Day 1 — Arrival Cotonou
Arrival at Cotonou International Airport. Assistance and formalities; transfer to hotel. Dinner and overnight.
Day 2 — Cotonou–Ganvie–Ouidah
Cotonou city tour: residential and administrative districts, the harbour, Dantokpa Market — paradise for shopping — and the fascinating fetish market. Depart to Ganvie, the “Venice of Africa,” with straw houses on stilts, floating markets and the island cemetery; lovers’ lane, handicraft centre and Francophonie Villa. On to Ouidah, City-Museum and world capital of Vodun: Sacred Forest of King Kpasse, the history museum in the Portuguese Fort, Temple of Sacred Pythons, the Slaves’ Route, Auction Place, Tree of Forgetfulness, Zomai dungeon, Zoungbodji Memorial and the Door of No Return.
Day 3 — Ouidah–Abomey
To Abomey, ancient capital of the powerful Danhome kingdom. Stop at Allada — memorial to Toussaint Louverture, hero of Haiti’s freedom and native of Allada. Goho Place dedicated to King Behanzin who fought French conquest; UNESCO World Heritage museum in the palace of Kings Guezo and Glele — royal and sacred objects, the grave of the 41 queens, the throne of Ghezo set on four skulls of enemy chiefs, low-relief history books, and the story of the Amazons, the fearless woman warriors. Crafts including the world-famous applique.
Day 4 — Abomey–Natitingou
Stop at Dassa-Zoume — grotto of the Virgin Mary, a Catholic pilgrimage site; Savalou — the powerful Dankoli voodoo shrine where wishes come true with offering; cross cotton and cashew farms; Djougou market; picturesque mountain village of Taneka-Koko and its fetish priest. Arrival late afternoon; Natitingou city tour.
Day 5 — Natitingou (Somba Country)
Regional museum of Somba ethnographic artefacts; discover the Tata houses that protected people against wild animals and enemies at war. Excursion to Koussoukoingou and Boukoumbé villages; cross to Tanguieta and Tanougou waterfalls with a natural swimming pool of safe bathing water.
Day 6 — Natitingou–Kara (Togo)
Border formalities at Boukoumbé; cross the Tamberma valley with its fortified Tata habitats — recently inscribed as UNESCO World Heritage. Typical tata house visit. Cross to Niamtougou and Kabye land — the second-largest ethnic group in Togo and expert farmers of stony land. Kara river terraces and market.
Day 7 — Kara–Atakpame–Kpalime
Aledjo lookout — from where witches were pushed as a death sentence; sugar-cane plantations at Ane; ruins of the German Kamina telegraph station linking the colony to Berlin. Rocky-town market. Cocoa and cotton plantations; Togo’s greenest area — the Anyone and kpime waterfalls. Overnight Kpalime.
Day 8 — Kpalime–Akosombo (Ghana)
Klotz Mountains with views over the Volta Lake on clear days; Vialle Castle, former colonial residence dominating the region. Nyive border to Ho; Adomi Bridge at Atimpoku; Akosombo Dam delivering electricity to Ghana, Benin and Togo.
Day 9 — Akosombo–Kumasi
En route: Assirima waterfalls and the cocoa, coffee and cola research centre at Koforidua; cross the Ashanti forest belt. Ashanti museum, handicraft centre and central market — among the biggest in West Africa.
Day 10 — Kumasi–Obuasi–Cape Coast
Stop at Obuasi, Ghana’s biggest gold mine. Cape Coast Castle — male and female dungeons, death cell, Gate of No-Return — from where millions were deported to the USA, Caribbean, Cuba, Jamaica and Brazil.
Day 11 — Elmina–Kakum National Park
St George’s/Elmina Castle (1482), biggest transit castle of the slave trade, seized by the Dutch in 1637, now UNESCO World Heritage. Kakum National Park — 350+ butterfly species, primates, mahogany and ebony; the suspended canopy walkway deep over the forest. Feed crocodiles at Hans Cottage; relax at the beach.
Day 12 — Elmina–Accra
Ghana’s capital: ministries area, Makola Market, Kwame Nkrumah Memorial, handicraft centre, and the fantastic fantasy coffins of Teshie — a bible coffin for a pastor, Mercedes coffin for a driver, eagle coffin for a king.
Day 13 — Accra–Lome (Togo)
Stop at Sogakope on the Volta River near its mouth; border formalities; Lome city tour — old German cathedral and the neo-Gothic Lome Cathedral built by Germans early in the 20th century; central Grand Marche with the famous “Mama Benz” textile traders of West Africa; handicraft centre for final souvenirs.
Day 14 — Shopping / Departure
Morning shopping including the Akodessewa fetish market — leaves and bones used in medicines against physical and spiritual ailments; have your oracle done to know your present and future. Beach relaxation at hotel. Night airport transfer and departure.