper quotes from other legitimate companies, we will try to match or improve the price for the exact same tour package offered.
Liberia Tours
Award-winning Local Guides
Our passion is to create the best overall experience for our guests during their time touring with us.
One of the key components to achieving this is the local expert guide assigned to lead your tour. Here at Ashanti we are lucky to have highly educated, passionate, personable, fun, friendly and professional local award-winning guides working with us on a full-time basis. Local guides with personal connections to the locations you visit, opens doors and experiences that add so much more to your overall experience during your time with us. Our team are excited to welcome you to West Africa.
For more information on our Award-winning Local Tour Guides
Discover Liberia
Liberia Culture and History Tours
It does not get more off the beaten tourist track than a visit to experience Liberia, the jewel in the crown of undiscovered West Africa.
Spending time in the hectic, energised, and sophisticated capital Monrovia, visiting its markets, bars, museums and enjoying the atmosphere surrounded by the now fading edifices of 19th century townhouses. Situated on the stunning coast of the Atlantic Monrovia is a great place to start our adventure, heading out to Robertsport to experience the cool vibe or the amazing coastal character and markets of Buchanan. Gbarnga, capital of Bong county has an intriguing history as the headquarters of the infamous rebel Charles Taylor. The 100-year-old Cuttington University is a must visit as are the stunning waterfalls in this area. Our experienced team are passionate to design the perfect customized tailor-made tour of Liberia, incorporating areas of interest important to you.
For more information, itineraries and prices for our Liberia Culture and History Tours
Our small group all-inclusive scheduled tours operate year-round, alternatively we can design private customized tours for individuals, couples, families, small or large groups
Experience Liberia
Liberia Birding and Nature Tours
Liberia protects more Upper Guinea Rainforest than any other West African country making it a must visit location for the adventurous birding and nature enthusiast.
Liberia’s infrastructure is less developed than other birding destinations in West Africa, but this is more than compensated by the stunning diverse habitats and birds on offer here. From the coastal mangroves and lagoons to one of the highest mountain forest ranges in West Africa at Nimba a birding tour here will not disappoint. Spectacular Upper Guinea Endemics on offer include Gola Malimbe, White-necked Rockfowl and the rare Nimba Flycatcher. Our experienced team will customize tailor-made tours around your target species ensuring you have an enjoyable and productive trip. Ashanti’s local expert guides are West Africa’s finest and we are excited to welcome you to Liberia and showcase the exceptional birdlife found here.
For more information, itineraries and prices for our Liberia Birding and Nature Tours
Explore Liberia
Liberia Hiking and Walking Tours
How many people can say they have hiked and walked the mountains, valleys, forests, and communities of Liberia the undiscovered jewel of West Africa.
Breath-taking scenery, wonderful people and fantastic local cuisine await us on these customized tours that are designed for all fitness levels. If you are an adventurous and experienced hiker then the steep slopes and more challenging walks of the Nimba Mountains are perfect for you. More relaxed walkers will also not be disappointed as we visit one of the worlds most beautiful Heritage Sites ensuring we enjoy the feeling of isolation from the developed world and outstanding nature with every step. Depending on the time you have to dedicate to your trip, multi country treks are possible as we cross the borders of Guinea and Sierra Leone during our longer expeditions. Local guides with first aid training who are experts in all the flora and fauna found here add so much to your experience as you enjoy the butterflies, birds, chimps and other nature we encounter during our walks. Contact our experienced team to customize a tour that suits your fitness level, timeframe, and if you have other areas of interest, we can incorporate these into your bespoke trip.
For more information, itineraries and prices for our Liberia Hiking and Walking Tours
Booking a tour with us makes you an important part of our positive impact projects, having the option to visit and meet the locals benefitting from your booking is also a special moment for many of our participants
Liberia Tours
Liberia Butterfly Tours
Exceptional butterfly tours designed and planned with the renowned Lepidopterist and adventurer Szabolcs Sáfián (Safi) who has dedicated more time researching butterflies in Liberia than anyone else.
