This under-visited region of Africa is easier than ever to explore
Deciding to go on a cruise is easy. Not only do you get to tick off multiple destinations in a single trip while only having to unpack once, but crucially – in these grim economic times – a cruise often works out as better value than a land-based holiday.
The hard part is deciding where to go, for it's no longer just about the Mediterranean and the Caribbean – two longstanding cruise favourites.
Fast forward to today, and the world really is your oyster when it comes to choosing a cruise destination, with the likes of Alaska, Antarctica, the Norwegian fjords, the Nile and the Mekong all possibilities.
But there's another region now steadily staking its claim to a place on this list: step forward West Africa, where a growing number of operators are now setting sail to less-travelled shores.
Historically, the region has languished as a cruise destination. However, recent troubles in the Red Sea have resulted in the 'rerouting of itineraries away from the Suez Canal, which has brought West Africa into the mix,' says Dave Mills, chief commercial officer at online cruise agency Iglu.
Similarly, the backlash against cruise ships elsewhere in the world – Nice is the latest city to try to ban large vessels as it grapples with the negative effects of overtourism – has seen cruise lines forced to redraw the map and seek out destinations experiencing the opposite phenomenon.
West Africa, once a feather in only the most seasoned travellers' caps, has emerged as a winner, with cruise lines including Azamara, Oceania Cruises and Crystal Cruises now offering sailings along the West African coast with stops in countries such as Senegal, Sao Tome, Cabo Verde, Gambia, Ghana and Togo.
It's music to the ears of those who have always wanted to visit West Africa – with its vibrant culture, verdant landscapes, wildlife-rich national parks and pristine beaches – but have long been unsure how to approach planning a trip, as well as seasoned cruisers looking to explore somewhere relatively undiscovered.
Robert Wellman, who, with his wife Jacqui, has been sailing with Azamara for some seven years, chose to visit West Africa with the small-ship line in 2023 because 'travel should be a force for good. And unlike other parts of the world that feel overrun, West Africa is eagerly accepting visitors.
'We've cruised all over the world, and just when we thought we had seen it all, we spotted a cruise to an intriguing new corner.'
Wellman and his wife aren't the only ones to sit up and take notice of the region. In May 2024, passengers on Royal Caribbean's Ultimate World Cruise – a nine-month round-the-globe odyssey with a price tag of £88,000 per person – criticised the line for overlooking Africa in its original itinerary.
Consequently, the cruise giant added nine African ports to its voyage, including stops in Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana and Senegal. And they aren't the only ones – Oceania Cruises, too, has also observed increasing interest in the region and included Senegal, Gambia, and Ghana in its current itineraries.
To cope with the growing demand, several ports in West Africa are planning – or have recently undergone – improvements to their infrastructure. The island of Sao Vicente in Cape Verde, a stunning island chain 500km west of Senegal, opened a new £22 million cruise ship terminal (Mindelo) in October 2024; while Nigeria's Lekki and Cote d'Ivoire's Abidjan ports are both investing in their infrastructure so they can accommodate more cruise ships in the future.
West Africa's emergence as a cruise destination comes as little surprise to British brand Swan Hellenic, which has been visiting the continent's west coast since 2023, and Mario Bounas, the brand's general manager for UK & Ireland, believes that the region's 'significance will only grow as travellers seek deeper, more meaningful experiences'.
'From the historic streets of Freetown to the Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary and Ghana's Unesco-listed Elmina Castle, every stop offers… a profound connection to the region's history and culture,' he says.
It's a sentiment shared by the CEO of family-owned Variety Cruises, Filippos Venetopoulos, whose father pioneered cruises to West Africa back in 2008. 'West Africa offers incredible travel experiences, but we must use tourism to the area to support local communities,' he stressed to Telegraph Travel.
'My late father, Lakis, recognised the region's potential early on. To this end, we built – through our philanthropic arm, Variety Cares – a school in the remote area of Lamin Koto in the Gambia. Today, it provides around 100 students not only with an English and Arabic education but also with electricity and clean water.'
West Africa is certainly benefiting from the increased attention and the economic boost that comes with it – but with so many popular cruise destinations now feeling the profound pinch of overtourism, the opening up of this less-trammelled region is of equal benefit to those of us seeking a calmer corner of the globe. It's a match made in heaven – and these are five of the best ways to get in on the action.
