While it’s true that I travel independently and don’t usually take tours myself (except day tours or when certain locations require it), I know some of you prefer the reduced hassle of traveling by tour.
With this in mind, I’ve chosen tours to some of my favorite places that are the kind of adventures I would recommend – the kind of tours I would do if I did more tours. And I’m only choosing from places I’ve been so I can make awesome and informed recommendations.
*On some of the links provided I might make a commission if you purchase something by clicking through my link. This creates no additional cost for you.
Ghana Tours
10 Days Ghana Cultural and Heritage Trip – This tour covers everything it can and it does it pretty well. It covers Accra, Cape Coast and Kumasi. My one recommendation if you have more time is to continue up north to Tamale to visit Mole National Park and a bunch of other cool places. I have a lot of videos on things to do in Tamale to whet your appetite.
You could either catch a short flight from Accra to Tamale after the tour, or leave the tour in Kumasi and take the STC bus to Tamale. The bus is a 6-8 hour ride and is a little more adventurous, but STC buses are pretty comfortable.
Check out my video on the Best Things to Do in Tamale.
4 Days Trip in Accra, Cape Coast, Kumasi Culture & Heritage Tours – If you’re short on time this tour gets it done quick. It’ll be a whirlwind experience but for a short bit of time it’s great for getting you beyond Accra. On the last day there is a naming ceremony for those of the diaspora, but if you’re not melanin blessed you can still attend and observe.
2 Days (1 night) Elephants Safari at Mole Park with Roundtrip Flights – If you’re truly crunched for time but want to see the Elephants at Mole National Park (they’re awesome), then this is the tour for you. You get everything, flight, jeep safari, walking safari and a visit to Larabanga to see the mud-and-stick mosque. It’s not clear if they take you to the Mystic Stone in Larabanga as well, but I recommend you request it as it completes the story you’ll hear about at the mosque.
Check out my Ultimate Guide to Mole National Park video – you’ll want to watch even if you’re taking a tour.
Custom Tour of Northern Ghana
However, if you’re not in a huge hurry and you’re coming up North, I HIGHLY recommend you contacting my friend Abdullah. He’s a tour guide and he will make your visit to this region truly amazing. He’ll give you a fully customized tour based on your interests and the time you have. Contact Abdullah on WhatsApp +233 240 519 181
Check Out all of my posts on Ghana including Tamale, Mole National Park, Cape Coast and more.
Benin-Togo-Ghana Tours
I don’t know if you’ll find a friendlier block of countries than Benin-Togo-Ghana. This is a fantastic combination for a West Africa tour that gives you a taste of some neighborly, but very different cultures.
A Taste of West Africa – Ghana Togo & Benin – This 8-day trip takes you on a whirlwind through these awesome countries while still making sure you get to see all the important stuff. I have been everywhere on this tour and the places included are fantastic! And excellent choice for a trip of this duration.
Explore Benin ,Togo & Ghana – 14 Days – This is a big tour and well worth it. A deeper dive into each of the destinations and a lot of different activities. I love all three of these countries and highly recommend visiting them all when you come to this region if you can. I’ve been almost everywhere on this tour and I can certainly vouch for the destinations. You will not be the same person as when you arrived after this trip. This experience will be awesome!
Check out some videos from Benin.
Indonesia Tours
Borobudur & Prambanan (with other local temples) – On the eastern end of Java sits Yogyakarta and some of the most impressive temples you’ll ever see. Borobudur and Prambanan are magnificent and shouldn’t be missed. This tour makes it easy – and includes a few bonus temples as well.
Tana Toraja – Ino Toraja Guide (Sulawesi) – The people of Toraja have very unique rituals surrounding death. Funerals last 5 days and may take years to arrange. During that time, the mummified deceased relative remains in the home and treated as if they are just ‘sick’. When they are finally laid to rest, in a grave carved into a stony cliffside, the family continues to visit and once a year they even remove the bodies of their loved ones, give them fresh clothes and spend the afternoon with them. Ino is an amazing guide in this region. He will customize a trip that suits your needs and interests. We did 5 days in Toraja and it was amazing!
Check out my full post on our experience in Toraja.
Orangutan Houseboat Tour – Kalimantan – We did this tour and it was incredible. You WILL see orangutans at multiple feeding locations, and have some awesome hikes and delicious meals along the way. You might also see gibbon or proboscis monkeys, and maybe some crocodiles if you’re lucky. It all culminates with a visit to Camp Leakey. Definitely do this one.
Check out my full post on our Orangutan Houseboat Tour experience.
Paul’s Flores Tour – Labuan Bajo to Ende Flores – Land Tour Inland by Car – 6 Days – Flores Island is amazingly gorgeous. When you say ‘paradise’, this is what you’re thinking. This tour covers the island very well and even gets to some things we didn’t get to. If you want to see a beautiful island, this is the tour for you.
1-day Komodo Island Tour Hopping Around by Speed Boat – We did the Komodo Island Tour and went to most of these stops but we didn’t get on a speed boat. For as much as we love boat rides, the distances and time make this a long day. I say opt for the speed boat! By the way, seeing Komodo Dragons up close in nature is an incredible experience.
We saw Komodo Dragons fighting the day we went. Have a look.
Thailand Tours
Bangkok Jungle Bike Tour – Including Transfer & Lunch – Bangkok is an amazing city and I’ll admit that while I’ve been there twice there is so much to discover I feel like I only know a little bit of it. This bike tour looks absolutely wonderful and I plan to do it next time I’m there. I’ve been to a couple of the places on this trip though and they’re awesome.
