Finally here we are! The longed-for moment has arrived: tomorrow we leave to the Ivory Coast!

It had been a long time since we wanted to make this journey; for about 3 years I have read and studied the various destinations, even if it is not easy to find a lot of information, as it is certainly not a destination frequented by travelers.

We decided to have a guide and to let us study the itinerary by a local agency because, not only is it not easy to calculate times and distances, but above all it is difficult to understand where to go, where to find the villages and places where happen the various dances of the masks; it is essential to rely on someone from the place who knows where to go and who has the right contacts to better organize the trip.

The Ivory Coast is a country that is near the Equator and has a warm and humid climate, even if, in the months from October to March, in the central and Northern part of the country, the climate is drier thanks to the harmattan, a warm, dry wind blowing South and coming from the Sahara Desert; these are the best months to visit the country.

It is not a simple journey even if the country is more advanced than others in West Africa, let’s say that one needs the spirit of adaptation, but all in all it is a journey that can be faced by anyone.

Given the high temperatures in our suitcases we will bring light clothing such as T-shirts and shorts and a jacket for the evening; comfortable shoes that do not fear dust and dirt and swimsuit because, if we have time, all hotels have a swimming pool.

We will not miss our SLRs and our mirrorless, the latter we will also use it to film the dances of the masks and so it will be essential to bring the easel.

You cannot even miss sunscreen and sunglasses, the Equator sun is not joking!

Finally, it is good to bring with you the essential medicines and everything you may need, when you go to certain places a little remote you cannot know if you can find shops or pharmacies.

In my suitcase there will also be my favorite travel guide and the book Birds of Western Africa because, even if we do not do safari, we could spot birds, since two thirds of the Ivory Coast are occupied by Equatorial forest and plantations.