Ethnographic trip to the Ivory Coast ► Tribal Rituals and Masks

Ethnographic trip to the Ivory Coast from 26 Dec. 2026 to 5 Jan. 2027 / From 3,160€

This ethnographic trip to the Ivory Coast allows travellers to discover a vast tribal diversity, witness some of Africa's most impressive masked dances, and admire architectural gems, all of which enhance the experience. During this trip, we will tour the center, north and south of the country to capture the essence of Ivory Coast. The purpose of the trip will be to see as many dances as possible in order to admire the tribal art of the different ethnic groups.

This ethnographic trip to the Ivory Coast will begin with an architectural tour of the coastal city of Abidjan. Next, we will advance towards the Akan country. There, we will have an audience with the king in his palace and witness a religious ritual of the Komian priestesses. In Baulé territory, we will meet traditional weavers and attend a 'goli' mask dance by the Gbomi tribe and a 'zaoli' masquerade by the Guro group. We will continue to Guere country, where we will witness the acrobatics of the snake girls' ritual and the 'Gba' masquerade.

Our tour will continue heading north. On the way, we will enjoy the 'guegbrin' dance, performed on stilts, and the 'guekouena' masquerades. In the 'voltaic' region, we will visit a Senu Fulani community and a Senufo temple, where we will have the opportunity to attend an initiation ceremony. We will be able to admire the buffalo masks and various magical rituals, accompanied by the 'dozo' hunters. During our descent towards the south, we will visit wonderful buildings of vernacular architecture as well as Sudanese and Ivorian styles. Our trip will end with an urban tour of Grand Bassam, where we will attend a voodoo ritual.

Download the itinerary for this ethnographic trip to the Ivory Coast

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Discover the highlights of this ethnographic trip to the Ivory Coast

► We will witness the ceremonies of the most traditional tribes

Komian ceremony by the Agni tribe

The Agni tribe is a matrilineal society ruled by a king. Their religion develops around the sacred forest and the temple of fetishes, guarded by Komián priestesses. During this ethnographic trip to the Ivory Coast, we will delve into the religious world of the Komián. After visiting the temple, we will walk to the sacred forest, where a religious ritual linked to ancestral spirits will be performed.

Zaoli dance by the Guro tribe

The traditional 'zaoli' dance consists of a very fast movement of the legs, while the upper part of the body appears immobile or moves only slowly horizontally.

Ritual of the snake girls of the Guere tribe

The mythical ritual of the snake girls of the Guere tribe consists of an incredible spectacle based on acrobatics. The face paintings of the participants are a delight for photographers and anyone interested in African art.

Initiation ceremony by the Senufo tribe

We will visit a cult temple of the Senufo tribe in an animist neighborhood of the city of Korhogo. There, we will have the opportunity to attend a Senufo initiation ceremony, called 'wambelé'. We will be able to admire the buffalo masks and various magical rituals, accompanied by the 'dozo' hunters, 'fetish' men of the animist societies of the African Sahel.

► We will admire architectural jewels

During this ethnographic trip to the Ivory Coast, we will enjoy magnificent examples of vernacular architecture, both in the Sudanese and Ivorian styles.