Benin, Togo & Ghana Adventure

Bienvenue! Welcome to Benin in West Africa. Your adventure begins in Cotonou – the largest city in Benin located on the south coast – with a welcome meeting at 6 pm tonight at your hotel. If you arrive early, maybe see the 19th-century Cotonou Cathedral with its striking red-and-white stripes or wander the Haie Vive district to visit the Fondation Zinsou Museum, which showcases some contemporary African art. After meeting your local leader and fellow group members, why not head out for an optional welcome dinner and get to know each other.

Drive to Porto Novo – Benin's capital, sitting on the shores of Lake Nokoue. When you arrive, you'll find leafy streets and a more relaxed vibe. Head out to the old city with a local guide and visit Songhai Centre – a major research centre dedicated to sustainable farming. Check out the plantations and workshops and maybe support the organisation by buying some of the centre’s produce – you can get anything from fresh quail eggs to biscuits and preserves here! After lunch, you’ll hop in a pirogue (traditional dugout canoe) and ride along the Adjara Black River, a place of significant spiritual well-being for the people in this area. Drift by floating islands, trees, reeds and marsh to a secluded village and meet the locals to learn about their way of life in this rural environment. Then, visit a local distillery to learn about the process of distilling a liquor made from palm nuts. Tonight, you have a free evening to relax at the hotel. (B)

Start the day with a visit to the Cathedral of Notre Dame, Dantokpa Market and Le Centre (Le Petit Musee de la Recade). Then, say goodbye to Cotonou and drive to Ganvie – a small village out on Lake Nokou, home to 24,000 Tofinu people. When you arrive, you’ll hop in a pirogue and tour the stilt village created to protect the people from slave hunters. Carry on towards Ouidah, stopping at the Zinsou Foundation along the way. Learn how the foundation provides artists with the space, time, support, resources and equipment needed for art projects. Ouidah is a relaxed beach town and here, you’ll have a free evening to explore at your own pace or relax on the golden sands. (B)

This morning, visit the sobering Route of the Slaves – also known as Route des Esclaves, this UNESCO-funded memorial traces the path that slaves walked from Ouidah to the Door of No Return. See the slave auction plaza (now home to the Musee d’Histoire), the Tree of Forgetfulness (where slaves were branded with their owners’ symbols) and the Tree of Return (another tree the slaves often circled with the belief that their souls would return home after death). You’ll also see the Sacred Forest and the Afro-Brazilian House. End the day with a Zangbeto Ceremony – the traditional Vodun guardians of the night in the Yoruba religion of Benin and Togo, known as the ‘night watchmen’. In these communities, these guardians are highly revered and act as an unofficial police force, patrolling the streets, watching over the people and tracking down criminals. (B)

After breakfast, start your journey to Togo, stopping at Possotome along the way – a typical Fon village, where you’ll see mud houses and a Vodun pottery maker. Cross the border into Agbodrafo, then take a motorised pirogue to Togoville – the former seat of the Mlapa dynasty and Togo’s historical centre of Vodun. See the ancient German Cathedral, the museum of the King of Togoville and a shrine dedicated to Vodun. After soaking up some of the local history, continue to your hotel in Lome – the capital of Togo – where you’ll have a free evening. (B)

Today you’ll be exploring Lome with your local leader. After breakfast, visit the Palais de Lome where the president resides. Continue to the Grand Marche. This market is a hub for local food and also the realm of the famous ‘Nana Benz’ – a club of successful businesswomen dating back to the 1950s, known for controlling the trade of Dutch wax prints and riding around in Mercedes Benzes. Wander the market with your leader, and find everything from Togolese football tops to cheap cosmetics and walk down Art Street (also known as the Artisans’ Village) and see its craft vendors. (B)

Make your way to Kpalime – hidden among the forested hills of the cocoa and coffee region, this town offers some of Togo’s best scenery and hiking trails. On the way, stop at Nyobo village to hike up Mt Agou – Togo’s highest peak. The trail meanders between backyards, forests and cocoa and coffee plantations. Small terraced mountain villages pepper the slopes and you’ll be treated to some great views – on a clear day, you can even see Lake Volta in Ghana! (B)

Drive to the village of Kouma Konda and say hello to the locals, taking time to explore village life. Learn about the plants that thrive here – from coffee and cacao to traditional medicinal herbs – and visit an artist’s workshop to see local creativity in action. Afterwards, make your way to Mt Klouto for a short guided walk on a botanical excursion, ending with a gorgeous view of Kpalime from above. This afternoon, cross the border into Ghana. You’ll be heading through the Volta region – popular with hikers, this area is covered in fertile farmlands and mountains with exceptional views. Continue to your guesthouse in Liate Wote and take a late afternoon stroll through the village before dinner. (B/D)

