The third-largest city in Sierra Leone, Kenema is perhaps best known as a centre for diamond mining. It is also the main centre of the Eastern Province and a vibrant trading centre for cocoa, coffee, palm oil and timber.

Visitors to Kenema will likely use the town as a base from which to visit Gola Forest Reserve, the South Kambui Hills Forest Reserve and Gola National Park.

At the heart of Sierra Leone, visitors will find bustling Makeni, a trading town and the economic hub of the country’s Northern Province.

Makeni is home to the Temne people who are largely engaged in agricultural activities. The town is therefore a major trading centre for production such as palm oil and kernels, as well as rice. The Makeni women are particularly well known for their Gara tie-dying talents.

Travellers will likely use Makeni as a base from which to embark on their journey north to OutambaKilimi National Park.

Located in Sierra Leone’s Northern Province, the rural town of Bendugu is near the border with the Republic of Guinea. Predominantly an agricultural centre, Bendugu and surrounds are home to the Yalunka and Kuranko people who still follow traditional religious beliefs.

Quiet and cool, the northern town of Kabala is perhaps most famous for its New Year’s celebrations which draw locals for miles wanting to ring in the new year from the imposing Gbawuria Hill which looms over the town. Nearby Senekedugu Village is a must-stop for visitors to get a window on how a local agricultural village is run and, for keen hikers, the nearby WaraWara Mountains, as well as Mount Bintumani, can be reached from this town.