Things to do in Tiwai Island Wildlife Sanctuary

Best time to visit Tiwai Island Wildlife Sanctuary

• a note or something on   ✦ an occasion worth the trip

• November to April

  Dry season: roads passable, river lower and calmer, beaches exposed, trails walkable. November is the standout month.

• May to October

  Rainy season: heavy rain, damaged rural roads, high fast river, muddy trails and a real risk of not reaching the island.

Best things to do in Tiwai Island Wildlife Sanctuary

• Guided Daytime Forest Walk

  Tiwai Island · $

  Guided morning and afternoon walks are the reliable way to see Diana monkeys, colobus and mangabeys in the canopy.

• Guided Night Forest Walk

  Tiwai Island · $

  A torchlit night walk for nocturnal mammals, owls and roosting birds, and with luck signs of pygmy hippo.

• Kambama Village Visit and Tiwai Community Heritage Trail

  Kambama · $

  Village visits and the heritage trail link the eight host communities that own and support the sanctuary.

Where to stay in Tiwai Island Wildlife Sanctuary

• Tiwai Island camp

  every visitor, the only island base

  Sleeping on the island is the only way to do the dawn and night walks that are the reason to come.

Think twice about

• Roads outside the Freetown peninsula after dark

  Night road travel outside Freetown is unsafe, and help cannot reach remote areas at night. Travel to Tiwai in daylight only.

• Bo or Kenema as a Tiwai base

  Sleeping in town means missing the dawn and night walks and repeating the rough final track and boat crossing each day. Sleep on the island.

Best restaurants in Tiwai Island Wildlife Sanctuary

• Tiwai Island Camp Kitchen

  Tiwai Island · $

  The only kitchen on the island, serving community cooked rice, stews and sauces, with a European option on request.

Outdoor things to do in Tiwai Island Wildlife Sanctuary

• Moa River Canoe Tour

  Moa River · $

  A guided canoe circuit of the island for hornbills, otters and the rainforest seen from the water.

• Moa River Speedboat Tour

  Moa River · $$

  A faster 90 minute river circuit charged per small group, covering rapids and banks the canoe cannot reach.

• Tiwai Island Beach Walk and River Beach

  Tiwai Island north end · $

  A guided walk to the northern river beaches, where dry season sandbanks appear and otters are sometimes seen.

Best hotels in Tiwai Island Wildlife Sanctuary

• Tiwai Island Campsite

  Tiwai Island · $

  Tents on raised canopied platforms in the forest, the cheapest bed on the island and the closest to the wildlife.

• Tiwai Island Visitors Centre

  Tiwai Island · $$

  The main lodge with dorm beds, single and double rooms, solar lighting, bathrooms and an outdoor dining area.

• Tiwai Island Research Lodge

  Tiwai Island · $$

  The quieter research lodge with dorm beds and single rooms, taking visitors when research bookings allow.

Is Tiwai Island Wildlife Sanctuary expensive? What a day costs

A day of food, drink, sights and getting around, before the room

What to book ahead

• Guided Daytime Forest Walk: a few days ahead
• Guided Night Forest Walk: a few days ahead
• Kambama Village Visit and Tiwai Community Heritage Trail: a few days ahead
• Moa River Canoe Tour: a few days ahead
• Moa River Speedboat Tour: a few days ahead
• Tiwai Island Beach Walk and River Beach: a few days ahead
• Tiwai Island Campsite: weeks ahead
• Tiwai Island Visitors Centre: weeks ahead

• Confirm room or platform, meals, walks and the Kambama boat with the sanctuary office before leaving Bo.
• Carry cash in leones, as fees are payable in leones at the daily exchange rate and cards are not a plan on the island.

Is Tiwai Island Wildlife Sanctuary safe?

• Take malaria precautions, carry all prescription medicines, and hold evacuation insurance for a remote forest stay.
• A yellow fever certificate is required for entry to Sierra Leone.
• Ask about boat condition and life jackets before river tours, and swim only where your guide advises in the dry season.

Tiwai Island Wildlife Sanctuary travel tips: tourist traps to skip

• Building a tight flight connection after a rainy season departure from Tiwai.
• Expecting a hotel, restaurant choice, reliable signal or air conditioning on the island.
• Counting on seeing a pygmy hippo, which is shy and largely nocturnal.

Getting around Tiwai Island Wildlife Sanctuary: public transport and more

• Hire a 4x4 with a driver from Freetown or Bo, go via Bo and Potoru to Kambama, then take the sanctuary boat across the Moa River.
• Travel in daylight only and park the vehicle securely at Kambama overnight.
• Public transport does not reach the island, and the last stretch is an okada ride if you come by shared vehicle.

Who Tiwai Island Wildlife Sanctuary suits

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