Tour Duration: 15 day(s)
Group Size: 1 - 16 people
Destination(s): Benin   Togo  
Specialty Categories: Ecotourism   Cultural Journey  
Season: January - December
Airfare Included: No
Tour Customizable: Yes
Minimum Per Person Price: 1925 US Dollar (USD)
Maximum Per Person Price: 2600 US Dollar (USD)

Benin & Togo may not be the easiest countries to find on a map, but what they lack in size they make up for in a rich and vibrant traditional culture. Gaining quickly in the tourism market, Benin & Togo still offer the visitor a chance to experience Africa off the beaten path. Your journey through Togo & Benin will include an exploration of voodoo culture with visits to fetish markets, sacred sites, local ceremonies and meeting with local leaders. Learn about this area's slave route past by visiting slave forts and museums (and even see the scepter sent by Queen Victoria to officially abolish slavery). Explore Benin & Togo's regal past with sights from the Dahomey Kingdom and meetings with a current King. Shop the vibrant markets but also head out to the countryside to visit with local artisans and artists as well as local weaving, carving and ceramic centers. Continue with visits to numerous small villages like Kara, Atakpame and Sokode where you will meet local chiefs and even share a meal with local villagers. Finally, soak in the wonderful natural beauty with walks in Tamberma Valley and cruises along Mono River and Lake Togo.

Your Itinerary

Arrival.
Meet, assist and transfer to 2 Fevrier hotel.
Night at 2 Fevrier hotel.

LOME: CITY TOUR
After breakfast, drive along the coast to the Togo- Ghana border. Then stop at the independence square, visit the independence memorial and the national museum: a real overview of Togolese former and present day life (clothing, music items, huts, materials, agriculture items and products etc.) Visit the "village artisanal" (craft center). Visit the "grand marché", the most important and colorful market in Togo. Visit the fetish market to be acquainted with the different materials and religious observances of the majority of Togolese.
Dinner at hotel.

LOME - KPALIME - ATAKPAME
Leave Lome after breakfast to the mountainous region of Kloto. Visit Ewe typical villages. Visit coffee and cocoa plantations. Discover Togolese art through a visit to the Kloto craft center (ceramic, macramé, woodcarving, batik, weaving etc.) in the afternoon, "Akpesse"- dance in Tove village and continue to Atakpame. Drive through beautiful and mountainous landscapes. Arrive to Roc hotel. Dinner and overnight.

ATAKPAME - SOKODE - BASSAR - KARA
Depart from hotel after breakfast. Visit a local soap factory. Stop at Anie sugar cane plantation. Visit Anie market. Visit Kabye and Kotokoli villages. In the afternoon, drive to Bassar to explore the area. Continue to Kara via Kabou. Visit the Chief of Kabou. Arrive to hotel Kara. Dinner and overnight.

KARA - TAMBERMA VALLEY - KARA
Leave hotel after breakfast. Visit the Tamberma-Valley with its beautiful "Tata" (miniature fortified castles built with clay). On the way back, visit the "Losso soukala" and Kodhani, handicraft center. Back to hotel early in the afternoon. Afternoon free at leisure.
Dinner and overnight

KARA - SOKODE - ATAKPAME - BOHICON
Early departure from hotel after breakfast. Visit BAFFILO traditional weaving center. Visit Sokode market. Continue to Atakpame. In the afternoon, drive through Notse (hometown of Ewe tribe). Visit in Notse pineapple market and learn about Ewe history. Border formalities at Tohoun and arrival Bohicon in the afternoon. Dinner and night at Dako 1er hotel.
(B) (L) (D)

BOHICON - ABOMEY - GANVIE - COTONOU
Leave hotel after breakfast. Stop at Goho square in Abomey (the former capital of Danhomey Kingdom). Visit the museum and craft center. Visit King Behanzin's palace. In the afternoon, drive to Ganvie, the most important lake-village in Africa. Visit the village with its typical huts on piles, its floating market, etc...
Continue to Cotonou. Dinner and night at Novotel Orisha.
(B) (L) (D)

COTONOU - PORTO NOVO - COTONOU
Depart hotel and visit Cotonou craft center; visit Ganhi market and Dantokpa market. Drive to Porto Novo and visit ethnographical museum, da Silva museum and King Toffa's palace. Visit mosque and Adjarala market. Drive back to Cotonou. Dinner at restaurant downtown and night at Novotel Orisha.
(B) (L) (D)

COTONOU - OUIDAH
Leave hotel after breakfast to Ouidah
Visit:
Portuguese historical fort
python snakes temple, the slaves' route
Kpasse sacred forest
Voodoo Shrines
Visit with King Mito-Daho Kpassenon
Dinner and night at D.K. hotel or Gbena hotel.

OUIDAH - AGBODRAFO
Leave hotel after breakfast. Drive to Grand Popo. Boat cruise on Mono River to visit villages and attend a local dance. Afternoon drive back to Togo. After border formalities stop at Glidji, and learn about the ceremony of the sacred stone. Continue to hotel Le Lac (Agbodrafo). Dinner and overnight.

AGBODRAFO - TOGOVILLE - AGBODRAFO
This morning after breakfast: Boat cruise on Lake Togo to Togoville. Visit: cathedral, chief's house, craft center etc. Back to the hotel at noon. This afternoon visit Agbodrafo, former slave port called 'Porto Seguro'. Meet with Chief Assiakoley and visit the old cellar used formerly as a slaves-dungeon. See the scepter sent by Queen Victoria in 1852 to abolish slavery in Togo.
Dinner and overnight at hotel.

AGBODRAFO -LOME:
Leave hotel and drive to Lome. Visit a local fishermen's village. Stop in Baguida at Togo-German centenary memorial. Visit the Fishing harbor. Arrival in Lome at noon. Evening, dinner with a Togolese family. Night at 2 Fevrier hotel.

LOME - SIO-LEBE - LOME:
Depart from Hotel after breakfast to visit Kelegougan village. Drive to Yogon village, conversation with the Village chief, visit village and attend local performance. Continue to Lebe village; visit the village , taste palm wine and local brandy. Romantic cruise on Sio river to Devego village. Lunch at Ramatou Beach relaxation or bathing. Back to hotel.

Lome
Morning at leisure. This afternoon you will attend a traditional religious ceremony in the bush.

Depart
Breakfast at hotel at leisure. Shopping possibility. Evening, transfer to airport