Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve

Mount Nimba rises above the surrounding savanna at the point where Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea and Liberia meet, and its slopes carry forest at the base and montane grassland on the ridges, a combination that has produced species restricted to this one massif: a viviparous toad that bears live young, horseshoe bats, and a long list of plants. It was inscribed as World Heritage in 1981 and placed on the danger list in 1992 because of iron ore mining pressure and settlement.

Background

The reserve covers 175.4 square kilometres, 125.4 in Guinea and 50 in Côte d'Ivoire, on the Nimba Range, a narrow ridge approximately 40 km long running northeast to southwest at the southern end of the Guinea Highlands. Mount Richard-Molard, at 1,752 m, is the highest point of both countries. The Ivorian side was protected in 1943 and the Guinean side in 1944. About fifty springs rise here, among them the sources of the Cavally, Cestos and Sassandra rivers. Lowland forest climbs to 600 meters, and from 900 meters, where cloud covers the mountain most of the year, mossy forest grows. More than 2000 vascular plant species and 680 vertebrate species are recorded.

Source: Wikipedia, "Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve"

What you'll find

• The ridge grassland - montane meadow on the upper slopes, unusual in West Africa.
• The viviparous toad - a species that bears live young, found only on this massif.
• The forest belt - closed forest on the lower slopes below the grassland.
• The triple border - the meeting of three countries on the mountain.

When to go

November to March is the dry season and the practical window. The rains from April to October make the tracks difficult. Mornings are clearest on the ridges.

Practical notes

It is a strict nature reserve and access is restricted, requiring permits and guides arranged in advance. There is no visitor infrastructure. The property has been on the List of World Heritage in Danger since 1992.

Nearby

Danane is east, and Man is beyond it.

Key facts