How to Travel West Africa on a Budget

West Africa is an interesting puzzle when it comes to budget travel.

Unlike many infamously expensive destinations – think Paris or Dubai – you’ll be “roughing it” in West Africa regardless of your budget.

Yet compared to reliably cheap backpacker havens like Laos, West Africa is a bit of a splurge. Let’s just come out and say it: the value for money might not seem great.

But that’s just one way of looking at it because it all depends on what you value.

If you care more about interesting conversations with locals and less about air-conditioned transportation, if you prize vast tracts of jungle and empty wild beaches more than having a toilet seat in your motel room, and if you crave adventure more than comfort, West Africa definitely won’t let you down.

Though you’ll never reach the absurdly low prices of Southeast Asia, for example, it IS possible to travel West Africa on a budget.

To pull it off, you’ll…