A glorious sunset on Tokeh Beach, Sierra Leone
We’re tiptoeing quietly through the forest, desperately trying not to break the silence. It’s not easy. Twigs snap underfoot, seeming to reverberate through the trees; dried leaves crackle and crunch, echoing in the stillness.
“Sshh”, our guide Mohammed pleads, pointing up to the canopy. In a barely audible whisper, he reveals the reason for our self-imposed hush: “Diana monkeys — the rarest and most beautiful on the island…” With shards of sunlight streaming down on them like nature’s very own spotlight, five gorgeous monkeys, all black and white with occasional streaks of chestnut, are playing and preening above us. We’re completely entranced, watching these shy primates swinging through the trees for a few precious minutes. They spot us and vanish in a flash.