The checklist as a PDF
Entry, health, money, transport and safety, laid out for print, with their sources and verification date.
Guinea
West Africa
Paradise beaches, tropical forest, mountains and waterfalls. Atlantic frontage and the mountain landscapes of Nimba.
- On the map
CapitalConakry
When to goDecember to April
Suggested length8 days min.
CurrencyGuinean franc / Guinean franc
LanguagesFrench +1
The Viafro verdict
For whom, and for which trip.
An editorial bearing, with no percentage and no rating: our criteria are written down, and every “good to know” links to its source.
- For which trip
- Conakry · Fouta-Djalon · Kankan · Labé
- Best season
- December to April, from Conakry’s normals
- Length
- Allow at least 8 days for these 4 essentials, one stop every two or three days. (Viafro’s rule of thumb)
Best time to visit
Twelve months, in colour.
Hover or tap a month: its reading and its source appear. Bars measure rain, the figure is the capital’s mean maximum.
Possible
November
Conakry: mean maximum 31 °C, 80 mm of rain · frequent rain.
- Mean maximum
- 31 °C
- Rain
- 80 mm
- Station
- Conakry
Source: Wikipedia (climate normals)
Before you go
The essentials, tab by tab.
Entry, health, safety, money and facts: dated official extracts, never paraphrased.
Visa, passport, customs
GOV.UK advice, written for British passport holders. French travellers: see France Diplomatie (https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/fr/information-par-pays/guinee/conseils-aux-voyageurs-entree-sejour).
- To enter Guinea, your passport must have an ‘expiry date’ at least 6 months after the date you arrive. Check with your travel provider that your passport and other travel documents meet requirements. Renew your passport if you need to.
- You must have a visa to visit Guinea for up to 90 days. Make sure you apply for the correct visa – British nationals have been refused entry with the wrong one.
- To enter Guinea, you must have a certificate to prove you’ve had a yellow fever vaccination if you’re coming from a country listed as a transmission risk. For more details about medical entry requirements and recommended vaccinations, including yellow fever, see TravelHealthPro’s Guinea guide.
Vaccines, malaria, water
This is not medical advice: talk to your doctor or an international vaccination centre before you travel.
- At least 8 weeks before your trip: There are occasional outbreaks of Ebola in Guinea. The last one was in 2021. Cholera and malaria are also present in Guinea and have similar early symptoms to Ebola. You can read more information on Ebola and similar diseases.
- Medical facilities are poor. Equipment is basic and often not sterile. Carry basic medical supplies and a first aid kit. For serious medical treatment, medical evacuation to Europe is necessary.
Per the ministries
Viafro gives no safety rating: here are the zones and advice published by the French ministry (in French) and the official extracts, with their dates.
Vigilance zones published by France Diplomatie (in French) · page updated on 15 Sept 2026 · see the official map
- Orange · Zones déconseillées sauf raison impérative
Les zones frontalières avec le Mali et la Côte d’Ivoire, comprenant les villes de Siguiri et Mandiana ainsi que la réserve naturelle de Kankan, sont déconseillées sauf raison impérative (orange).
Le reste du territoire guinéen est placé en vigilance renforcée (jaune).
- Zone · Haute banlieue de Conakry
Il est déconseillé de résider dans les quartiers situés à l’est de Kipé et Taouyah sans prendre de solides précautions de sécurité (blindage des portes, contact radio ou téléphonique avec l’ambassade ou un chef d’îlot).
- For assistance or to report a crime in Conakry, call the local police Commissaire on +224 622 86 94 71.
- There is a high threat of terrorist attack globally affecting UK interests and British nationals, including from groups and individuals who view the UK and British nationals as targets. Stay aware of your surroundings at all times.
What the country’s law provides
Photography, alcohol, drugs, relationships: the rules published by the ministries, quoted as they stand, without comment.
- Do not become involved with illegal drugs of any kind. If you commit a drugs crime, you are likely to be prosecuted. There are heavy penalties for those convicted.
Currency
Guinean franc / Guinean francViafro publishes no price or budget range without a source: amounts will come from our own expenses recorded on the ground, dated and itemised.
- There are strict rules about goods you can take into or out of Guinea. You must declare anything that may be prohibited or subject to tax or duty.
Express card
Structured data from Wikidata and the CIA World Factbook, re-checked at every site update.
- Population · 2025
- 15,099,727
- Time zone
- −1 h from Paris
- Plugs and voltage
- Type C, F and K plugs · 220 V
- Driving side
- Driving on the right
- Calling code
- +224
- Languages
- French, languages of Guinea
- Area
- 245,857 km²
- Highest point
- Mount Richard-Molard, 1,752 m
- Main religions
- Muslim 85.2%, Christian 13.4%, animist 0.2%, none 1.2%
Getting there and around
Airports, roads and transport.
- CKYAhmed Sékou Touré International AirportConakry573,600 passengers · official site
- NZENzérékoré AirportNzérékoré
- FAAFaranah AirportFaranah
- KNNKankan AirportKankan
Direct flights from Paris are to be checked on the airport’s or airline’s website.
On the road
- If you are planning to drive in Guinea, see information on driving abroad. You’ll need to have both the 1949 version of the international driving permit (IDP) and your UK driving licence with you in the car. You cannot buy an IDP outside the UK, so get one before you travel.
Destinations
The essentials.
Conakry
Conakry ( KON-ə-kree, French: [kɔnakʁi]; Susu: Kɔnakiri; N'Ko: ߞߐߣߊߞߙߌ߫, romanized: Kɔnakrí; Fula: 𞤑𞤮𞤲𞤢𞥄𞤳𞤭𞤪𞤭, romanized: Konaakiri) is the capital and largest city of Guinea.
