Photo: Tamba Lamin
Bunce Island
Site · Sierra Leone River Estuary
Bunce Island is a small island in the Sierra Leone River estuary that holds the ruins of a British slave-trading fortress active through much of the 18th century. It was one of the most significant departure points of the transatlantic slave trade in the region.
Many people trafficked from Bunce Island were taken to the rice-growing coasts of South Carolina and Georgia, and the site has a documented connection to the Gullah and Geechee communities of the United States.
The ruins are preserved as a heritage site and are usually visited on a guided boat tour from Freetown. Interpretation focuses on the history of the trade and its enduring diaspora links.
Opening hours
- Days open
- By tour arrangement
- Hours
- 09:00 - 16:00
Note: Hours vary - confirm locally
Entry fees
Fees are not confirmed. Check locally before you travel.
Videos
Fambul Tik Slavery, Resistance and Abolition Tour - Part 1 - Slavery
Bunce Island Dairy - 28th December 2019
Frequently asked questions
Photos
- Photo: Tamba Lamin (© TpGroup (SL) Limited, used by the owner)
- Photo: Tamba Lamin (© TpGroup (SL) Limited, used by the owner; people shown are tour members who consented (confirmed by the owner 2026-09-27))
- Photo: Fambul Tik (© TpGroup (SL) Limited, used by the owner)
- Photo: Pierre Chrzanowski (CC0) via Wikimedia Commons
Sources
Information on this page is paraphrased from the following public sources.