Bangkok Tuk Tuk Tour – Including Transfer & Dinner – I love tuk-tuks. So what better way to tour Bangkok than in a tuk-tuk? This tour definitely hits some really fun highlights of the city. It’s a great way to see and do a little bit of everything – a little before and a little after sunset. A perfect sampler platter of Bangkok.
Bangkok by Night: Temples, Markets and Food by Tuk-Tuk – For the full nighttime Bangkok experience this tour is all about temples and food – a perfect combination. Temples at night are beautifully lit and absolutely amazing. And, of course, Thai food is one of the best cuisines on the planet.
Chiang Rai: White Temple, Blue Temple, Black House (Small Group) – I love Chiang Rai. These 3 stops are well worth your time and a great tour. This one leaves from Chiang Mai, but if you have time, I recommend spending some time in Chiang Rai itself. It’s a charming city with lots of neighborhood activities. Definitely catch the night market and the show at the clock tower. However, if you’re just visiting for the day, this tour hits all of the major sights – and they’re definitely cool to see.
Bridge on the River Kwai and Thailand-Burma Railway Tour – Whether you’ve seen the movie, or not, the Bridge on the River Kwai is a cool experience. It’s a bit of history and some cool adventure tromping around interesting places. The train ride is especially interesting and scenic.
Doi Inthanon National Park + Trekking at a Nature Trail: One Day Tour (Chiang Mai) – I’ve visited part of what is on this tour but after reading the description it makes me want to do this tour. The extra stuff I haven’t done sounds amazing. The landscapes are beautiful! And ending at a coffee roaster? Perfect.
Morocco Tours
Best Marrakech to Merzouga 3 days 2 nights Sahara Desert Tour Adventure – This is an easy way to get a nice Sahara adventure without the stress. (I wanted a super-authentic desert experience and got it in Mauritania but it wasn’t…just read this if you want to know the full story.)
Let’s just say I highly recommend an easier and more fun approach to riding a camel in the Sahara Desert. This tour sounds like a great mix of adventure and fun.
Atlas Mountains Hot Air Balloon Ride from Marrakech with Berber Breakfast and Desert Camel Experience – This is a single day adventure and it sounds awesome! Hot air balloon ride, traditional breakfast AND a camel ride? Sign me up. This has to be one of the best offerings I’ve seen. A great combination of activities for a reasonable price.
Fez Medina Cultural Walking Tour | Fez Medina Half-Day Guided Tour | Fez Tours – Wandering around the medina in Fez is exciting, and interesting, and could be intimidating if you’re not ready for it. It is an intense experience. Being on a tour like this would be a great way to see all the cool stuff, get a good dose of history – because there’s a lot of that in this medina – and taking away the stress of wannabe tour guides tugging at you and sellers calling you this way and that. The Fez Medina shouldn’t be missed and this would be a great way to see it.
Essaouira Full-Day Excursion with Guided Tour and Free Time – Essaouira is my favorite city in Morocco and I recommend that you spend several days here if you can. It’s a fairly small place, but the people and the atmosphere are wonderful. However, if you’re short on time, this tour is an easy way to see Essaouira and get the best of everything. Don’t forget to wander the medina and the harbor. This is one of the easier medinas to navigate so you’re not likely to get lost – at least not for long.
Check out this post to see the great musicians we encountered in Essaouira’s medina.
Mauritania Tours
Lifetime Adventure: 8-Day Private Tour to Mauritania – Mauritania is a challenging country to travel in. However, this tour would keep you organized while still offering a lot of adventure. If you’re interested in traveling to Mauritania but find it a bit daunting, this tour would be a great option.
Check out all of my posts on Mauritania.
Senegal Tours
Senegal Highlights 7 Days – 6 Nights – (2 person minimum) This is a great way to see Senegal. We did almost everything on this list (though much more slowly). I’m impressed with the choices here. It has all the standard stuff, but a great list of not-quite-so-common adventures as well. This looks like an excellent tour and if you have more time you can pop over to The Gambia and have some fun there, too.
FULL-DAY SAFARI AND PINK LAKE TOUR – (2 person minimum) These are 2 of the best things to do in Senegal and having this be a full day tour will give you plenty of time for both. The Reserve de Bandia is very well laid out for maximum wildlife viewing and the giraffes you’re almost guaranteed to see are stunning. Then you have the pink lake and that’s all sorts of fun. Just make sure you wash off well because it’s very salty.
Check out my video on our Pink Lake visit. It’s a fun one.
The Gambia Tours
Genuine “4 Tours In 1 Day” (south of Gambia) – This tour has a lot going on and definitely looks like fun. The Kachikally Crocodile Pool is awesome. None of the tours I looked at included a trip to the Bijilo Monkey Park so you need to add that on yourself. It’s an easy taxi ride from wherever you’re staying. But this tour does a bunch of great stuff that I think you’ll enjoy.
Watch our Kachikally Crocodile Pool video.
Watch our Bijilo Monkey Park video.
Sierra Leone Tours
Historic Sierra Leone 6 Days – I’ll admit, we were only in Sierra Leone for 11 days, and mostly there to get our visa for Ghana. So we didn’t get to travel all around the country. However, even with a friend showing us around it was clear that this still isn’t the easiest country to get around. That’s why a tour may be the perfect thing. And this tour seems to cover a lot of the coolest stuff in this small country. The only thing I’d add is a few extra days in Freetown to explore for yourself because it is a fascinating city.
Check out this market walk video in Freetown. (The link will lead you to my second YouTube channel and open in a new tab.) The deepest parts of the market, like in the video, are intense, but there’s plenty of more open street market space that’s easy to access.
Add comment