Abidjan & the Botanical Gardens of Bingerville
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Port
Abidjan, Ivory Coast
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Activity Level
Moderate Activity
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Excursion Type
All
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Wheelchair Accessible
No
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Starting At (prices in USD)
$310
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Minimum Age
Information Not Currently Available
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Duration
Approximately 6 Hours
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Meals Included
Meals included
Meet your guide and commence this interesting tour which will take you to the Botanical Gardens of Bingerville. Approximately 11 miles East of Abidjan, lies the city of Bingerville and its botanical gardens, which will be the first stop on this tour. The city, Bingerville, is named in honor of Louis-Gustave Binge Bingerville, a French officer and explorer, who was appointed governor of the Ivory Coast in 1893. Bingerville served as the capital of the Ivory Coast for 25 years in the early 1900s. The Botanical Gardens was created during the colonial period, initially acting as the garden of the residence of the Governor Angoulvant. In 1952, the garden was officially appointed as The Botanical Garden of Bingerville, covering an area of approximately 55 hectares. The Garden has had a great time of glory offering happiness to nature lovers, but the country’s economic crisis during the 1980s did not spare the Botanical Garden, and from this day today, the Garden is still marked by it. Inside the Garden, you will enjoy a wonderful, guided walk around the most beautiful areas, and you will get to experience the different fascinating trees, plants and flowers and learn some of the histories behind.
From the Botanical Garden, your tour will continue to an old boys’ orphanage. The orphanage originally acted as the governor’s house but was in 1972 made into a boys’ orphanage after the transfer of the capital from Bingerville to Abidjan. Whilst visiting the orphanage, you will also get to experience a captivating and life-enhancing dance show performed by some of the boys.
Re-board your coach and continue across the popular Henri Konan Bédié Bridge. The bridge is a 1,5km road bridge and expressway linking the north and south of Abidjan, crossing the Ébrié Lagoon and connecting the districts of Cocody and Marcory. Next stop on the tour will be at one of the popular local Ivorian restaurants, where you will enjoy a culinary lunch break experience, offering some of the most delicious and traditional Ivorian dishes. Continue through the area of Cocody, which has become an upscale residential neighborhood and is home to the presidential palace and numerous embassies, housing many of the wealthy businesspeople, ambassadors and other affluent people living in Abidjan. This is also, where you will find the largest United States Embassy in Africa. Continue with a scenic drive to the port.
Please note:
This tour focuses on giving to the Ivorian community, and there will be a donation ceremony during your visit to the boys' orphanage, where the tour operator makes a donation on your behalf at no cost to you. Photographing military or government installations is not allowed in Ivory Coast. Local logistics can be challenging; please expect to be flexible. Your understanding is appreciated. Your guide will do his/her best to speak English, but please keep in mind that the limited tourism infrastructure here is part of the city's charm, and bear with any language difficulties he/she may encounter. Your guide will likely have a very strong Ivorian accent. Transportation is basic and falls well short of the standard you will find in many other ports. Participants should be in good physical condition; please realistically assess your physical fitness and ability prior to booking, as the weather is very hot. Wear comfortable walking shoes. This tour is available to wheelchair guests traveling with a collapsible wheelchair, and who are able to make their own way on and off the coach with a companion to assist. Shade is limited; please dress accordingly. Bring bottled water and a hat and wear biodegradable sunscreen. Leave all valuables in a safe on board the ship. Bring local currency (euros), as many vendors do not accept credit cards or US dollars.