Beautiful Tourist Places to Visit in Koidu, Kono, East Africa, Africa

Beautiful Tourist Places to Visit in Koidu, Kono, East Africa, Africa

Koidu Town, also called as Koidu or Sefadu, is the capital as well as the largest city of Kono District in the Eastern Province of the African country, Sierra Leone. It holds the title of the 5^th largest city of the country and the 2^nd largest in the province. Koidu Town is located around 340 km east of the national capital, Freetown. Koidu Town is well known as a diamond trade center as its surrounding areas are opulent in diamond mining.

Koidu Town is home to a famous soccer club, the Diamond Stars, which plays in Sierra Leone National Premier League. Koidu Town coordinates with 8°38′38″ N latitude and 10°58′18″ W longitude.

How to get Koidu Town?

Koidu Town is served by Yengema Airport, situated around 12 km southwest of the centre of Koidu Town. The airport is catered by Eagle Air with scheduled flights from Bo, Freetown and Kenema. Taxis are generally available at the airport, though booking rental car prior to reaching the airport would be helpful for comfort and convenient airport travel.

Koidu Town is connected to all the major cities of the country by road but road condition and bus services are not upgraded, so advised to take a private vehicle.

Food and Shopping in Koidu Town:

Koidu Town is home to people belonging to different communities, including Kono people. Like most parts of the country, Krio language is commonly communicated in Koidu Town. Koidu Town is noted for its colorful traditional shops and restaurants.

Things to do in Koidu Town:

Visiting diamond mines
Traditional shopping
Hiking

Tourist Attractions in Koidu Town:

Diamond mines in Koidu:

Diamond mining is the backbone of Koidu’s economy and in recent years, it has also been popularized among visitors as a tourist destination. Exploring diamond mines through a guided tour is recommended for convenience.

Kangari Hills Forest Reserve:

Situated to the west of Koidu Town, the Kangari Hills Forest Reserve occupies an area of 8,573 hectares and is known for being home to endangered forest elephants. It was established in 1924.

Tingi Hills Forest Reserve:

The Tingi Hills Forest Reserve is situated at an altitude between 400 and 1850 metres, covering an area of 118.85 sq. km. Established in 1947, the reserve is home to western baboons and forest elephants and around 200 species of birds. It is situated towards the northeast of Koidu.

Yengema Airport:

Sierra Leone’s one of the busiest airports, the Yengema Airport is situated 396 meters above sea level, around 12 km from the heart of Koidu Town. It can be reached by rental car.

List of other places of interest near Koidu Town include:

Gola West Forest Reserve
Loma Mountains Forest Reserve
Gola East Forest Reserve
South Kambui Hills Forest Reserve
Gola North Forest Reserve
Outamba Kilimi National Park
National Rail Museum in Freetown
John’s Maroon Church in Freetown
Sierra Leone National Museum in Freetown
Beaches of Freetown
Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary in Freetown

Best time to visit Koidu Town:

The best time to visit Koidu Town depends on visitors’ interest, however, the most popular time is from December to May.

Hotels in and around Koidu Town:

Uncle Ben’s Guest House is the major accommodation centre in Koidu, offering breakfast, AC, hot water and all other essential facilities. It charges between Le 165,000 and 210,000 per night. For more options, below is provided hotels in the nearby cities of Koidu, in Kenema (around 120 km), Bo (around 210 km) and Makeni (around 160 km):