Togo is probably one of the nicest places in Western Africa. Roads are pretty good, distances small, beaches sandy and white, people friendly, hills and mountains waiting to be explored.
Day 01 Arrive Cotonou
Arrive in Cotonou by international flight. Meet, assist and transfer to hotel. Overnight at hotel.
Day 02 Cotonou – Porto Novo (46 Kms/ 1H 15M appx.)
Breakfast at hotel and proceed to Abomey-Calavi. Aboard a motorboat, ride on the Nokoue Lake for Ganvie, Africa’s biggest stilt village home to 33,000 Tofinu people. In Ganvie, go the narrow alleyways among the stilt houses visiting the Lovers’ Lane, the “Maison de la Francophonie”, and the floating market stop at a local hotel for refreshment. Return to Abomey-Calavi and continue to Porto-novo the city with three name, the administrative capital city of Benin. Get to know intricacies of the internal organization of Hogbonu kingdom visiting King Toffa’s former palace. Tour continues to the museum of ethnography arranged around the main themes of Birth, Life and Death without skipping an amazing collection of Gelede masks. Overnight at hotel.
Day 03 Porto Novo – Abomey – Dassa Zounme (242 Kms / 4H 15M appx.)
Breakfast at hotel and drive through the meanders of the Oueme and Couffo rivers to Abomey, centre to the famous Dahomey Kingdom. On arrival, you will be treated to a private audience with the reigning king who will be glad to share the captivating history of his people with you. Bid farewell to his royalty and attendants and visit historic museum, a UNESCO Heritage site, palaces of the 9th and the 10th monarchs. Drive to Dassa Zoume. Attend Egungun ghost spirits’ dance in a village. Overnight at hotel.
Day 04 Dassa Zoune – Natitingou (339 Kms / 4H 34M appx.)
Breakfast and head north to Natitingou at the foot of Atakora mountains. En route, stop at famous Dankoli voodoo shrine at Doyissa where people from all over the region would come to make wishes and drive to the Yom “village under the rock” Taneka Koko for an insight into the animistic practices of this tribal group which has kept its traditions throughout ages. Drive from village to Natitingou. Visit regional museum for a bit of French colonial history in this part of Benin and local ethnic architecture. Overnight at hotel.
Day 05 Natitingou – Kara (103 Kms / 1H 41M appx.)
Breakfast and head west to Togo driving through the land of the Somba with their adobe castles, the “tata”. Across the border live the Tamberma, a tribal group close to the Somba with similar architecture. This tribe has kept almost untouched its cultural heritage in a swiftly changing environment. This might even be the reason of its inclusion in UNESCO’s World Heritage. Visit their habitat, the “takienta” spread in fields. Drive through Defale mountains to the land of the Kabye in the mountains. The Kabye are famous for iron-smiths molding iron with heavy rocks. Drive to Kara. Overnight at hotel.
Day 06 Kara – Bandjeli – Atakpame (365 Kms / 3H 45M appx.)
Breakfast at hotel and drive west to Bandjeli village at the heart of traditional metallurgy in northern Togo. On arrival, visit remnants of blast furnaces and the chief’s compound with decorated round houses. Witness the captivating Tbol fire dance of Bassar initiates and continue driving to Atakpame via Sokode. Overnight at hotel.
Day 07 Atakpame – Notse – Lome (160 Kms / 2H 40M appx.)
After breakfast, continue your journey south to Notse, the historical home for the Ewe people of Ghana, Benin and Togo. This important tribe in West Africa traces its origins to Mesopotamia through Egypt and Abyssinia. One of their most preserved traditions is chieftaincy with the chiefs playing a capital role in the day to day life of the community. Chiefs and elders rule over the people. Disputes are resolved by special traditional arbitration courts or intermediary spirits and powers administered by traditional religions. In Notse, visit relics of Agbogbo wall from where the great exodus of this tribe started to their present day settlements across the sub-region and continue to Bolou potters’ village. Embark on a city tour of Togo’s capital where modernism and tradition overlap. Visit intriguing fetish market drugstore for the locals stuffed with animal skulls, dried snakes and toads and other virtuous herbs. Drive to the national museum; and Independence Square. Overnight at hotel.
Day 08 Lome – Quidah (114 Kms / 2H appx.)
Breakfast and drive to Agbodrafo, an ancient important slave trade post. Visit slave dungeons and continue to a local fishing community to get to know aspects of their daily chores. Continue to Glidji, an important voodoo stronghold in Togo. Meet priests of the sacred forest who will gladly share some of their belief aspects with you. Cross back into Benin and drive to Ouidah dubbed the “voodoo capital city of Benin”. Visit Kpasse sacred forest will be your first stop in Ouidah. This shaded wood is believed to be where is still standing the tree into which, King Kpasse got deified to deceive his foes and numerous voodoo shrines and statues. Visit the museum of History, a former Portuguese Slave fort. Visit the temple of pythons and go the Slave Route till the awesome Door of No Return on the beach. Check-in at hotel.
Overnight at hotel.
Day 09 Quidah – Cotonou (42 Kms / 56M appx.)
Breakfast at hotel. Morning free at leisure on the beach or at the pool. Transfer to Cotonou in the evening. Check-in at hotel. Overnight at hotel.
Day 10 Depart Cotonou
Departure transfer to onwards destination.
| City | Nights | 5* Hotels |
| Cotonou | 02 | Azalai Hotel de la Plage |
| Novo | 01 | Freedom Palace |
| Dassa Zounme | 01 | Jeco Hotel |
| Natitingou | 01 | Tata Somba |
| Kara | 01 | Hotel Kara |
| Atakpame | 01 | Roc Hotel |
| Lome | 01 | Hotel Palm Beach |
| Ouidah | 01 | Hotel Casa Del Papa |
- Accommodation as per the program.
- Meals as per the program.
- Entrance fees.
- Local English speaking guide.
- All transfers, sightseeing, excursions.
- All taxes.
Branding
– Logo branding on Vehicles.
– Color and logo branding Merchandise.
– Departure gifts with company’s branding.
- Personal Expenses.
- All Domestic and International Flights with airport taxes.
- Camera / Video Camera Fees.
- Medical Aid.
- Tips.
- Travel Insurance.
- Visa (If any).
– Accommodation in good hotels.
– Check-in / out time is 12 noon at most of the hotels.
– Extension to other places is also possible with a minimal extra cost.
– Additional nights are available at each place with minimal supplement.
– A visa is required and must be obtained prior to your departure from your Country.
– If quoted hotel is not available, we will provide one of a similar category and standard.
– Small deviations in the tour program are sometimes necessary, depending on weather, road conditions, flight schedules and room availability.
– In case the government changes presently applicable taxes, increase in airlines prices, fuel surcharge our rates will need to be adjusted accordingly.
– In Asia, there is no relevance between the distance and time of travelling, as it depends upon the condition of the roads and congestion of the traffic.
– While every effort will be made to maintain the itinerary, in view of local strikes etc that are beyond our control all schedule and itineraries are subject to last moment changes.
– Clients must be fully insured, as the company cannot accept liability for loss or damage to client’s property, medical emergencies or any other loss suffered by them whilst on tour.
– In Case of issuing Domestic or International air tickets, SGV is not responsible for any refund if the flight is delayed or cancelled, as it is the responsibility of airline.