Set off early before temperatures rise for a steep hike to the peak of Mt Afadja – the highest point in Ghana. After, continue to the banks of the Wli waterfalls, by crossing over nine rivers. Wli (pronounced ‘vlee’) Falls is Ghana’s tallest, sitting among rolling hills, forests and streams. Cool off with a swim or relax and watch the thousands of fruit bats nesting high up on the nearby cliffs. After a gorgeous day surrounded by green, end the day with a cultural drum and dance session back in Liate Wote. (B)

This morning, join members of the community for breakfast before taking the scenic route to Accra. Stop in Akosombo along the way for a boat cruise along the Volta River. Then, drive to the village of Amedzofe, passing through the scenic Avatime Hills. This village is home to a cooler climate, sitting at 750 m altitude as Ghana’s highest settlement. Farmlands make way to forests and waterfalls and when you arrive, you can walk up to the peak of Mount Gemi for a view of the surrounding area. When you arrive in Accra this evening, head out with your leader to visit the Osu Night Market – loaded with local street food including kenkey and fish, kelewele (spicy fried plantain) and kebabs. This market is open all day and all night, with a different set of vendors for sunrise and sunset. Here, you can stroll through the stalls and taste some street food with a chilled, local drink in hand. (B)

Start the day with a guided tasting tour through James Town (old Accra), dotted with historic forts and featuring a harbour and a lighthouse. This is one of the oldest settlements in Accra and yet is one of the most vibrant districts. Discover the dark past of slavery in Accra’s oldest suburb and learn about the Ga culture in the fishing community, immersing you in the Ga culture. See the traditional Ga way of cooking, Indigenous to West Africa and handed down by generations of families. Taste some local snacks and drinks as you stroll through the streets, then depart for Elmina. Along the way, you’ll visit ‘fantasy coffin makers’, where they build elaborate coffins — okadi adekai in the local Ga dialect — to represent the profession, dreams or vices of the deceased. The Ga people believe the deceased will continue their job in the afterlife and the coffin acts as a reminder of that. Ancestors are also believed to wield great power and honouring them with a grand coffin is a way to earn favour, and families often spend up to a year’s salary on the ceremony! (B)

Head out to Kakum National Park this morning – a lush virgin rainforest that shelters hundreds of bird species and an incredible diversity of butterflies and plant life. When you arrive, walk along the famous canopy walkway – a series of viewing platforms 30 metres high linked by suspension bridges. After, visit Elmina Castle (also known as St George’s Castle). This UNESCO World Heritage site was built as a trading post by the Portuguese in 1482, then was expanded when slaves replaced gold as the major object of commerce. Take a tour of the castle and learn of the sobering past as you walk through the dungeons, punishment cells, the ‘Door of No Return’ and the turret room, where the British imprisoned the Ashanti king, Prempeh I, for four years. You’ll then visit the Asafo Shrines, where warriors prepared mentally and spiritually for war. You then have the rest of the day free to explore Elmina at your own pace – this town sits on the narrow finger of land between the Atlantic Ocean and Benya Lagoon. The traditional name is Anomansa, meaning inexhaustible supply of water! Maybe visit the harbour or wander the fish market. (B)

This morning, visit the bustling fish market in Elmina, where brightly painted fishing boats line the shore and the day’s catch is brought in fresh. Predominantly run by women, the market is alive with the sights, sounds, and smells of daily trade. Then head to Cape Coast Castle – a UNESCO World Heritage site in the town's centre, overlooking the sea. This historic site, once central to the transatlantic slave trade, offers a stark look at the past. Take a guided tour through the dark, humid dungeons, where enslaved people were confined for weeks, facing an uncertain future. The contrast between these spaces and the governor’s quarters, which feature huge windows and ocean views, highlights the harsh realities of the era. In the afternoon, you’ll return to Accra, where if you like, you can visit the Arts Centre for National Culture. (B)

After breakfast, start the day with a walking tour through the neighbourhood of Nima. Here, you’ll visit the local market packed with spices Indigenous to West Africa. Interact with the locals here, then visit some homes within the community to experience their way of life, taste some traditional snacks and listen to some stories. Continue to the Artists Alliance Art Gallery for Contemporary African Art, where you can wander the gallery. Tonight, maybe head out to see a traditional live band performance at the local bar and grill and toast to an amazing adventure. (B/L)

With no further activities planned after breakfast, your trip comes to an end and you’re free to leave at any time after check out. There is an optional half-day city tour of Accra if you’d like to spend more time here – visit the Osu Castle (Christiansborg), a former slave castle. Then, head west along 28th February Road until you reach Independence Square. Finish up with a visit the newly renovated Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Mausoleum. If you would like to extend your stay, just get in touch with your booking agent ahead of time. (B)