Guinea
Guinea is a green, hilly country on the Atlantic coast of West Africa. It has mangrove coast, cool highlands and rainforest in the south-east. The Fouta Djallon highlands are the main draw for visitors, with waterfalls, cliffs and quiet villages. They are the source of the Senegal and Gambia rivers, and the Niger rises in Guinea's south. Guinea rejected the French Community in a 1958 vote and became independent on 2 October 1958.
Tourism is very small, and roads, hotels and health care are basic outside Conakry. The country suits independent and adventurous travellers who are happy with French and simple lodges. Crime, protests and poor roads need real care; see the safety section for current official advice.
Since a military coup in September 2021, Guinea has been through a political transition. A new constitution was approved in a referendum in September 2025. Mamadi Doumbouya, who led the 2021 coup and the transitional government, won the presidential election in December 2025 and was sworn in as president in January 2026. Tension between the government and the opposition continues, so check the news and official travel advice before and during your trip.
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Money & payments
Guinea is a cash economy. Plan to pay for almost everything in Guinean francs.
- Cash: bring clean euros or US dollars and change them at banks, hotels or licensed exchange offices in Conakry. Never change money on the street: foreigners have been arrested for using unofficial money changers.
- Cards: only some larger hotels and supermarkets in Conakry accept cards.
- ATMs: there are ATMs in Conakry and some large towns, but they are unreliable with foreign cards. Do not depend on them outside Conakry.
- Bundles of notes: the largest banknote is small in value, so everyday payments need thick bundles of notes. Carry small notes for taxis, markets and snacks.
- Leaving: there are limits on how many Guinean francs you can take out of the country. Spend or change them before you leave.
Local food, markets and shared taxis are cheap. Good hotels in Conakry, car hire with a driver and imported goods are expensive.
Tours & Activities
Guinea — Map
Tipping
Tipping is not a strong habit in Guinea, but it is welcome. Wages are low, so a small tip for good service helps.
- Restaurants: in better restaurants in Conakry, leave about 5–10 %. In small local eateries, a tip is not expected.
- Taxis: agree the fare before you get in. No tip is expected.
- Hotels: give a small tip to porters and room staff.
- Guides and drivers: tip guides and hired drivers at the end of a trip if you were happy. This is the main tip visitors give.
5–10 % in better restaurants
small tip for porters and room staff
at the end of the trip
Electricity
Guinea uses European-style two-pin sockets. Power cuts are common, even in Conakry, and many hotels outside the capital use generators only part of the day. Bring a power bank.
Language
French is the official language, used in government, on signs and in the media. English is spoken only in a few upscale hotels and by some guides, so a little French helps a lot.
Most Guineans speak a local language at home. Pular (Fula) is the main language of the Fouta Djallon highlands. Maninka (Malinké) is common in Upper Guinea around Kankan, Susu along the coast and in Conakry, and several other languages in the forest region. A few words of Pular, such as A jaaraama (thank you), are warmly received in the Fouta Djallon.
Staying connected
- SIM cards: buy a local SIM at an official operator shop in Conakry. Bring your passport, because SIM cards must be registered.
- Coverage: mobile data works in Conakry and the larger towns. It is weak or absent in rural areas and in the mountains.
- Restrictions: the authorities have restricted access to social media and the internet at times of unrest. A VPN can help, but expect slow or blocked service during political tension.
Safety & emergencies
The UK does not advise against travel to any part of Guinea (advice updated 12 August 2026). The US rates Guinea Level 2, "exercise increased caution" (25 February 2026), because of crime, unrest and limited health care.
- Protests: demonstrations can start with little or no warning and may turn violent. They are often linked to politics or to electricity shortages. Avoid all crowds and political gatherings, and follow local news.
- Crime in Conakry: mugging, pickpocketing and bag-snatching are common. Take care in markets and crowded places, and do not walk alone after dark.