The undoubted highlight of our tours is the opportunity to see the largest African butterfly, and one of the largest in the world, the Giant African Swallowtail (Papilio antimachus). Quality time will be dedicated to the West African endemism hotspots, the Nimba Mountains, where the Giant African Swallowtail is regularly seen and the diverse habitats of the Nimba is known to harbour about 700 butterfly species. During all our tours it is possible to include several nights of mothing, however, to maximise the moth species seen it is important to consider the moon phase when confirming the tour dates. Our butterfly tours offer fantastic photography opportunities and our experienced team can customize itineraries to include other areas of interest.
For more information, itineraries and prices for our Liberia Butterfly Tours
Liberia Holidays
Customized Tailor-made Liberia Tours
Ashanti’s strength is designing customized tailor-made tours incorporating any areas of interest you may have.
If you are a researcher, solo traveller, couple, family, friends, small or large group or even a travel agent arranging a private group then allow our experienced team to design that perfect trip focused on the exact areas important to you. Organizing specific wildlife excursions, voluntary work, research trips, specific target species trips or incorporating personal locations of interest, nothing is beyond our capabilities as this is an area, we are highly experienced in. Having so many local guides experts in such a wide range of areas enables us to offer a varied tour portfolio. Tours of any duration and to fit all budgets ensuring the perfect combination for you.
For more information, itineraries and prices for our Customized Tailor-made Liberia Tours
Exceptional West African travel experiences that have a real sustainable impact in the locations and communities we visit
Travel Tips For Liberia
All nationalities, except Liberian and members of the ECOWAS community, need a visa for entry into Liberia. Visa fees and requirements often change without the travel industry being notified so to ensure you have up to date information please follow the below links where you will be able to download applications and follow the process to apply for your visa.
United Kingdom applicants – www.embassyofliberia.org.uk
United States of America applicants – www.liberianembassyus.org
German applicants – www.liberiaembassygermany.de
Belgium applicants – www.embassyofliberia.be
France – www.embassyofliberia-paris.org/en/
For information and links to all other Liberia Embassies, Consulates and High Commissions for visa applications and other services please follow this link – www.embassies.info/liberia
In the unlikely event there is no Liberia Embassy or consulate in your home country to enable you to obtain a visa, please check www.ivisa.com to see if your country qualifies for an e-visa if your country does not qualify then it may be possible to obtain a visa at the airport and borders of Liberia, please check this before booking your holiday and be aware this method will be more expensive.
Liberia Weather and Climate
The climate in Liberia is tropical, hot, and humid all year round with the driest and warmest months being from January to March where temperatures can average between 30°C and 32°C. The main rains start in May and the temperature is cooler during the rainy season from June to October dropping below 30°C with the rains easing in November. Seasonal changes are different from those of North America and Europe, due to its proximity to the Equator and Liberia’s temperature is reasonably consistent. From December to mid-January, the Harmattan winds blow from the Sahara Desert, which can cause very dry and hazy conditions, but this has little or no effect on visitors.Guest Houses and Homestays
On some of our more adventurous Eco, Wildlife, Voluntary, Educational and Cultural tours in the more remote areas, local guesthouses are used and in some unique cases village homestays. Although these are more basic than hotels in larger communities, they are comfortable, clean, and safe. Staying in these types of accommodations brings us into closer and more intimate contact with the locals, their ways of life and fascinatingly, their wonderful unity.Equipment and Clothing
Due to the wide variety of tours we offer, this information will be forwarded upon confirmation of your booking in your pre-trip information pack.
Tipping
All our company drivers, assistants and expert local guides are employed on full time contracts with Ashanti African Tours and receive a basic salary and daily bonus when on tour. Ashanti African Tours also have a company policy to tip all local site guides and hotel staff. Therefore, if any of our clients would like to tip any of our guides, site guides, drivers, or staff at hotels we use, it is at the client’s own discretion.
Spending Money
The amount of spending money you will need is determined by the type of tour you have booked with us. The majority of our standard scheduled and customized tours are all-inclusive, so you only need to budget for the following: snacks, soft (not mineral water as this is always included) and alcoholic drinks and items of a personal nature. If you have booked a budget tour, then some aspects of the tour may not be included in the tour price and you will receive this information during your enquiry process.
