The economic capital and the point of arrival — a lagoon city of five million people.
Abidjan is built around the Ébrié lagoon, and the water shapes everything: the districts are separated by it, joined by bridges, and the boat is still a practical way to cross. The Plateau, the business district, has the towers and the cathedral; Cocody is residential and holds the embassies and the university; Treichville and Adjamé have the markets; Marcory and Zone 4 have the restaurants.
Most travellers pass through without stopping, and that is a mistake. A well-planned day here — a market, the museum, a craft village, an evening in a maquis — teaches you more about the country than a week of driving. It also makes everything that follows more legible.
The national collection of masks, statuary and everyday objects from across the country's cultural groups. Go on your first day: everything you see afterwards makes more sense.
A striking piece of modern architecture on the Plateau, designed by Aldo Spirito, with the facade shaped as a figure drawing the roof behind it.
Workshops and stalls in one place — wood, bronze, cloth, leather. Prices are negotiated; take your time and buy on the second pass.
Treichville for food and fabric, Adjamé for scale and noise. Both are overwhelming and both are the real city. Go with a guide the first time.
Rainforest inside the city limits, with marked trails and the fanico — the open-air laundry where hundreds of men wash clothes in the river.
The Festival des Musiques Urbaines d'Anoumabo, founded by the group Magic System in their home neighbourhood. It has grown into one of West Africa's major music events, with free concerts across the city alongside the ticketed main stage.
The political capital, and the site of one of the largest churches in the world.
ExploreCapital of the north, heart of Senufo country, and home of the painted cloth that became an emblem of the country.
ExploreThe city of eighteen mountains: mask country, waterfalls and liana bridges.
ExploreSend us your dates and what you want out of the trip. We reply with a route, a price and the names of the people who will meet you.
Contact us