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© SAIGA Tours
Start
Jun 13, 2027
Malabo
Malabo
2027-06-13
End
Jun 19, 2027
Malabo
Malabo
2027-06-19
Duration
7 days
Price
EUR2045.00
TOUR OVERVIEW
Equatorial Guinea is often described as one of the least visited countries in Africa, largely due to its authoritarian regime and strict travel restrictions. The government, led by President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo since 1979, maintains tight control over the populace, creating an atmosphere where freedom of expression is limited, and tourists are often viewed with suspicion. All in all, sounds like exactly the type of place we love to explore!
During this tour, we'll venture into most corners of the country, with a pretty extensive itinerary of both the island of Bioko and the mainland. We'll go up and down both the eastern and western coasts of Bioko, visiting black and white sand beaches, a biodiversity centre, partially abandoned towns and buildings, and a chocolate plantation. We'll also explore Malabo during the Mother Languages Festival, and drive to the highest point in the country, Mount Basila.
We'll fly to Bata on the mainland, the part of Equatorial Guinea that makes Malabo seem like a normal tourist destination. And here we'll visit Cuidad de la Paz, an absolute haven for those of us who love absurd, failed, monolithic building projects, and we'll have a night in a super luxurious 5-star resort hotel. We'll also take a peek at Mongomo, where the president's from, and catch a boat to the pristine island of Corisco.
If you like the look of this tour but the dates don't work for you, or you'd like to do part of the tour, please get in touch and let us know. All our tours are able to be split into smaller sections, we're always scheduling new tours and your dates might work for one of them, or we can always organise an independent tour.
INCLUSIONS:
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Accommodation in twin share at roughly 3 star hotels, breakfast included, except when other accommodation is mentioned in itinerary |
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Transport as per itinerary, including internal flight Malabo-Bata-Malabo |
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Entrance fees to most sites (as per itinerary) |
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Western and local guides |
SINGLE SUPPLEMENT: EUR 300
EXCLUSIONS:
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Visa fee (everyone is eligible for an evisa) |
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Meals other than breakfast |
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Transport to and from Malabo at the start and end of tour |
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Personal expenses such as souvenirs or any optional activities |
TOUR HIGHLIGHTS
Take a boat ride to the pristine and remote island of Corisco
Visit Ciudad de la Paz , the dystopian, purpose-built, but unfinished new capital
Explore in-depth both the island of Bioko and the mainland , getting a glimpse into life in all parts of this elusive nation
Itinerary
Day 1Sun Jun 13
Malabo
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We like to have a full day of activities and sight-seeing at the start of our tours because we know that a lot of travellers have limited time and/or budget, and as such as don't include an "arrival day". However, if you want/need to arrive before Day 1 of the tour we can of course help arrange extra accommodation and airport transfers.
- Today we'll explore Malabo, Equatorial Guinea's capital city.
- We'll walk through the centre of the city, along Independence Road, with stops at the Guinean Culture Centre, which is a lively hub for local art and culture, Independence Square, Santa Isabel Cathedral, the National Library and the Green House.
- We'll also visit the famous "I love Equatorial Guinea" and "I love Malabo" signs of course, and the National Park. It's called the Malabo National Park, however it's really a botanical gardens, and the main points of interest for us there are a statue of the president, and Totem Square.
- Used for events and concerts, Totem Square is exactly what it sounds like - a square surrounded by totems, and it's a great place to learn about the tribes of Equatorial Guinea.
- We will also visit Sipopo today. Mostly known as a beach destination just outside of Malabo, our main reason to go there is to see the African Union Village.
- We'll visit the central market, a great place to buy some funky clothes, including an Equatorial Guinean tracksuit if you're that way inclined, and like with most markets, it's just a cool place to mingle with locals.
Day 2Mon Jun 14
Fly to Bata, Ciudad de la Paz, Oyala, Djibloho
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This morning we will catch a flight to Bata, the largest city on the mainland. If you thought Malabo and the island of Bioko felt weird and a bit removed from the rest of the world, just wait til we get to the mainland! Bata makes Malabo look touristy.
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After arriving in Bata, we’ll stop for lunch at a local restaurant. We’ll then leave Bata with our first stop being on the outskirts of the city, at the memorial to the 2021 explosion. This is likely to spark some interesting conversation as the exact nature and cause of the explosion, not to mention the fatality count, are quite unclear and controversial. The official story is something along the lines of local farmers were doing a burn off, didn't control it properly, and it spread to the military ammunitions storage which then exploded, taking down many buildings and people with it. But there are a few aspects of the situation that raise some questions.
- From here we’ll drive to Ciudad de la Paz – a highlight for those who love dystopian cities. Ciudad de la Paz is the planned city that serves as the political capital of Equatorial Guinea. This city was purpose-built to house the government and was designed to have a unique blend of modern and traditional architecture. However, with construction starting in 2015, and 2017 being the original deadline for all government departments to move there, it is still barely a ghost town. It makes Avaza in Turkmenistan look like the Costa Del Sol.
- We will drive on the very wide, completely empty, roads, exploring every road in the entire city. There are a handful of completed buildings, but other than a university and a luxury hotel, it’s basically just empty. Of course we will stop at the tribune designed for viewing military parades, one of the few completed structures, and take lots of photos of empty roads and half-finished buildings.