The best West Africa cruise itineraries
Best for a boutique experience
Swan Hellenic sails to West Africa on the elegant 192-passenger SH Diana. Multiple shore excursions are offered at every port, but don't miss the chance to delve into the area's transatlantic slave trade at the 15th-century Elmina Castle; witness colourful kingfishers, bee-eaters and Abyssinian rollers in the little-known Bijagós archipelago; and immerse yourself in Abidjan's art scene.
Swan Hellenic has a 13-night West Africa: the slavery coast cruise from £10,780pp, excluding flights. Departs April 20, 2025
Best for destination immersion
This 26-night Azamara itinerary on the intimate Azamara Pursuit features a call at the West African capital of Dakar in Senegal – the jumping-off point for the tiny, car-free island of Gorée, whose pretty pastel-hued houses belie the fact this was once the largest slave trading centre on the African coast. Next up is Banjul, Gambia's breezy coastal capital and the gateway to sun-baked beaches, mangrove forests, and exotic birdlife. Every sailing includes an AzAmazing Evening – a special cultural event that allows passengers to dive deeper into the local culture.
Iglu offers a 26-night West Africa cruise with Azamara from £4,249pp including flights. Departs October 23, 2025
Best for uniqueness
Crystal Cruises is back with a new owner and a new 12-night West Coast Africa itinerary. It takes in one of the least-visited places on the planet – the dual-island nation of Sao Tome, that's been dubbed the African Galapagos thanks to its almost 200 endemic species – as well as Cotonou, Benin's vibrant capital. Here, visitors can learn about spirits (Benin is considered the birthplace of voodoo) and the Afro-Brazilian heritage of Ouidah, Abomey and Porto Novo.
Crystal Cruises has a 12-night Accra to Cape Town sailing from £4,200pp, excluding flights. Departs December 11, 2025
Best for a less traditional experience
Variety Cruises' yacht cruise up the Gambia River and along the coast of West Africa encompasses four natural reserves and a sobering dose of Britain's slavery history in just eight days. Standout excursions include Kiang West National Park in Gambia – home to more than 250 species of birds – Senegal's stunning Sine-Saloum Delta where guests can glide mangroves in a pirogue (motorised canoe), and a visit to the school (Lamin Koto) that the Greek small-ship line set up in 2010.
Variety Cruises offers a seven-night West Africa river cruise from £2,073.60pp, excluding flights. Departs January 10, 2026
Best for luxury
Oceania Cruises is known for its in-depth excursions, and on this 24-night sailing bound for Cape Town, guests have the chance to visit a plantation to understand the importance of cocoa and coffee production in Lomé – Togo's low-key yet attractive capital. As well as unsung Togo – whose landscapes range from lakes to palm-fringed beaches – you'll call at six other West African gems: Sao Tome and Principe, Ghana, the Ivory Coast, Gambia and Cape Verde.
Oceania Cruise has a 24-night Cape Town to Lisbon voyage from £5,992pp, excluding flights. Departs March 31, 2026
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Record
2 hours ago
- Daily Record
Foreign Office warning as Egypt issues strict new 'June 16' rule
There is a new travel warning to anyone planning on visiting Egypt, with the update stating that people must have one thing arranged or be turned away. Egypt hosts millions of tourists a year, with estimates suggesting around 500,000 UK visitors head to the African country. However, tourists could find themselves blocked from entering if they fail to arrange one crucial detail before flying. A travel notice issued by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) warned potential visitors that it was now a necessity to have a return ticket organised before heading to Egypt. The advice, issued June 13, told Brits intending to journey to Egypt to book their flight back to the UK beforehand. Not securing a return flight could lead to being denied entry upon reaching Egyptian soil. Such incidents are rare, mainly due to airlines making checks that passengers possess the correct documents prior to boarding, but those who do find themselves rejected at the border typically have to take on the cost of their own return to the UK without setting foot outside the airport. A government spokesperson said: "The Egyptian Civil Aviation Authority has directed all airlines and travel companies to ensure that any passengers arriving in Egypt between 12 and 16 June have a confirmed return ticket. Travellers who are unable to demonstrate this are liable to be refused entry into the country." The five-day window may be linked to reports that thousands are anticipated to flock to Egypt for the Global March to Gaza, highlighted by CNN and various other news outlets. Allegedly, upwards of 4,000 volunteers from more than 80 countries will participate in the demonstration, reports the Liverpool Echo. It's reported that people will take coaches to Arish in northern Sinai, followed by a 30-mile march through the desert peninsula to the Egyptian side of the Gaza border at Rafah. The protest's organisers informed CNN that "activists will sleep in tents along the route and are expected to arrive at the border on Friday", however, they emphasised that there is no intention to enter the war-afflicted area. This follows additional stringent rules set this week on foreign delegations wishing to visit the border region with the Gaza Strip. According to an official announcement, the government stated that it would only consider such requests if made formally to an Egyptian embassy overseas, or through submissions by foreign embassies in Cairo or representatives of organisations to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Regarding entry into Gaza via Egypt, the Foreign Office has stated: "The Rafah border crossing is currently closed. When re-opened, Israel, Egypt and the authorities in Gaza may determine procedures for who is permitted to cross and when. "If you are a British national in Gaza who wants to leave Gaza, see Israel travel advice and OPTs travel advice. Humanitarian aid workers cannot enter or exit Gaza through Egypt at this time. "The Egyptian authorities have said all aid to Gaza must go through the Egyptian Red Crescent. Standard operating procedures can be found on the Logistics Cluster website. The authorities are unlikely to consider requests for humanitarian access made in Egypt at short notice." The Foreign Office warned that no travel can be guaranteed as safe, yet following certain measures can make your travel comparatively risk-free. It's best to remain informed about any significant updates via the website which provides detailed guidance regarding travel in Egypt. The authorities in Egypt set and enforce entry rules. If you're not sure how these requirements apply to you, contact the Egyptian Consulate General in the UK.