- Roads: armed robbery and carjacking happen, especially in Conakry's outer suburbs and on the roads to Mamou, Faranah, Kissidougou, Guéckédou, Macenta and Nzérékoré. Do not travel by road outside the Conakry area at night. Arrange your airport pickup in advance if you land after dark.
- Checkpoints: police and military roadblocks are common, especially at night. Officers sometimes demand money. Stay calm and polite, and keep your documents ready.
- Borders: border areas can be tense, especially around elections and other big events. The border with Sierra Leone can close at short notice. Check the latest advice before you travel overland.
- Terrorism: attacks cannot be ruled out.
- Local laws: always carry photo ID. Same-sex sexual activity is illegal. Do not photograph military sites, checkpoints, police or government buildings, the president's residence, airports or bridges. You need an export licence for gold, diamonds and other precious stones.
- Emergency help: public emergency services are very limited. In a medical emergency, contact a private clinic in Conakry directly.
Health
- Yellow fever: carry a yellow fever vaccination certificate. You need it for the eVisa application and on arrival.
- Malaria: the risk is high everywhere, all year. Take antimalarial tablets and use repellent and a mosquito net.
- Other risks: dengue, cholera and other water-borne diseases occur. Guinea has had Ebola outbreaks, the last one in 2021. Ask a travel clinic about vaccines at least 8 weeks before you go.
- Water: tap water is not safe to drink. Drink sealed bottled water and avoid ice.
- Medical care: medical facilities are poor, and equipment is basic. Most clinics want cash in advance. Serious cases need evacuation, so get travel insurance that covers it.
- Medicines: bring enough of your own medicines for the whole trip. Pharmacies are few outside Conakry, and fake medicines exist.
Visas & entry
Almost all visitors need a visa, including UK, EU and US citizens. Citizens of most West African ECOWAS countries can enter without one.
- eVisa: apply online before you travel with Guinea eVisa. A tourist visa allows a stay of up to 90 days and costs USD 100. The fee is not refunded if your application is refused.
- On arrival: after approval you receive an entry visa letter. Show it at the arrival counter, where officers take your photo and fingerprints and issue the visa.
- Right visa type: make sure you apply for the correct visa. Travellers have been refused entry with the wrong one.
- Passport: it must be valid for at least 6 months after your arrival date, with a blank page.
- Yellow fever: you must show a yellow fever vaccination certificate (see health).
Visa and entry requirements change frequently. Verify current requirements with the official immigration authority or your country's embassy before travel.
Etiquette
- Greetings: always greet people before you ask a question or start business. Ask about their health and family, and take your time.
- Religion: most Guineans are Muslim, and there is a Christian minority, mainly in the forest region. Take off your shoes before you enter a mosque, and ask before you go in.
- Dress: dress modestly, with shoulders and knees covered, especially in the Fouta Djallon and in rural areas.
- Ramadan: during the fasting month, avoid eating, drinking or smoking in public during the day.
- Right hand: use your right hand to eat, give and receive things.
- Photos: always ask before you photograph people, and respect a "no".
- Villages: when you visit a village with a guide, greet the chief or elders first.
- Bargaining: prices in markets and taxi fares are negotiable. Agree the price before you buy or get in.
Holidays & opening hours
On public holidays, government offices and banks close, and many shops close too. Markets often stay open. The Muslim holidays follow the Islamic calendar, so their dates move earlier each year. They are the biggest celebrations of the year, and roads out of Conakry get very busy before them.
Shops usually open Monday to Saturday from morning until early evening. On Friday, many businesses close for a long break around midday prayers. Sunday is quiet in Conakry.
Getting around
- From the airport: Conakry International Airport is in the city's suburbs. Traffic into the centre is often very slow, so allow extra time. Arrange a pickup with your hotel, especially if you land after dark.
- With a driver: the most comfortable way to travel is a hired car with a local driver, ideally a 4x4 for rural roads. Hotels and guides in Conakry and the Fouta Djallon can arrange one.
