Trip to Togo and Benin
On this tour we see many aspects of the African continent. We get to know the real African life in the lively capital Lomé, where you can buy anything and everything on the markets. We also see the beautiful nature in the rainforest area around Kpalimé and take a walk with a skilled naturalist guide. We visit the Tamberma and the Taneka, two peoples who still live completely traditionally. We visit the Pendjari park, with its lions, elephants and many other animals. In Abomey, the former capital of the once mighty kingdom of Dahomey, we are guided through the royal palaces and voodoo temples and get a good insight into the fascinating history of the country. We also visit Ouidah, through which many thousands of slaves were shipped to America. In Grand-Popo we can enjoy the beautiful beaches. We make trips to the voodoo villages and attend a fascinating voodoo ceremony..
- Tour
- Itinerary
- Hotels
- Info
- Prices
- Pictures
We see the best of Benin and Togo :
- Flight to Lome.
- Kpalimé.
- Dzogbegan.
- Badou.
- Kara.
- Tamberma villages.
- Pendjari park
- Pendjari park
- Tanekadorpen - Djougou.
- Dassa.
- Dassa
- Abomey.
- Abomey.
- Ganvie - Grand Popo.
- Ouidah.
- Grand Popo - boating - voodoo ceremony.
- Porto Novo
- Adjara - return flight.
Day by day - travel through Benin and Togo
- Arrival in Lomé - Togo. You will be picked up at the airport in the evening and you will be transferred to a nice hotel.
- We leave for Kpalimé, in the coffee and cocoa growing region. We take a nice walk through the lush landscape, with a skilled nature guide. We have a nice picnic at the falls. We meet the people in the villages and taste the fresh palm wine.
- The village of Dzogbegan is located in a very beautiful hilly region. We make a trip through the beautiful landscape. We can also visit the nearby monastery where we can hear the monks chanting.
- We drive through the beautiful landscape to Badou.
- We leave for Kara. We see the remains of WW1, which was also fought in Togo. In Kamina there are still ruins of the old radio transmitter. The German colonizer had built this in 1912 to communicate with Berlin. In 1914 they were attacked and overrun by the French and British. Then they destroyed the transmitter so it would not fall into the hands of the enemy.
- Visit to the famous Tamberma villages. The Tamberma live in one-storey mud huts, with a beautiful architectural style. We visit a village and are shown around in a "Tata", a Tamberma house. We see the kitchen, the sacrificial places for the house fetishes and the granaries and bedrooms on the roof. The houses were built as a defense against the slave traders in earlier times. That tradition has been preserved. The Tamberma villages are part of the UNESCO world heritage. We cross the border and spend the night in a Tamberma village.
- We visit the waterfalls and can take a refreshing dip in the lake. We continue to the Pendjari park.
- The Pendjari park is the best in West Africa. There are lions, elephants, antelopes, buffaloes, birds, hippos and many other animals. We stay there for two days in the very nice renovated lodge. We make tours by jeep, with a very skilled guide.
- We visit the Taneka villages. The Taneka are a relatively unknown people who live in the mountains of northern Benin. There are few tourists and people still live very traditionally. We pay an extensive visit and can meet the spiritual chief.
- We drive on to Dassa, where we spend the night in the very cozy “Ferme Maktub”, an ecological farm and guesthouse. Our host, Armand, will show us around his farm and his chicken, sheep and rabbit farm. Everything we eat he grew himself.
- We take a walk to the camp of the Peulh. The Peulh are a nomadic people that live throughout West Africa. They travel around with herds of cattle, mainly through Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso. We visit their huts and see how the women make cheese with the milk of their cows. We also climb one of the hills where we see a voodoo temple.
- we continue to Abomey. We pass the underground village of Agongointo. This is a system of corridors from the 18th century. It was dug out by the soldiers of King Agadja. The soldiers hid in the corridors to surprise their enemy.
