Tourist Places to Visit in Daru, Kailahun, East Africa, Africa

Tourist Places to Visit in Daru, Kailahun, East Africa, Africa

Daru is a town belonging to the Kailahun District in the Eastern Province of the African country Sierra Leone. It is relatively a small town with a population of 5,958 (as of the 2010 census), located around 40 km northeast and 130 km east of the cities of Kenema and Bo respectively and around 430 km southeast of Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone. Daru is the site of Sierra Leone’s one of the largest military barracks.

Daru’s population is dominated by the Mende people, who are one of the two important and largest ethnic groups forming the population of Sierra Leone. Daru is the birthplace of an eminent Sierra Leonean musician, Steady Bongo. Daru is geographically positioned between 07°59′31″ N latitude and 10°50′26″ W longitude.

How to reach Daru?

Kenema Airport is the closest airport to Daru, located around 45 km away from the centre of Daru. Kenema Airport offers scheduled flight services from/to Freetown and Bo. The Bo Airport is situated around 130 km from Daru.

After getting down at Kenema Airport or Bo Airport, visitors can choose rental car and taxi to get Daru. If one choose bus would be cost effective. Minibuses and motorbikes are generally used for local travel in Daru.

Culture, Food and Shopping in Daru:

Daru is culturally rich town, made more popular by one of the most renowned Sierra Leonean musicians, Steady Bongo, who was born and grew up in Daru.

There are also many nice restaurants and shops in Daru and for more options, the nearby city Kenema is a right place.

Things to do in Daru:

Shopping
Walking
Visiting nearby forest reserves

Places of interest in Daru:

Moa River:

The Moa River originates in the highlands of Guinea and flows through the Southern Province of Sierra Leone before merging into Atlantic Ocean. The town of Daru is situated on both the banks of the river, where the river has become famous among both locals and visitors as a great water sport destination.

Kenema:

Kenema is a nearby town of Daru and the 3^rd largest city of Sierra Leone. It is relatively an upgraded city with many entertainment venues. The major attractions of Kenema include Kenema Shopping Mall, clock tower and downtown Kenema. Kenema is located around 40 km from Daru, can be reached by minibus.

Kambui Hills Forest Reserve:

The Kambui Hills Forest Reserve is situated near the Kenema city, covering an area of 14,335 hectares. It is mainly famous for bird watching, which is popularized by around 200 different bird species, including White-necked Picathartes, Yellow-casqued Hornbill and Green-tailed Bristlebill.

List of other places of interest near Daru include:

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

Best time to visit Daru:

Visitors are the decision makers in choosing the right time to visit Daru, though, those who are keen to enjoy outdoor activities in Daru can choose any month between December and May.

Hotels in Daru:

There are tourist favor hotels very few in Daru, so it would be better and convenient if visitors consider the nearby cities Kenema and Bo’s hotels to have healthy hospitality services. The major hotels in Kenema (around 40 km from Daru) and Bo (around 130 km):