- Shared taxis and minibuses: they leave from the bus stations of each town when they are full. They are cheap but crowded, and accidents are common.
- By train: there are no intercity passenger trains.
- By boat: small boats leave Conakry for the Îles de Los. Use operators with life jackets, and do not go out in rough seas.
- Main route: a paved road runs from Conakry through Kindia and Mamou to the Fouta Djallon. Parts of it have potholes, and traffic is slow.
- Rainy season: from about May to October, heavy rain makes many rural roads very slow or impassable. Plan long trips in the dry season.
Driving
- Hire a driver: most visitors rent a car with a driver rather than drive themselves. Local drivers know the roads and the checkpoints.
- Road conditions: roads are poorly maintained and only partly paved. Expect potholes, overloaded trucks, livestock and vehicles without lights.
- Night: do not drive outside Conakry after dark. Roadblocks are common at night, and robberies happen on some main roads.
- Checkpoints: stop at every police or military checkpoint. Keep your passport, licence and car papers ready. Officers sometimes ask for money.
- Documents: carry your national licence and an International Driving Permit.
- Conakry traffic: traffic jams in the capital are long and hard to predict, especially at rush hour.
- Fuel: stations are attended, and you pay in cash. Petrol is called essence or super, and diesel gasoil. Fill up in larger towns, because rural stations can run out.
Food & drink
Rice is the centre of most meals in Guinea. It comes with a sauce, such as peanut sauce, cassava leaf sauce, okra sauce or a palm-oil sauce with fish or meat. Lunch is usually the main meal. In the Fouta Djallon, fonio, a small local grain, and fresh or sour milk are important. On the coast, grilled fish is cheap and good. Food can be spicy, so ask for less chilli if you prefer.
Locals eat at small eateries and market stalls. Street snacks include grilled meat skewers, fried plantain, doughnuts and bean fritters. Fresh fruit is excellent, especially mangoes, pineapples and oranges in season. Popular drinks are ginger juice, bissap made from hibiscus, and hot kinkeliba tea. Beer is available in Conakry and in the forest region, but alcohol is less common in the Muslim north.
Where to explore
Guinea has four natural regions: the coast around Conakry, the Fouta Djallon highlands, the savanna of Upper Guinea, and the forest region in the south-east. Most visitors combine Conakry with the Fouta Djallon.
Conakry and the coast
- Conakry is the capital and the entry point for most visitors. See the huge Grand Mosque of Conakry, one of the largest mosques in Africa, and Cathédrale Sainte-Marie in the old centre. The National Museum shows traditional masks, statues and musical instruments.
- The Îles de Los are a short boat ride from Conakry. They have beaches, fishing villages and forest, and are a popular weekend escape.
- Kindia, about 135 km inland, is the gateway to the Cascade du Voile de la Mariée, a tall waterfall surrounded by bamboo forest.
Fouta Djallon highlands
- Dalaba is the highest town in Guinea, with pine trees, cool nights and old colonial houses. Nearby is Ditinn Falls, where the water drops from a high cliff into a pool.
- Pita is the base for Kambadaga Falls, a series of powerful cascades on the Kokoulo River. They are strongest at the end of the rainy season.
- The Labé Region is the heart of Pular culture, with the busy market town of Labé, hiking trails and hillside villages.
- Mamou is the main crossroads between Conakry, the Fouta Djallon and the east.
Upper Guinea
- Kankan, on the Milo River, is Guinea's second-largest city and the heart of Maninka culture. It has long been a centre of trade and Islamic learning.
Forest region
- Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve, shared with Côte d'Ivoire, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, listed as in danger since 1992. It protects rare wildlife, including a toad that gives birth to live young.
- Bossou Chimpanzee Reserve, near Mount Nimba, is known for wild chimpanzees that use stones as tools. Visits need a local guide.
- The roads to the forest region, via Kissidougou, Guéckédou and Macenta to Nzérékoré, have a record of armed robbery. Travel only by day and with a trusted driver.
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