Voodoo festival in Benin
The voodoo festival in Benin! There is a lot of drumming and dancing. The voodoo king and his retinue join in, all dressed as flashy as possible! An unforgettable experience!
But there is so much more to see in Benin! We travel all over the country and get to know the rich history.
Travel from January 8 to 18, 2024
- Tour
- Itinerary
- Hotels
- Info
- Prices
- Pictures
The best part of Benin :
- Flight to Cotonou
- Boat trip - bird island - voodoo villages
- The Voodoo festival!
- Ouidah, capital of voodoo
- Abomey, the royal city
- Dassa - eco-farm - visit to the nomads
- Nature walk along the 41 hills of Dassa
- Adjara - canoe trip
- Porto Novo - Ganvie
- Free visit of Cotonou
Day by day - travel through Benin
- You fly to Cotonou, the largest city in Benin. We drive straight on to Grand-Popo, where we stay in a nice hotel on the beach.
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We take a boat trip on the Mono River. We see the mangroves that form a shelter for many water birds, crabs and other animals. there is even a bird island where many species come to breed.
We also visit some villages nearby. After this we also visit the center where sick or injured sea turtles are cared for. - January 10 : the voodoo festival! The highlight of our trip! We can enjoy a magnificent spectacle. The surrounding villages each send their delegation of voodoo followers, who all give a demonstration. Everyone is dressed in the most colorful way. We see, among other things, a lot of whirling "zangbeto", a kind of dancing haystacks that perform amazing tricks, the "egungun", which represent the ancestors and many other aspects of voodoo. The voodoo party is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. This all happens in Ouidah, the capital of voodoo.
- We haven't seen everything yet! Today we stay in 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 along the "tree of forgetfulness", where the slaves had to turn around 7 times so that they would forget their origin. We arrive at the "Porte de non-retour", from where the slaves were shipped to America. - Benin is a country with a very rich history, especially 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 fought constantly 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.
- We leave for Dassa, on the ecological farm Maktub. Here, the sympathetic owner, Armand, has set up a very charming hotel in the middle of nature. The food also comes from the farm. We see the gardens and the farm of chickens, turkeys, rabbits and sheep.
- We take a very nice walk through nature and climb the "colline des puits", a hill from where we have a beautiful view of the region.
- Visit to Adjara, a beautiful village in the middle of nature. We take a canoe trip on the river.
- Porto-Novo is the official capital of Benin. It is a beautiful and pleasant town. We also visit the museum there.
After this we get back on a boat. 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 the boat trip we arrive in Cotonou. - Cotonou is the economic capital of the country. There is a lot to see and everyone can visit the city at their own pace. Return flight.
Hotels - trip to Benin
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:
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 Benin
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 Benin, French is the official language. In addition, several African languages are also spoken.
Documents : for 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 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 - Benin voodoo trip
€ 1495
The flight ticket is not included in this price.
Single supplement : € 485
Included :- All transportation on site
- Hotels
- Services of the attendant
- Entrance fees and excursions in the program
- Services of local guides
Not included :
- Flight to Cotonou (h/t)
- meals
- Drinks
- Visa, passport and vaccinations
- Activities not mentioned in the program
- Personal expenses (e.g. souvenirs...)
For meals and drinks will cost some € 170 per person for the entire trip.
These prices are based on double rooms.
Why to make this trip?
- The spectacular voodoo festival, an unforgettable event.
- We get to know the "real" Africa.
- Introduction to the world of voodoo.
- The rich history of Benin.
- Ganvié, the stilt village with its floating market.
- Boat trip on the Grand Popo lagoon.
- Lots of contact with the population.
- With experienced Belgian guide.
- Captain Africa is the specialist for West Africa
Price : € 1495€ (excl. flights)
Travellers' reviews
"We were very curious to experience the voodoo festival and our expectations were fully met. We enjoyed the spectacle and the tour in Benin was as promised in the travel program. Thank you Captain Africa and until the next trip."
Petra and Geert-"The third time with captain africa and it was again a very special experience. What we actually had to present at that voodoo festival...no idea...a tourist trap? Under no circumstances: an annual event on January 10 where all Béninois look forward to gauges, ordinary people but also the BB, known Béninois. Paul had arranged good places in the shade in the grandstand for VIP in Grand-Popo and we enjoyed the colorful event with singing and dancing until the late afternoon. Our almost full day boat trip through the stilt villages of Ganvier was so beautiful and authentic it left you speechless. Traveling in Benin requires turning the knob, after all, we are in Africa; the roads are better but not everywhere yet; hotels are sometimes basic, sometimes just good, but everywhere people do their utmost to please their customers. The ecological hotel "Maktub" was a surprise: Armand proves that there is also some movement in Africa regarding the environment. Paul does the guidance well, constantly adapts and his guidance and provides a lot of peripheral information; every question is answered and all unforeseen problems (this is africa baby!) are solved efficiently and as quickly as possible! Thank you for another great experience and a new life lesson Paul"
Marcel and Magda"Benin is a voodoo gem and Paul knows the country like no other. Adventure travel at its best!"
Bob and Heidi
Travellers' reviews
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