Organize your stay Guinea
Money Guinea
The national currency is the Guinean franc (FG). There are bills of 500, 1,000, 2,000, 5,000, 10,000 and 20,000 FG. Coins have disappeared completely for several years now. The parity of the Guinean franc with the euro is variable, even very variable in recent years. 1 € = 8,900 FG in August 2022 and 10,000 FG = 1.13 €.
Budget & Tips Guinea
Hotels outside of Conakry are often modest and cost around 250,000 FG per night for one person with very uneven services and amenities. However, if your budget is limited, you will be able to find accommodations for less than 100 000 FG per night per person. For luxury hotels and car rentals, prices are in line with international tourism infrastructures with some excesses, especially in Conakry. There are few or no luxury hotels outside of Conakry. However, you will find a few decent establishments with nightly rates of 400 to 500,000 FG.
Food in gargotes (small restaurants) is not expensive at all; count between 10,000 FG and 15,000 FG for a hearty local rice dish. But beware of the hygiene which is not always guaranteed. For a full meal in a mid-range restaurant, you will have to count more or less 150 000 FG.
To rent a 4 x 4 vehicle with a driver, you should count 800 000 FG on average outside Conakry and a little less if you stay in the capital
Passport and visas Guinea
To enter Guinea, a visa is required for all non-ECOWAS travelers and a passport valid for at least six months from the date of return is necessary. The visa is now issued through the e-visa platform of the Republic of Guinea (https://www.paf.gov.gn/visa). If you arrive via Ahmed Sékou Touré airport, you can have the final visa sticker affixed upon arrival, in an office located in the arrival hall on the left before the checkpoints. If you arrive by land, you will not have a sticker affixed at the borders, but you will be able to circulate in the country with your receipt obtained when you applied. If you are staying in the country for a long period of time, you will have to go to the immigration office in Coléah in Conakry or to the airport to have the sticker affixed.
Driver's license Guinea
An international driver's license and car insurance are mandatory to drive a vehicle in Guinea. Please note that the international license is only valid in combination with your national license. As for the rest, the Guinean roads being what they are and the driving habits of the Guineans not always very orthodox, we advise you to hire a driver when you travel within the country.
Health Guinea
In Guinea, it is strongly advised against drinking tap water (when available) or well water. Whenever possible, you should drink bottled mineral water. If you can't do otherwise, don't hesitate to boil your water or to use water purification products (Micropur, Aquatab, Hydroclonazone...). This will save you a lot of discomfort. Also avoid eating raw or undercooked food. It is especially recommended to wash raw vegetables (tomatoes, cucumbers, salads...) well, because hepatitis A, most often benign (but not always), can be caught through water or poorly washed food. We also advise you not to drink artisanal curdled milk, because although it is very good, it is not pasteurized, and can transmit tuberculosis or brucellosis, which are still very common in the country. For short term travelers (less than one month), a prophylactic treatment against malaria is more than strongly recommended all year round. Ask your doctor or the Institut Pasteur for the most appropriate treatment at the time of your departure. Of course, remember to take a mosquito repellent for tropical areas to be applied regularly.
Mandatory vaccination Guinea
Before closing your suitcases, remember that your health is also part of the trip, it is even your most precious asset, and it is before leaving that you must think about it. For any stay in the country, the vaccine against yellow fever is recommended (mandatory only for people coming from certain countries where the disease is present) and the vaccines against tetanus, diphtheria and hepatitis A are indispensable. It is also strongly recommended to protect yourself against hepatitis B, typhoid fever, poliomyelitis and meningitis A and C.
Security Guinea
Overall, the country is quite safe for travelers. In Conakry, the atmosphere is less electric than in Dakar, for example. However, it is recommended to respect a few rules. In Conakry, you should absolutely avoid walking alone at night when leaving busy areas and beware of the Madina market, which is popular with pickpockets. It is strongly advised not to drive at night, in the capital as well as in the rest of the country, to avoid bad encounters.
For the latest information on security in the country, consult the "Travel Advice" section of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website: www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/voyageurs. Be aware, however, that the site provides an exhaustive list of potential dangers and that it sometimes gives a somewhat alarmist picture of the real situation in the country. Travelers' forums or Facebook groups such as "Conakry expats" can be interesting to get a different point of view.
Foreign women are respected and not attacked. But if you are traveling alone and on your own, expect to be approached frequently, in a friendly way.
Time difference Guinea
Guinea is in the GMT + 0 time zone all year round. In winter time in France (from November to March), when it is noon in Guinea, it is 1:00 pm in France. During summer time in France (April to October), when it is noon in Guinea, it is 2pm in France.
Spoken languages Guinea
The official language is French. You will therefore have no problem finding people to talk to in Conakry. However, in the interior of the country, it is sometimes more complicated to make yourself understood because the local populations express themselves essentially, if not only, in their local idiom. The main vernacular languages are Sousou, Malinke, Poular and the forest languages (Guerze, Toma).
Communication Guinea
Guinea's country code is 224 and there are no area codes. The numbers have 9 digits. To call from Guinea to France, dial 00 + 33 + the number of your correspondent, omitting the initial 0. Several operators (Orange, Cellcom, MTN-Areeba) are now present in the country, which makes the phone relatively cheap in Guinea, compared to its neighbors. On the other hand, coverage is not always provided everywhere and by everyone. This explains why a Guinean may have three cell phone numbers from three different operators. There is no subscription system for communications: you simply buy a chip and a recharge card (even on the street from a street vendor) to get credit. You can also buy credit or Internet packages directly on your phone, if you have an associated account. To call abroad, the rates are very reasonable with a cell phone. A chip costs between 5 000 FG and 15 000 FG. Using your cell phone: if you wish to keep your French plan, you will have to activate the international option (usually free) by calling your operator's customer service before leaving. Who pays what? The rule is the same for all operators. When you use your French phone abroad, you pay for the call, whether you make the call or receive it. In the case of an incoming call, your correspondent also pays, but only the price of a local call. All calls made from or to foreign countries are out of the package, including those to voice mail.
Electricity and measurements Guinea
The current supplied by the Guinean network is 220 volts (or thereabouts), as in France. The main hotels have generators to provide electricity. However, power cuts are still frequent and, outside the major cities, there is often little or no electricity. Remember to bring a rechargeable battery for your daily needs. After use, unplug your equipment to limit the risk of damage due to power cuts and especially to power outages
Weights and measures are the same as in Europe.
Luggage Guinea
Plan to wear loose-fitting, light cotton clothing to be comfortable in the sun, and long clothes if you plan to go into the bush and/or visit the villages in the interior of the country, knowing that for women it is more acceptable to reveal a plunging neckline than legs under a very short skirt. Do not forget a cap or a hat. Essential: a lamp for the frequent power cuts and a portable charger to always be able to recharge your phone. A raincoat for the rainy season (obviously) and a sweater for the cool evenings of the Fouta Djalon massif are welcome, but also scarves, light scarves or other to protect you from dust in the dry season and comfortable shoes adapted for walking on all types of paths.