- And we’ll also swing by the original village of Oyala, so you can see the contrast!
- Then we’ll make our way to our accommodation for the night. Yes, it’s the one luxury hotel in town! And surprisingly, it actually is properly luxurious. We’ll aim to arrive in the middle of the afternoon so you’ll have plenty of time to enjoy the spa, sauna, swimming pools (yes, multiple of them), jacuzzis, get a massage if you like, have a bath in your room, check out the shops, explore the grounds, play a round of golf, eat and/or drink in one of the bars/restaurants, and just generally enjoy your surrounds. Maybe even rent a golf cart if that takes your fancy.
- Overnight in Ciudad de la Paz/Djibloho/Oyala.
Day 3Tue Jun 15
Djibloho, Mongomo, Ciudad de la Paz, Djibloho
- Today is going to be a highlight for most people, with several of our favourite places/things all on this day.
- We’ll continue driving across the entire width of the mainland of Equatorial Guinea, to Mongomo, covering a bit over 100km. Yes, the roads are amazing – two lanes in each direct, dual carriageway the whole time, and barely another car to be found.
- We will of course visit what the town of Mongomo is mostly famous for, which is the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, being the second largest church in Africa and where Pope Leo recently held Mass.
- Our main reasons to visit Mongomo though are that this is the hometown of both the current president and the previous president. The previous president of course being this one’s uncle, who he overthrew in 1979. The whole town is an odd juxtaposition of extreme wealth and luxury, with a golf course and gated mansions, amidst wooden shacks and dilapidated concrete shops and houses.
- We’ll have some lunch in Mongomo and then take a walk around the centre of the town where we can see the residence of the former president and several monuments to the family.
- We can also drive right up to the Gabonese border, just because we love a land border, and why not.
- We’ll then continue back to the country’s capital for another night in our 5 Star hotel.
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Overnight in Ciudad de la Paz/Djibloho/Oyala.
Day 4Wed Jun 16
Cogo, boat ride to Corsico, Bata
- After breakfast we’ll farewell our luxurious surrounds and continue our journey, this time heading to the south of the country, where we will also be right at the Gabonese border.
- We’ll get some lunch in Cogo, known for its decaying Spanish Colonial architecture, nestled in the jungles of southern Equatorial Guinea, and from here we’ll get a boat ride to Corisco.
- And for those of you into this type of thing, keep an eye on your map while we’re on the boat, as we might actually go into Gabonese waters!
- Known for its beautiful beaches and rich biodiversity, we’ll disembark our boat on the white sand and spend some time exploring the island.
- We’ll return to the mainland and drive back to Bata, where we’ll spend the night.
Day 5Thu Jun 17
Fly to Malabo, chocolate plantation, Batete church, Luba, Alena beach
- We’ll catch the morning flight back to Malabo and spend the day exploring the island of Bioko.
- Our first stop will be a small chocolate plantation where we can see the cocoa plants, how and where the chocolate is produced, and of course have some tasters. The chocolate they make here is completely natural and actually quite different to most chocolates you get, made only with the cocoa beans and honey. After a taster or two, you might even want to buy some.
- Continuing our journey south along the western coast of Bioko, our next stop will be Batete church. Theoretically a functioning church, it hasn’t actually been used for a decade or so, but the parishioners still lock it up and “take care of it”. However, other than needing someone to unlock the front door, this is an urbex adventure for us.
- The wooden walls and ceiling are visibly sagging, there is bird poo everywhere, and the sun seeps through the gaps in the wood in creepy rays, leaving most of the building in darkness.
- When we’ve got our fill of the abandoned church, we’ll start heading back in the direction of Malabo, stopping in the town of Luba, where we will take a stroll around the town.
- Regularly not having electricity for months on end, with no restaurants and barely a convenience store, Luba really feels like a forgotten town. We’ll wander through the run-down but definitely not lifeless streets and visit the statue to Maximillian Jones, Equatorial Guinea’s first multi-millionaire. An interesting story, though not an inspiring one, he was a freed slave who then became a slave-trader. But he’s Luba’s claim to fame.
- We’ll get back on the road and our final stop for the day will be at Alena beach, a relaxing way to end our day. Anyone who wants to swim in the sea can, but we’ll also get some barbequed meat from the local vendors for lunch, and find a shady spot to set up for anyone who just wants to sit with a beer or a soft drink and chill. There are little shops and food stands lining the beach, and you can explore them as much or as little as you please.
- Returning to Malabo, we’ll check into our hotel and spend the night there.
Day 6Fri Jun 18
Basila Mountain, Conservation Biodiversity Centre, Malabo
- Our last day in this elusive African country, we’ll start off with a drive up to the top of Basila Mountain, or Pico Basile. With an elevation of 3,011m, rising almost directly from the ocean, it is quite an impressive peak, and assuming the sky is clear, we will get spectacular views out over the entire island of Bioko and even across to the mainland and Cameroon.
- Descending back down towards sea level, we’ll visit the Conservation Biodiversity Centre of Bioko, located on the eastern side of the island. Here we’ll learn about the various types of wildlife and the different conservation programs that are in place.
- We’ll return to Malabo for our last night together.
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