West Africa Travel Guide

This blog is a free resource filled with information that we have gathered from living and traveling in West Africa. We’d love to have you on one of our trips but from one traveler to another, we are just happy to see people visiting the region.

The blog is also a reflection of our travel philosophy. It’s possible to have quite the adventure in West Africa, but we are a bit tired of reading travelogues that make it seem like walking down the street in your average West African city is a death defying experience. We’d like to think that the advice provided in these pages will help you discover West Africa on its own terms, with an eye to the simple things that make this such a great place to visit. 

If you would like to contribute, please get in touch with us on the contact page. For more stories from the road, follow us on Instagram, Youtube and Patreon.

Join our Patreon and Get Unlimited Travel Assistance

If you join our Scoot West Africa Patreon and sign up for the Chauffeur or Grand Chef membership options, you will get unlimited West Africa travel planning assistance from us for as long as you are a member. The Patreon is also where we share a number of stories and adventures that can’t be found on our other channels.

New Years at Abéné Festival

New Years at Abéné Festival

We plan to celebrate New Years every year at the Abéné Festival in Casamance. The Abéné Festival is a multi-day celebration of Casamance culture as well as also featuring guest artists from the sub-region and even further afield. There are nightly concerts with the...

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The Obstacle Course that is West African Roads

The Obstacle Course that is West African Roads

Most people who come on our trips are used to dealing with traffic jams and speed traps. They are less familiar with green monkeys darting across the road or meandering donkeys. West African roads are often unfenced, and whether it's a dirt track or tarmac, there is...

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Chez Hellena and the Island of Carabane

Chez Hellena and the Island of Carabane

One of our favorite stops on our trips through the Casamance is Carabane, a small island that feels like it's straight out of the Caribbean. There are no cars on Carabane, no roads either. Just beaches and footpaths that weave through the palms. You need a boat to get...

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Is it a Scooter or a Motorcycle?

Is it a Scooter or a Motorcycle?

We have had a few queries from scooter aficionados around the world questioning why we are calling a bike a ‘Scooter’ when on first impressions it looks like a motorcycle. If you do any research you will soon learn that our bikes are a hybrid. So here we go: The...

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