Wander Across Benin and Togo (May 2023)

Day 1

Arrival Day

Included: Dinner

Upon arrival at the airport, our private driver will be waiting to take you to our centrally-located hotel. You'll then have the rest of the day to relax before we have an orientation meeting and a group welcome dinner in the evening.

Day 2

Highlights: Dantokpa fetish market, village of Ganvie

Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

We start our first full day of the trip by visiting the Dantokpa market in order to gain a true feel of the essence of West Africa. This is the largest market in the Gulf of Guinea and among its vast maze of lanes is everything from spices, traditional crafts and the fascinating market of fetishes. Our tour will also take us to the floating village of Ganvie, situated in nearby Lake Nokoué. With a current population of 20,000 people, this village was founded in the 16th century by the Tofy ethnic group who were hiding from their persecutors. After lunch, we'll visit the local mosques, churches and the local beach to get a complete understanding of life in Benin's largest city.

Day 3

Highlights: Tour of Porto Novo, Adiarra craftsmen, with to the Holi ethnic group

Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Today will include a wide variety of activities as we learn about a range of cultures. Our first stop is Porto Novo, the administrative capital of Benin. With its magnificent architectural wealth - churches, mosques, voodoo temples, French colonial buildings and Afro-Brazilian architecture - it was mostly built by slave-owning descendants who returned from Brazil to the country of their ancestors. We will explore this city on food and also learn about the incredible fusion between the Yoruba culture and Portuguese heritage. After lunch, we'll head to Adjarra, the center of artisan production of percussion instruments where we'll learn how these drums play an important role in every day life. Then, we'll head north to see the Holi, an animist people who stand out because women of a certain age wear complex body tattoos. The beautiful bamboo architecture of these people is also fascinating, as is the intentional facial scarrings of the people.

Day 4

Highlights: Visit with the Fulani nomadic tribe

Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Driving west, today will involve interacting with another interesting ethnic group, the Fulani, one of the last nomadic peoples in Africa. We will spend time in their villages, learning about their unique way of subsisting, their architecture (unlike other groups, their homes are not made of mud) and their facial decorations. Given their traditions, they tend to b a fairly closed ethnic group but we'll have a great opportunity to visit and learn about their beautiful culture.

Day 5

Highlights: Tour of the old capital of Dahomey, travel to the Dassa region

Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Today we'll visit the original capital of Benin, the old Dahomey, which gave its name to the country during French rule. This is the location of the royal palace and several museums of world heritage that are designated under UNESCO. As we tour Dahomey, we'll learn about the region, once home to the kingdom of Danxome, a powerful empire that dominated the Gulf of Guinea and destroyed many enemy tribes. In the afternoon we'll continue farther north into the Dassa region where we will spend the night.

Day 6

Highlights: Visit with the Taneka ethnic group

Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Leaving Dassa, we'll drive north in order to discover one of the most fascinating ethnic groups in Benin, the Taneka people. They are known for their unique customs, facial scarifications and style of dress. The Taneka is actually the result of three tribes coexisting peacefully and merging together over time and the three tribes have maintained many of their individual traditions. We'll spend the day with the Taneka, learning all about their culture and traditions as we meet a wide range of locals who have invited us to spend time among their communities.

Day 7

Highlights: Taneka ethnic group, drive to the Somba region

Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Today will include even more time with the Taneka as we visit more villages that are home to different sub-groups. While we can't predict exactly what will be taking place in each village, we will be in communication with the village elders who will keep us updated with any local events or celebrations that we can attend. The Taneka are very welcoming and everywhere we go is sure to be an eye-opening, positive experience given their extreme hospitality and overall kindness. In the afternoon, we'll then continue driving north until we reach the Somba region.

Day 8

Highlights: Somba ethnic group

Included: Breakfast, Lunch

We'll head out today to meet the Somba. This ethnic group stands out because of their two-story fortified mud houses that house livestock on the ground floor. The Somba oppose forms of centralized power and do not have chiefs whose status is gained through lineage. Their funeral and initiation ceremonies play a major role in their culture and we'll learn how these rituals are carried out and the process for choosing those to lead them. After our day with the Somba we'll return to our hotel in Boukoumbe for some free time.

Day 9

Highlights: Border crossing into Togo, unique village architecture of Kutammaku

Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Leaving after breakfast, we'll head to the border with Togo. Once we cross the border, our first destination will be the Kutammaku region. This is the birthplace of the Batammariba, whose tower houses that are built in adobe have become one of the main symbols of the country. In this region, the rituals and beliefs of the population are intimately linked to nature. Many of the buildings have two floors and those with barns are characterized by their cylindrical base topped by a hemispherical structure. Due to the unique nature of these structures, they are designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Day 10

Highlights: Day of driving to south Togo, visit and tour of Atakpamé

Included: Breakfast

Today's long drive takes us south. En route to our final destination, we'll stop in the small city of Atakpamé for a local experience and lunch. We'll take a walk through the city, meet some of the local inhabitants and learn about their culture and food. In the afternoon, we'll continue the drive to Kpalimé.

Day 11

Highlights: Time spent with the Kotokali and Loss ethnic groups, nature walks

Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

With a full day ahead of us, we're going to spend time in contact two local ethnic groups. We'll meet the Kotokoli people and the Loss people as we enter their villages, speak with the villagers and learn all about their culture. Our visits to these villages will also include nature walks, an important way to understand how these ethnic groups live at peace with the land around them. After our fascinating visits in these villages, we'll return to Kpalimé for excellent dinner and evening experience with the hosts of our guesthouse.

Day 12

Highlights: Tour of Lomé, free afternoon to enjoy the city

Included: Breakfast

After a leisurely breakfast, we'll make the 2.5 hour drive to Lomé, the laid-back capital city of Togo. Upon arrival, we'll check in to our hotel before enjoying a free afternoon and evening to wander the streets, take a rest or join your tour leader as they offer a variety of optional activities.

Day 13

Highlights: Tour of Togoville, amulets market, traditional lunch

Included: Breakfast, Dinner

Making the short drive to Togoville, we'll spend the day exploring this city. It's a destination where animism and Christianity coexist side by side and the history of slavery has had a major impact on the culture. During our walking tour, we'll visit monuments, the amulets market and eat a traditional lunch. We'll interact with plenty of friendly people as well. After an afternoon break back in Lomé, we'll head out for dinner in the city center.

Day 14

Highlights: Border crossing to Benin, Lake Ahemé and the voodoo religion

Included: Breakfast, Dinner

We'll cross the border again today as we head back to Benin. Once we do cross, we'll focus on what will be one of the major highlights of this experience - voodoo. As we enter the Lake Ahemé region, we'll begin to learn about this religion and the people who practice it. Voodoo is actually practiced by a large part of the local population who considers the existence of a unique supernatural power that can be reached only through intermediaries with the use of rituals, dances and symbols. As we visit villages that practice voodoo, and meet the villagers, we will have an opportunity to experience this religion first hand by witnessing the spectacular rituals and celebrations that are part of their practice. (This is not a touristy experience. It is a day of genuine experiences that our local friends are able to put together for us.)

Day 15

Departure day

Included: Breakfast, Lunch

We'll begin our final day with a complete tour of the city of Ouidah, offering a magnificent summary of Benin. From colonial and Afro-Brazilian neighborhoods to the voodoo religion's Temple of the Pythons to its long and complicated history, we'll visit and learn about it all with our local guide. We'll then travel along the last 4 kilometers of the slave route, the stretch of land that 2 million people were forced to walk before being auctioned off at the beach. After this important and sobering experience, we'll finish our drive back to Cotonou in time to catch departing flights (most of which are in the late evening).