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Peregrine Travel Centre

Benin, Togo & Ghana Adventure

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Benin, Togo & Ghana Adventure

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Description

Step off the tourist trail with this insightful 15-day adventure through Benin, Togo and Ghana. Learn about the history and cultures of these three diverse West African countries, from Cape Coast Castle, which played a significant role in the transatlantic slave trade, to the ancient Vodun culture of Ouidah. Visit Accra’s fantasy coffin makers, cruise along in traditional boats and journey through the natural landscapes seldom explored by travellers. Hike up Mt Agou – Togo’s highest peak – and visit the Wli Waterfalls – the tallest in West Africa. Walk along Kakum National Park’s canopy walkway in the middle of the rainforest and look out for the local elephants, monkeys, and over 200 bird species. This diverse trip, with a local leader by your side, showcases three fascinating countries and offers a glimpse into West African life.

Trip Name
Benin, Togo & Ghana Adventure
Last Updated
2024-09-01
Days
15
Capacity
12
Highlights
  • Hike in Ghana's Volta Region – home to lush farmlands, waterfalls and rolling hills – and in the Kpalime Region in Togo, surrounded by coffee and cocoa plantations.
  • Discover the sobering history of Ghana’s Slave Coast, with visits to coastal slave forts and castles, like Cape Coast Castle and Elmina Castle. Wander the lavish architecture as you learn about the grim history of slave trade in this region.
  • Experience a Vodun ceremony, which showcases the traditional spiritual practices brought to the Americas by enslaved Africans. These practices merged with Indigenous and European religions, evolving into Voodoo in Louisiana, Hoodoo in the Dominican Republic and Vodou in Haiti.
  • Visit small villages and markets to rub shoulders with the locals, and gain insight into how they live, prepare their food and celebrate their culture. At the Ganvie stilt village, you’ll get a special insight into the history of the people and how they live on the water with a boat tour through the village.
  • Spend a few days in Accra, Ghana's capital – here, you’ll go on a tasting tour in James Town (the old part of the city), visit fantasy coffin makers to learn how the local people respect the dead and tour Nima with visits to local houses and markets.

Itinerary

ITINERARY CHANGES Our itineraries are updated regularly throughout the year based on customer feedback and to reflect the current situation in each destination. The information included in this Essential Trip Information may therefore differ from when you first booked your trip. It's important that you review this information prior to travel so that you have the latest updates. Due to weather, local conditions, transport schedules, public holidays, political unrest or other factors, further changes may be necessary to your itinerary once in-country. Your group leader or local representative will keep you up to date with any such changes once your trip is underway. OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES A selection of optional activities that have been popular with past travellers are listed in the day-to-day itinerary. This isn't an exhaustive list and should be used as a guide only for some of what might be available. Prices are approximate, are for entrance fees only, and don’t include transport to and from the sites or local guides unless indicated. All activities are subject to availability, and maybe on a join-in basis. It may not be possible to do all the activities listed in the time available at each destination, so some pre-planning for what you are most interested in is advised. When it's recommended that travellers pre-book these activities, look for a note in the Special Information section of the day-to-day itinerary. For most, they can either be organised independently on the day, or let your group leader or local representative know you are interested at the Welcome Meeting and they can assist. Where activities are considered medium or high risk, we work with operators whose safety and credentials we have sighted and assessed. Although it is possible that you may find the same activity cheaper with another operator on the ground, we cannot vouch for the safety or quality of that operator. Medium and high-risk activities not listed above have not been assessed by us and as such our staff and group leader or local representative are unable to assist you with organising these activities. Activities that contravene our Responsible Travel policies are also not listed. Please remember that the decision to partake in any activity not listed is at your own discretion and risk. ROAD CONDITIONS AND INFRASTRUCTURE IN AFRICA: Roads in Africa are often in very poor condition, which makes it hard on our vehicles. Our vehicles are serviced regularly and are generally in good condition, but breakdowns can and do happen. Sometimes the going on this trip is quite tough, the distances covered fairly large and some of the roads and tracks are not exactly smooth or free from dust, but the rewards are exceptional. The travelling times indicated in our Essential Trip Information is just a rough guide and is dependent on various factors that may be outside our control, such as road conditions, weather and time spent at borders. DRIVE TIMES: The travel times listed in the day to day itinerary are a guide only. Please be aware that delays may occur and please be patient - it's all part of the experience afterall! Additionally, the travel times do not include time spent on game drives as these can vary with each departure.

Day 1 - Cotonou, Benin
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.
Day 2 - Cotonou, Benin
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 – home to crocodiles, snakes, alligators and fish, this river is a significant site for the spiritual well-being of the locals. 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 liquer made from palm nuts. Tonight, you have a free evening to relax at the hotel.
Day 3 - Ouidah, Benin
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.
Day 4 - Ouidah, Benin
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 L’arbre de l’Oubli, 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.
Day 5 - Lome, Togo
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, you’ll then have the opportunity to watch a Vodun ceremony in a nearby village. Later, continue to your hotel in Lome – the capital of Togo – where you’ll have a free evening.
Day 6 - Lome, Togo
Today you’ll be exploring Lome with your local leader. After breakfast, visit the Palais de Lome – the president's home, with guards standing to attention, dressed in their finest uniforms. 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. This afternoon, end the day with a visit to the Art Street (also known as the Artisans’ Village) and see its craft vendors.
Day 7 - Kpalime, Togo
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 climbs 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!
Day 8 - Liate Wote​, Ghana
Head out on an early morning walk through the village of Kouma Konda and say hello to the locals, watching the artisans at work. After, you’ll take another guided hike up Mt Klouto 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. 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’ll head out on a hike to the peak of Mount Gemi for a view of the Volta Lake. After, continue to your homestay in Liate Wote and maybe take a late afternoon walk along the canopy walkway near the Ote waterfalls.
Day 9 - Liate Wote​, Ghana
Set off early this morning for a hike to the peak of Mt Afadja – the highest point in Ghana. 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. After a gorgeous day surrounded by green, you’ll end the afternoon at a local community to join in a cultural drum and dance session. Drive to Atimpoku Village, enjoy the sounds of the drums, then spend the night back at your homestay in Liate Wote.
Day 10 - Accra
This morning, join your homestay hosts in their morning activities – rise early to help make breakfast, then help the family out on their farm. After, you’ll depart for Accra, stopping in Akosombo along the way for a scenic boat ride along the Volta River. 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.
Day 11 - Elmina
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!
Day 12 - Elmina
Head out to Kakum National Park this morning – a virgin rainforest, this par is home to elephants, colobus monkeys, antelopes, 300 bird species and 600 species of butterfly! When you arrive, walk along the canopy walkway – a series of viewing platforms 30 m 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.
Day 13 - Accra
This morning, you’ll visit the Kotokuraba Market and 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.
Day 14 - Accra
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.
Day 15 - Accra
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.

Trip Dates

StartEndPrice FromRoom Type
21-02-202507-03-2025AUD $ 4,945-
14-03-202528-03-2025AUD $ 4,698-
17-10-202531-10-2025AUD $ 4,945-
07-11-202521-11-2025AUD $ 4,945-
21-11-202505-12-2025AUD $ 4,945-

Accommodation

Hotel (14 nights)

Transport

Private Vehicle

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