As Harry and Meghan shine a highlight on West Africa – listed below are the locations you must go to

When the Duke and Duchess of Sussex introduced a go to to Nigeria this month, a number of eyebrows had been raised.

It’s not an apparent selection of vacation spot for prime profile figures. Regardless of having a inhabitants of greater than 229 million – accounting for one sixth of the continent, making it Africa’s most populous nation – the variety of British vacationers arriving every year is round 117,000 (largely for the aim of seeing household and pals).

Travel authority Lonely Planet describes the West African nation as “a pulsating powerhouse” and “the face of recent Africa” – but excessive ranges of poverty and safety issues raised by ongoing terrorist exercise deter many individuals from travelling.

Harry – like his brother, the Prince of Wales, and late mom Princess Diana – has sturdy emotional ties to Africa. He reportedly proposed to his spouse, Meghan, throughout a visit to Botswana and has been concerned in quite a few conservation initiatives; presently he’s on the board of administrators for non-profit organisation African Parks.

Whereas Nigeria is unlikely to function on the mainstream vacation map any time quickly, different areas of the continent are steadily creating their infrastructure and opening the door to outsiders. Governments in Sierra Leone and Liberia – each nations as soon as devastated by civil warfare and Ebola outbreaks – are investing in tourism. Curiosity from established tour operators akin to package deal vacation giants TUI and escorted tour specialists Discover additionally suggests this largely missed space of the continent – nonetheless woefully thought to be “deepest, darkest Africa” – is not restricted to area of interest pursuits.

In case you are eager to find this a part of the world, listed below are just a few of the locations to go…

The Kingdom of Benin – often known as the Edo Kingdom – was a robust civilisation between the thirteenth and Nineteenth century. It coated an space now encompassing southern Nigeria and shouldn’t be confused with modern-day Benin, a slender neighbouring nation generally known as Dahomey till 1975.

Regardless of being one of many poorest nations on this planet, with round 55% of the inhabitants categorized as residing in multidimensional poverty in accordance with 2023 figures from the UN, Benin has a vibrant tourism business centered largely on its most well-known export – voodoo.

Far faraway from Hollywood misconceptions of sticking pins in dolls, it is a deeply religious faith celebrated by way of ceremonies and masquerade dances. Go to the birthplace of voodoo in Ouidah and mix with a visit to neighbouring Togo to be taught extra concerning the tradition.

How: Discover provides a 14-day Benin and Togo Voodoo Discovery tour from £2,289pp (two sharing), excluding flights. Numerous departures from August to December. Discover.co.uk.

One of many few nations in West Africa the place English is broadly spoken – as a consequence of previous colonial ties – this was the situation for Sir David Attenborough’s first foray exterior Europe in 1954. He got here in quest of a uncommon chicken referred to as the picathartes (a kind of rock fowl), however there’s way more wildlife to come across.

The islands of Tiwai and Jaibui are wonderful for birding and probabilities of recognizing the uncommon pygmy hippo, whereas Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary, within the hills overlooking capital Freetown, gives an perception into the numerous challenges going through our closest cousins on this area.

Glowing, sandy seashores are one other drawcard. Ultimate for browsing or recognizing native vibrant fishing boats, River No. 2 and Bureh Seashore – each a brief drive from Freetown – are two of the perfect.How: Rainbow Excursions provides a 10-night Sierra Leone Pure Historical past Explorer Tour from £3,355pp (two sharing), together with flights. Rainbowtours.co.uk.

Nicely-known for its high-level resort lodging, dynamic capital Dakar and wildlife-rich mangrove ecosystems, politically secure Senegal has been common with French vacationers for a lot of a long time. In November 2022, TUI opened the vacation spot as much as a British market with direct six-hour flights from London Gatwick and all-inclusive package deal holidays obtainable between November and March – selling is as a cheap, mid-haul possibility for winter solar.

The westernmost nation on the continent, it additionally performed a major function within the devastating slave commerce. The Slave Home on Goree Island, simply exterior Dakar, pays solemn homage to the estimated 20 million Africans who handed by way of the island between the mid-Sixteenth and mid-Nineteenth centuries.How: A seven-night all-inclusive keep on the Riu Baobab prices from £1087pp, together with flights. Tui.co.uk.