Admittedly, Lonely Planet's version is a couple years old now, but this Rough Guide is SO much better in terms of what to expect, how to get around, cultural aspects, what to bring, and a general cohesive overview of the region, it's sort of ridiculous. Lonely Planet's book is essentially useless compared to this. We're moving to West Africa for an extended stay, and this book has been helpful, informative, and even an interesting read. I'm glad that I waited for and then purchased this new release rather than just sticking with the guidebooks I had.