- Benin is a country with a very rich history. This becomes clear in Abomey, the former capital of the kingdom of Dahomey. The kingdom of Dahomey was founded in 1625 and resisted French colonization until the late 19th century. The successive kings were very warlike and therefore constantly fought with the surrounding tribes. The captured captives were sold as slaves to European slave traders and shipped to America. The elite of the army consisted of female warriors, the famous amazons. Our guide today is also a local chef and tells fascinating stories about the kings of Abomey. We make this trip by "zemidjan", or moped taxi, the favorite means of transport in Benin. You don't have to drive yourself, we sit on the back with the driver.
- today we are going on a boat trip! The village of Ganvié is located in the middle of Lake Nokoué and is therefore built entirely on stilts. The inhabitants settled there centuries ago to escape the slave traders. They have completely adapted to life on the water. Everyone has a boat and there is even a floating market. The main occupation is of course fishing and we see the fishermen at work. After this we drive along the coast to Grand Popo, a pleasant and quiet village on the coast.
- today we visit Ouidah, one of the sacred cities of the voodoo faith. We are allowed to enter the temple with the sacred pythons, which protect the city. We can even touch the (non-venomous) snakes! There is also a nice piece of history to see in the Portuguese fort. This fort was formerly built for the trade of African slaves. We are initiated into the history of the country. Of course we also do the old “slave route”. It first leads us past the slave market. Then past the "tree of forgetfulness", where the slaves had to turn around 7 times so that they would forget their origin.
- Today we are introduced for the first time to voodoo, the original religion of this region. We will visit a voodoo priest or “feticheur”. We see the rather terrifying voodoo images and are offered a glass of sodabi, the local spirit. The fetisheur guides us through the world of voodoo. We also make another boat trip, this time to enjoy nature. We sail in a canoe on the Mono River. We see the mangroves that form a shelter for many water birds, crabs and other animals. After this we also visit the center where sick or injured sea turtles are cared for. In the afternoon we see the spectacular voodoo ceremony of the Zangbetos. A Zangbeto was originally a protector of the village. You can imagine that Zangbeto as a kind of “dancing haystack”, performing a spectacular dance and amazing magic tricks.
- Porto Novo is the original capital of Benin. We take a walk through the cozy town with many historical sights.
- Nearby there is the village of Adjara. We make a trip with a canoe on the black river and visit the villages. We see where djembes are made, the production of palm wine and palm oil. We can even taste the roast pig, the local specialty.
After this it is unfortunately time to return to Cotonou for the return flight.
Hotels - trip to Benin and Togo
This region is not known for its luxury hotels. Nevertheless, we strive to offer the most comfortable accommodation possible. In most cases this means a tidy room with air conditioning. However, it is inevitable that some less comfort is available in remote places. However, this is compensated by the beautiful surroundings and the warm welcome.
It may exceptionally happen that one of the listed hotels is not available. Then you will spend the night in a similar hotel.
Here is a selection of hotels for this trip:
Hotel Napoléon Lagune | Lomé | A/C
The first evening we spend in a very nice and cozy hotel, on the shore of the lagoon. The owner is a Frenchman, which explains the delicious cuisine!
Hotel Bel Air | Dzogbegan | A/C
Here we stay in a nice place, on a hilltop in the middle of lush nature. The ideal starting point for a beautiful nature walk.
Tata Koubetti Chez Valerie | Boukoumbé, Somba-land | A/C
Here we sleep in a real African village. Valerie is the perfect hostess and goes above and beyond to make our stay a memorable one.
Awale Plage Grand Popo| Grand Popo | A/C
This beautiful hotel is located on the beach. The good cuisine is known for its seafood. We can walk around the beautiful beach and nearby we can see the fishermen at work as they bring in the nets. You sleep in the very nice and spacious VIP rooms.
Auberge d'Abomey | Abomey | A/C
This is also a renovated colonial building and the best hotel in town. It is centrally located and has a good kitchen. From here we will visit the city by moped-taxi.
