Guinea sits entirely off the usual travel circuits, and getting around takes some real grit, but make the trip and the reward is a beautiful country that completely shifts a person’s perspective on West Africa. Conakry sets the tone immediately, moving the focus away from typical sightseeing and placing it squarely on living the day-to-day rhythm of a place unaltered for outsiders.
Heading inland, the environment changes drastically into the Fouta Djallon highlands, presenting some of the most unreal hiking and waterfalls on the continent. Navigating the region takes patience, and the roads present a challenge, but the payoff is enormous, especially when it comes to understanding the cultural roots of the Fulani people. It is a journey that demands flexibility but offers an experience impossible to replicate anywhere else.