Scottish Sun
a day ago
- Scottish Sun
Thousands of Brits are ditching Europe for these three cheap African holiday destinations
Holidays can be found for less than £300 each SEE EU LATER Thousands of Brits are ditching Europe for these three cheap African holiday destinations Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) WITH expensive costs and overcrowded attractions, thousands of Brits are ditching Europe for more affordable destinations in Africa. Recent research by TUI has seen a boom in demand for North African holidays. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 North Africa is becoming a much popular destination with Brits Credit: Alamy 3 Morocco has reported record tourist numbers Credit: Alamy Morocco, Egypt and Tunisia are all seeing a boom in demand, with destinations like Marrakech reporting record tourist numbers, TUI's UK commercial director Chris Logan said that the reason for the demand was not because of the "fantastic value for money" compared to pricier places in Europe. He told PA: "There's good quality accommodation and great weather beyond the traditional summer season. "Even in the winter months temperatures are mild, making them a perfect choice for year-round travel." And according to aviation analysts Cirium, nearly 20,000 flights are set to fly from London to North African destinations. This is up from around 8,600 back in 2019. Some of TUI's new routes include Stansted to Enfidha in Tunisia and from Newcastle to Agadir in Morocco. Holidays are extremely cheaply too - we found deals under £300 each when four-star hotels in Morocco. This demand has also been backed by who said they had seen an increase in searches for summer holidays to Tunisia by 64 per cent compared to last year. Searches for Egypt were up 64 per cent while Morocco was up 39 per cent. Inside luxury camping bivouac under the dunes in Morocco's Sahara desert Experts say many people are being drawn to the region by its wide availability of high-quality hotels costing considerably less than similar properties in locations such as Spain, France and Italy. Nicki Tempest-Mitchell, managing director at travel agency Barrhead Travel said north Africa was "a region to watch over the next few years". Other new Africa flights from the UK include easyJet's first route to Cape Verde from London Gatwick as well as flights to the Tunisia capital of Djbera. And Norse Airways is increasing its flights from the UK to Cape Town after huge demand following the launch of them last year. Julia Lo Bue-Said, chief executive of Advantage Travel Partnership, a network of independent travel agents, said there is a "clear trend toward value-conscious holiday planning". She went on: "Ongoing cost of living pressures and squeezed disposable incomes have meant that while people remain committed to taking holidays, they're increasingly focused on maximising value for money. "This shift has driven growing popularity for destinations like Morocco, Egypt and Tunisia, which offer more competitive pricing and high-quality accommodation options compared to the more traditional western Mediterranean resorts." The Sun's Deputy Travel Editor recently visited El Gouna in Egypt. Our Head of Travel (Print) Lisa Minot went to Djerba in Tunisia. And our Deputy Digital Sport Editor did a camping holiday in Morocco.
Economist
a day ago
- Economist
Globalisation is nuts
The lowly cashew is globalisation in a nutshell. The route from cashew tree to tasty snack follows a peripatetic journey. More than half of the world's cashew nuts are grown in African countries. Most are exported raw, mainly to Vietnam, for shelling and sorting, before being exported again as processed kernels. Often the nuts munched by Americans or Europeans have travelled more than 20,000km.
