Best Tourist Places to Visit in Kabala, Koinadugu, North Africa, Africa

Best Tourist Places to Visit in Kabala, Koinadugu, North Africa, Africa

Kabala is a city and the seat of Koinadugu District in the Northern Province of Sierra Leone, geographically positioned at 9°35′ N 11°33′ W. Hidden gem in the northern part of Sierra Leone, Kabala is a paradise for tourists, especially for those who are fond of nature and festivities. With the opportunities of incredible panoramic views of hills and valleys, Kabala has promoted itself as one of the top natural tourist destinations in Sierra Leone.

Kabala is situated near the Sierra Leonean border with Guinea, around 135 km northeast of the provincial capital, Makeni and 320 km northeast of the national capital, Freetown. A well paved road makes travelling easier between these cities.

History of Kabala:

The history of Kabala goes back to 1895 when the British colonial administration post was shifted to Kabala from the village of Fabala. The name Kabala is derived from Limba and Fula languages, meaning ‘Bala’s place’, where prefix ‘ka’ is used to identify place. According to documenyted history, Kabala had seen substantial development in the 1930s as a trade centre during the British rule.

Connectivity to Kabala:

Kabala is home to an airport that is located within the city premise, but currently probably no airlines serve airport. So international tourists are needed to reach Lungi International Airport near Freetown. This airport is situated around 320 km southwest of Kabala and receives flights from London, Casablanca, Paris, Nairobi and other global destinations.

Kabala is linked to Freetown by a direct road passing through the city of Makeni. Minibuses are the prevalent option to move within Kabala.

Culture, Food and Shopping in Kabala:

Kabala is famous for the New Year’s Day picnic which is a genuine traditional event taking place at the tip of the Wara Wara Mountain range. There is also roofed market, a cinema hall and both traditional and modernized restaurants in Kabala.

Things to do in Kabala:

Festival celebration
Hiking
Shopping

Places of interest in Kabala:

Wara Wara Mountain range:

Dominating the city of Kabala, the Wara Wara Mountain range is a winsome natural attraction, where New Year’s Day picnic is organized and celebrated by a large gathering of people with great enthusiasm and fervor.

Outamba-Kilimi National Park:

The Outamba-Kilimi National Park is located around 35 km northwest of Kabala. It is a perfect site for those who are nature and adventure sport enthusiasts. The park features an equal blend of rain forest and savanna areas and its major attractions include chimpanzees, while colobus monkeys, elephants and pygmy hippos are the other highlights of Outamba-Kilimi.

Loma Mountains:

The Loma Mountains is noted as the highest mountain range in Sierra Leone, situated to the southeast of Kabala. It occupies an area of 33,201 hectares, including its highest peak Mount Bintumani.

Lake Sonfon National Park:

Situated around 60 km south of the Kabala city, the Lake Sonfon National Park is a fresh water lake with religious importance, spanning over an area of 8.2 sq. km. For bird lovers, the Lake Sonfon is heaven with a wide range of bird species, including Splendid Sunbird, Pied-winged Swallow and Red-faced Pytilia.

List of other places of interest near Kabala include:

Outamba Kilimi National Park
Kuru Hills Forest Reserve
Kilimi National Park
Sierra Leone National Museum
John’s Maroon Church in Freetown
Beaches of Freetown
Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary
National Rail Museum in Freetown

When to visit Kabala?

Like most parts of Kabala, from December to March is the best time to visit Kabala to enjoy scenic beauties and festivities.

Hotels in Kabala:

There are hotels less in number, so below is provided hotels in the nearby cities of Kabala. In the below list, the first 3 hotels are in Makeni (around 135 km from Kabala) and the rest of hotels are located in the national capital Freetown (around 320 km from Kabala):