Ivory Coast of the beaten

Day 1 INTERNATIONAL FLIGHT AND ARRIVAL IN ABIDJAN

International flight and arrival in the economic capital of Ivory Coast.

Transfer to the Radisson Hotel.

Day 2 ABIDJAN-TIASSALÉ

Visit to Banco National Park, a park within the city where we will delve into the country's vegetation. Afterwards, we will take a completely "off the beaten track" visit: we will meet the "fanicos," the guild of river washers on the Banco River. We will then continue to Tiassale, where we will take the afternoon to visit one of the country's well-maintained cocoa plantations. We will have a guided tour of the factory to see the entire process from plantation to chocolate production.

Duvick Hotel.

Day 3 TIASSALÉ-YAMOUSSOUKRO-DALOA

Journey to the capital of the country, a city founded by the first president, Houphouet Boigny. We will visit the Basilica of Our Lady of Peace, an impressive megalomaniacal project built in the image (and size) of St. Peter's in the Vatican, making it the largest religious building in all of Africa. We will also see the Presidential Palace from the outside, with the crocodile lake. We will then pass through Bouaflé, where the Guro ethnic group resides, and witness one of the most characteristic and spectacular dances of Ivory Coast, the Goli dance, in which the dancers move their legs frantically while keeping their torso still.

Night at the Luxury Hotel in Daloa.

Days 4 & 5 MAN

On our way to Man, we will search for masks from the Gueré ethnic group, which are very difficult to find. These masks have a somewhat diabolical appearance, and those who wear them have costumes made of raffia.

Upon arrival in Man, we will visit one of the coolest and most surprising regions of Ivory Coast, full of vegetation, valleys, and peaks. It is also one of the most important animist centers in the country. We will witness magical dances and celebrations, see sacred forests, and meet spiritual leaders. We will see the initiation ritual of the "snake girls," who, guided by their master, perform incredible acrobatics. This is animism in its fullest expression in Ivory Coast. We will also see the Gla Dance, another characteristic celebration of western Ivory Coast, where percussion plays a significant role. The person dancing masked wears a type of raffia skirt typical of Gueré celebrations. If time permits, we will visit the Monkey Forest. Nights at the Beau Sejour Hotel.

Day 6 MAN-TOUBA-ODIENNE

We head north. In Touba, we will attend a Goudoufou ceremony. On the long route to Odienne, we will make stops in villages to see their way of life, celebrations, and magical dances, such as the Yacuba, the dance of the "wading birds," where the dancers move on one leg. This is another incredible dance that Ivory Coast offers, and undoubtedly one of the most characteristic and special ones.

Days 7 & 8 ODIENNE-KORHOGO

Final visits to the surroundings of Odienne, where, if we haven't done so the previous day, we can visit the Dozo, a brotherhood of hunters who perform their rituals in a sacred forest and on a rock for sacrifices. We continue our journey towards the center of the country, making stops in villages to see different tribes.

A very special visit will be to the Fulani, the largest nomadic ethnic group in Africa. Their nomadic way of life and facial and clothing decorations are worth exploring.

We continue eastward, first to Tieme, a small village where the French explorer René Caillié arrived in 1827 during his long journey to Timbuktu (Mali). The village is inhabited by a nomadic people known as the Fulani. Then we head to Niofoin, a village with distinctive clay granaries and fetish houses. We will discover this spectacular region of animism and mask dances, where the predominant ethnic group is the Senoufo. We will explore the mythical fetish houses where interesting traditional rituals are still practiced. For the Senufo ethnic group, which inhabits the northernmost region of the country, we will search for the dances of the Poro Secret Society. The initiates first transform into panther men and later challenge the same roaring flames of a bonfire, along with other young people, wearing masks made of fantastic and monstrous wooden creatures with sharp teeth that seem to provide them with an inexplicable immunity to fire and anything that might harm them. The magical Boloye and Wambele dances of the Senufo in Ivory Coast, ceremonies filled with synchronized and precise gestures accompanying the percussive sounds of the performers, represent a way of understanding life as a journey back to the origins of human beings. They are explained as a connection between two worlds, the natural and the spiritual, through acts, movement, music, and traditions passed down through generations over the centuries. Nights at the Rose Blanche Hotel.

Day 9 KORHOGO–KONG

We continue the journey to Kong, where we will visit, among others, the mosque, an extraordinary example of Sudanese-style mud architecture recently declared a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Night at the Kong Hotel.

Day 10 KONG-BOUAKÉ

We will pass through the region of the Baoulé ethnic group, one of the most important in Ivory Coast, representing almost a quarter of the population. In fact, Baoulé is considered the "native language" of the country, although not official, and it is the most widely spoken language after French. It is a dance that requires tremendous skill. Night at another dance we will see is the Goli Dance. Also characteristic of the Baoulé ethnic group, it serves to transmit knowledge. The elders of this ethnic group use dance to teach the youth the values and traditions of the community. During the journey, we saw one of these dances, where the masks came out in pairs. In addition to fast movements, they struck their backs with a stick, causing a noise similar to a gunshot. We will also look for another dance: the Komian.

Mon Afrik Hotel.

Day 11 GRAND BASSAM

Long journey to Grand Bassam. Today, we will visit one of Ivory Coast's gems, Grand Bassam, a city declared a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the most outstanding examples of colonial places in all of Africa. It was one of the country's capitals during the French colonial period, and it is of absolute interest with its mansions and colonial buildings currently in a state of decay, yet still exuding spectacular charm that contrasts with the everyday life of its current inhabitants.

Night at the Boblin la Mer Hotel.

Day 12 ABIDJAN AND DEPARTURE

Last stroll through Grand Bassam and transfer to Abidjan, a city full of contrasts, before heading to the airport.