Experience BABI 2026 · Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire
Akwaba.
Welcome to Babi.
Au cœur de la Côte d’Ivoire.
Spend the holidays in the city Abidjanais call Babi — ten days of culture, coast, and celebration with friends and community, from Christmas through New Year. Not a tour. A homecoming.
Dec 25, 2026 – Jan 3, 2027 · 10 days / 9 nights
ak·wa·ba — welcome, in the language of the Akan.
Experience BABI is where culture, celebration, and community meet — ten days in Abidjan, over the holidays, with people who feel like family.
When
25 Dec – 3 Jan
How long
10 Days · 9 Nights
Home base
Villa in Cocody
The night
NYE All-Black Affair
From
$2,900 / person
Your host on the ground
Meet your host
Daniel Kadeba
Founder & host · Experience BABI
Daniel is the heart behind Experience BABI. What began as a personal love for Côte d’Ivoire has grown into a yearly tradition — gathering friends, family, and community to experience Abidjan the way it’s meant to be felt, not toured.
After the success of BABI Trip ’24, he’s back with a refined 2026 journey over the holidays. Think of him less as a tour operator and more as the friend who knows the city, sweats the details, and makes sure everyone feels at home from the moment you land. With AkwabaCI handling logistics on the ground, your only job is to show up and experience Babi.
- Host & guide
- BABI Trip ’24
- In partnership with AkwabaCI
The trip
Where the days take you
A relaxed ten-day rhythm with culture, coast, and downtime in balance — you’ll see Babi the way locals live it, then trade the city for the beach to close out the year
Home base
Villa in Cocody
One shared villa in leafy, upscale Cocody — the group’s living room for the whole trip.
Home base
Le Plateau
Towers, trade, and energy — the skyline that earned Abidjan the name “Manhattan of West Africa.”
Markets & music
Treichville
Markets, maquis, and rhythm — the soulful quarter where Coupé-Décalé found its beat.
Coast & history
Grand-Bassam
The UNESCO World Heritage streets of the old colonial capital, where history meets the Atlantic.
Beach escape
Assinie
A coastal stay where the lagoon meets the ocean — sand, sun, and space to breathe.
The big night
NYE All-Black Affair
Ring in the new year in style at the trip’s signature celebration — the one everyone talks about.
Built around a 10-day / 9-night flow of culture, food, and traditional music, with group dinners, real downtime, and flexibility for your own plans. Organized in partnership with AkwabaCI, whose scale and care keep it all running smoothly. BABI Trip ’24 is our template — refined for 2026 by your feedback and group size.
What makes it special
The moments that stay with you
- Ring in the year at the NYE All-Black Affair — the trip’s signature night.
- Settle into a shared villa in Cocody — leafy, unhurried, and yours for the week.
- Trade the city for the sea with a coastal stay in Assinie, where lagoon meets ocean.
- Built-in downtime and flexibility — group when you want it, space when you don’t.
- Cook side by side with locals in an immersive culinary workshop with the community.
- Explore the city and coast — Plateau, Treichville, and historic Grand-Bassam.
- Move to live traditional music and taste your way through unforgettable Ivorian food.
- Welcomed with Akwaba hospitality, powered by AkwabaCI from the moment you land.
Who it’s for
Open to friends & community
No experience required, no agenda to sell. Experience BABI is for anyone ready to spend the holidays somewhere that feels like home — together.
Friends & community
The whole point. A group of good people experiencing Abidjan together — shared meals, shared memories, and the kind of trip you’ll still be talking about next year.
Couples & families
Travel as two or bring the family. Couple rates and children’s rates are available, so no one gets left behind for the holidays.
Diaspora & first-timers
Whether you’re returning to West Africa or arriving for the first time, this is a warm, well-organized first trip — soft landing, real connection, zero stress.
Culture & food lovers
Live music, vibrant markets, contemporary art, and a hands-on culinary workshop — attiéké, alloco, and the flavors that make Ivorian cooking unforgettable.
From BABI Trip ’24
Last year, in pictures
A look back at the trip that started it all — the villa, the city, the coast, and the people who made it home. The 2026 trip carries the same spirit.
Villa in Cocody
Traditional music & dance
Group dinner, all together
Le Plateau skyline
Grand-Bassam, the old coast
Culinary workshop
Treichville market
Coastal days in Assinie
New Year, All-Black Affair
I started BABI to share the Côte d’Ivoire I love with the people I love. Every year it grows — and every year, no one’s ready to come home.
— Daniel Kadeba, Host of Experience BABI
The details
What’s included
Your spot covers the experience end to end — here’s exactly what’s handled, and what to plan for on your own.
Included
- Visa assistance
- Personalized airport welcome & transfers
- Accommodation with daily breakfast
- Welcome dinner
- NYE All-Black Affair
- Sightseeing tours
- Local transportation throughout
- Bilingual tour guide
- Cultural events
- Immersive culinary workshop with the local community
Not included
- Roundtrip airfare
- Valid passport
- Visa application fee (required to enter — we’ll help facilitate)
- Travel insurance (recommended)
- Medical travel insurance (recommended)
- COVID-19 testing & vaccines (yellow fever required for entry)
- Most lunches and dinners
- Nightlife outings
- Tips & gratuities
- Alcoholic beverages
Good to know: Côte d’Ivoire uses the West African CFA franc (XOF), entry requires a visa and proof of yellow fever vaccination for most travelers, and French is the official language. We’ll walk you through all of it before you fly.
Pricing
Reserve your spot
Simple, all-in pricing for the ten days. Deposits and flexible payment plans are arranged on a quick call.
Starting from
$2,900
Per person · shared
Best for two
Starting from
$5,300
Per couple
Bringing the kids?
Children’s rates
Available — just ask
FAQ
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
You have questions & we have answers!
Flights & travel dates
HEALTH & ENTRY
CURRENCY
EXPERIENCE GUIDE
- We’re putting the final touches on an updated brochure — look out for that early this week.
SECURE YOUR SPOT
- The $500 deposit is due by June 30. That’s what locks in your place.
Optional add-ons
Extend the adventure
Optional excursion
Safari stay in Bouaké
Trade the lagoon for the bush with a safari stay near Bouaké, in the country’s heart. Priced on request.
Optional excursion
Forest retreat at Domaine Bini
A few days of green and quiet at Domaine Bini, a tropical forest hideaway. Priced on request.
Join us for the holidays
Spend New Year in Babi.
Ten days, one villa, and a community that feels like family — Christmas through New Year in Abidjan. Spots are limited, and the best dates fill first.