Building schools, protecting rainforest, having a sustainable positive impact locally
Ashanti would like to think most international travellers coming to West Africa care about the locations they visit and about having a positive impact during their time here. Booking with a responsible travel company goes a long way to achieving this. Many companies state they benefit locals and conservation when they do extraordinarily little and are more focused on their profit margins. Ashanti are West Africa’s leading travel company putting their profits back into building schools, protecting wildlife, rainforest, biodiversity and connecting communities to the conservation of their environment through community development initiatives connected to eco-tourism. Click to learn more about where our profits go.
Travel Insurance
You must ensure that you have adequate personal insurance cover for your trip. It is a compulsory requirement for all our trips in Liberia and other African destinations and it is your responsibility to take out a suitable policy. You will not officially join our tours until evidence of your insurance has been provided to our office. This must include personal accident, medical expenses, and repatriation to your country of origin. We also strongly recommend that your policy covers cancellation, curtailment and loss of luggage and personal effects. Please note that free insurance cover offered by some credit cards does not cover repatriation expenses.Hotel Accommodation
As most of our tours are customized tailor-made tours then your budget will determine the standard of accommodation at each location. Liberia has a limited selection of hotels however there are some good standard establishments in the main cities and towns most are mid-range and there is a wider selection of clean and more basic hotels. Our experienced tour planners will identify the best hotel to fit your budget in the right location. If you have booked onto one of our scheduled Liberia tours, then we usually use quality mid-range hotels when available and all with private en suite facilities and air-conditioning. In some remote locations where these hotels are not available, we will use the best standard alternative.Camping
On occasions during some of our more adventurous expeditions in more remote areas, we will camp. This is not for the duration of your entire tour, but for a couple of days where accommodation is unavailable. Camping is usually on a shared basis, but single occupancy tents are available when requested. Our experienced camping team are on hand to make the experience special. All meals are cooked by our team and are usually a mixture of ample and delicious Western and salivating authentic local dishes eaten around an open fire, the local way for a memorable evening.Immunisations and Vaccinations
ou need to consult your doctor or travel clinic six to eight weeks prior to departure for extensive up to date information on foreign travel to Africa.
Below is a guideline only:
Polio
Tetanus
Typhoid
Anti-malaria tablets (consult your chemist)
Hepatitis A
Meningitis
Yellow fever (you must carry a valid certificate with your passport)
Responsible Tourism
When you travel with Ashanti African Tours you can be assured that all trips are ethical and sustainable, as we put the environment and the communities at the heart of all that we do. As such, this policy draws on the criteria set out by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) and tries to recognise many of the principles within the United Nations World Tourism Organisation’s (UNWTO) Global Code of Ethics for Tourism. All Ashanti African Tours trips aim to have a positive impact on the countries, communities, and environments we visit. Our policy of operating low-impact, ethical tours allows us to create authentic, cultural connections, which not only enhances the traveller experience, but also creates economic opportunity and social development, whilst preserving local cultures for future generations. For full detailed information on our company responsible travel policy please visit the Ethical Travel page of our website.
We Offset Your Trips Carbon Footprint
We plant 3 indigenous forest tree species for every person that travels with us. The main aim for this project is carbon offsetting – guests choosing to travel with us would offset their flights to/from West Africa by more than 15 times if the trees live to their expected lifespan. This is based on projected carbon dioxide generated on a return flight for the average guest (approximately 900kg/1980 lbs). The average tropical tree can absorb approximately 48lbs of carbon per year (when mature) and in West Africa it takes 30-50 years for a tropical tree species to grow to maturity, with an average life expectancy of 200-300 years. If the trees we plant for each guest are continued to be protected, then we are confident that we will be making a big difference in carbon offsetting: 3 trees planted would each absorb approximately 10,080 lbs of carbon, totalling 30,240 lbs/13,745 kg for all 3 trees (per guest).