Fouta-Djalon
Fouta Djallon (Fula: Fuuta Jaloo, ࢻُوتَ جَلࣾو, 𞤊𞤵𞥅𞤼𞤢 𞤔𞤢𞤤𞤮𞥅; Arabic: فوتا جالون) is a highland region in the center of Guinea, roughly corresponding with Middle Guinea, in West Africa.
Kankan
Kankan (Mandingo: Kánkàn; N’ko: ߞߊ߲ߞߊ߲߫) is the largest city in Guinea in land area, and the second largest in population, with a population of 410,542 people as at the Census of 1 July 2025.
Labé
Labé (Pular: 𞤂𞤢𞤦𞤫) is the main city and administrative capital of the Fouta Djallon region of Guinea.
Fouta Djalon
Maarten van der BentMust-try food
Six dishes, and where to taste them.
Riz gras
Riz gras or riz au gras is a rice-based dish in Beninese, Burkinabé, Guinean, Ivorian, and Togolese cuisines, in West Africa. It is also prepared in other African countries, such as Senegal, where it is called tiebou djen and is prepared with significant amoun
Yétissé
Le Yétissé est un ragoût traditionnel originaire de la cuisine guinéenne. Il est généralement cuisiné avec du poisson et est servi avec du riz aux gombos. C’est un plat riche en légumes et la présence du gombo dans le yétéssi donne une consistance très particu (summary in French)
Footi
Lafidi is a vegetable and tomato sauce from Guinea. It is also eaten in Senegalese cuisine.
Sauce feuille
La sauce feuille est une sauce à base d'un mélange de feuilles, souvent de manioc, gombo, patates ou encore épinards. Elle est consommée dans toute l'Afrique de l'Ouest, en général avec du riz blanc ou du foutou. Elle inclut en général de la viande ou du poiss (summary in French)
Soupe kandia
Soup kandia is a traditional West African soup widely consumed in countries such as Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea, Senegal, and Mali. It is especially popular among Mandinka, Wolof, and Dioula communities. The dish is primarily made with okra, which gives it a slimy t
Thieboudienne
Ceebu or tiep is a traditional dish from Senegal that is also consumed in Mauritania, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Mali, The Gambia, and other West and Central African countries. It is the national dish in Senegal. The version of tiep called ceebu jën or chebu jen –
Culture and etiquette
Customs, dress, useful words.
- Bonjourhello
- Mercithank you
- S’il vous plaîtplease
- Entries checked on Wiktionary.
- Religions: Muslim 85.2%, Christian 13.4%, animist 0.2%, none 1.2%.
- Languages: French (official), Pular, Maninka, Susu, other native languages.
Festivals and events
The big dates.
- National holiday
Independence Day, 2 October (1958) ; independence: 2 October 1958 (from France).
Fixed dates and moveable events, each with its source; moveable dates change every year and are to be checked on an official calendar.
Did you know?
Three things to remember.
The country’s highest point, Mount Richard-Molard, reaches 1,752 m.
15,099,727 inhabitants in 2025 on 245,857 km², about 61 per km².
Independence on 2 October 1958 (from France).
Gallery
See it before you go.
Real photographs: free images under a verified licence and Viafro images. Never a generated image. Credits in the footer.
Share your trip with #viafro: the best images will join this gallery, with your credit.
Live, work, invest
A few key figures.
Sourced data (World Bank). No investment advice.
GDP per capita (current US$)1.9World Bank · 2025GDP growth7.4 %World Bank · 2025Inflation (consumer prices)3.6 %World Bank · 2025Unemployment (ILO estimate)5.2 %World Bank · 2025International tourist arrivals99World Bank · 2017
World Bank data (World Development Indicators), consulted on 28 Oct 2026. Tourist arrivals are the latest year published.
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Sources and verification dates · 20 sources, checked on 28 Oct 2026
Travel advice · GOV.UK (FCDO)Entry, visa, safety: the official page, kept up to date by the ministry. Travel health · US CDCVaccines and precautions from a reference medical source. World Heritage · UNESCOThe country’s inscribed sites and tentative list. WikidataCapital and currency, verified structured data.
- Wikidata · Guinea (Q1006)
- World Bank · World Development Indicators
- GOV.UK (FCDO) · Guinea · Foreign travel advice · Entry requirements (page updated on 19 Oct 2026)
- GOV.UK (FCDO) · Guinea · Foreign travel advice · Health (page updated on 19 Oct 2026)
- GOV.UK (FCDO) · Guinea · Foreign travel advice · Safety and security (page updated on 19 Oct 2026)
- Wiktionary · Checked entries (French)
- Wikipedia · Riz gras
- Wikipedia · Yétissé
- Wikipedia · Footi
- Wikipedia · Sauce feuille
- Wikipedia · Soupe kandia
- Wikipedia · Thieboudienne
- Wikipedia · Conakry
- Wikipedia · Fouta-Djalon
- Wikipedia · Kankan
- Wikipedia · Labé
- CIA World Factbook · Guinea (public domain) (page updated on 29 Oct 2026)
- France Diplomatie · Guinée · Travel advice · Security (zones, in French) (page updated on 15 Sept 2026)
- Wikidata · Airports of the country (IATA code, traffic) (page updated on 29 Oct 2026)
- Wikipedia (climate normals) · Conakry · monthly normals (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) (page updated on 29 Oct 2026)
Information checked on 28 Oct 2026. Check the official source before you travel. Viafro gives no safety rating and publishes no price without a source.
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