Eco Ferme Maktub | Dassa |
This little paradise in the middle of greenery is the ideal place to relax. Almost all of the food comes from their own farm. Especially the fresh fruit juice and homemade bread are delicious. The founders, Armand and his wife have succeeded in achieving something unique.
Info - travel to Togo and Benin
Dates : the departure dates are decided by the customer
Meals : as for mmeals, we strive to offer the best possible quality. In the larger cities we can eat in the better restaurants. In smaller places the choice is more limited. Yet tasty food can be eaten everywhere, without fear of contamination. Along the coast we find delicious fish or lobster. African cuisine is little known but very good. Tap water cannot always be trusted, but bottled water, beer and soft drinks can be bought everywhere. A budget of approx. €20 per day is ok for meals.
Transport : the transport is done with a private minibus or 4x4 car.
Language : In Togo and Benin, French is the official language. In addition, several African languages are also spoken.
Documents : for Togo and Benin you need a valid travel pass and a visa. The travel pass must still be valid for 6 months after the end of the trip. You can obtain the visa online. We are happy to help you in this.
Condition : anyone in normal condition can make the trip. Many travelers are over the age of 60. If you are less mobile, we can certainly take that into account.
Health : A vaccination against yellow fever and against covid-19 is mandatory. You can get those for yellow fever in one of the vaccination centers. There you can also obtain the necessary information about any other vaccinations and malaria prevention. If you have a medical problem, it is best to inform us before the start of the trip, so that we can take this into account as well as possible.
Money : In Togo and Benin the currency is the FCFA (XOF). 1 € = 656 FCFA. You can change money in most cities or withdraw money with a credit card. In certain hotels you can also pay with a card. However, it is best to bring some cash in euros.
Insurance : Travel insurance is recommended.
Mobile phone and internet : Wi-Fi is available in most hotels. The connection is usually a bit slower. Your mobile subscription normally works almost everywhere in Togo and in Benin. In case of doubt, it is best to contact your provider. If you plan to call or surf a lot, you can buy a SIM card on site. This way you avoid the high roaming costs. Whatsapp and other apps will continue to work.
Photo and video : Of course we all like to take some nice pictures while traveling.
If you want to take pictures of people, or a busy market or something, a little courtesy works wonders. If you introduce yourself nicely and ask to take a picture, that is usually no problem.
What you are NEVER allowed to photograph are police stations, border posts, soldiers and the like.
Prices
Prices - Ghana travel
€ 1995 p/pfor a group of 4 to 8 people.
€ 3421 p/pfor a group of 2 people.
Single supplement : € 345
Included :- All transportation on site
- Hotels
- Services of the attendant
- Entrance fees and excursions in the program
- Services of local guides
Not included :
- Flights
- Drinks
- Other meals
- Visas and vaccinations
- Activities not mentioned in the program
- Personal expenses (e.g. souvenirs...)
These prices are based on double rooms.
Why to make this trip?
- The ideal introduction to Africa.
- We discover the "real" Africa.
- Beautiful walks through the beautiful nature.
- Remains of the first world war.
- The traditional Tamberma and Taneka villages.
- The rich history of Benin.
- Relax on the beautiful beaches.
- Introduction to the voodoo rituals.
- Lots of contact with the population.
- Captain Africa is the specialist for West Africa
Price : € 1995 (excl. vlucht)
Travellers' reviews
"Because our daughter worked in Lomé for a few months and we wanted to visit her, we looked for a tour in Togo and Benin. Captain Africa is one of the few people with whom you can arrange your own tour. Captain Africa knows the nice place and to see, the good hotels, nice excursions with good local guides... It is so surprising to experience how resourceful, how hospitable and how helpful Africans are. Highly recommended if you are looking for something other than big game in Africa."
Tonny and Theo
Travellers' reviews
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