Ghana, Togo and Benin
Voodoo Festival Group Tour

Arrive in Lome to begin the Voodoo Festival tour and transfer to your hotel. For those arriving early in the day, the rest of the day is at leisure to explore. Overnight Hotel Sarakawa or similar. No meals nor guided excursions are included today.

(Approximate driving time: three hours)

Lome is the only African city to have been colonised by the French, British and Germans. This morning we will begin a city tour with a visit to Independence Square, before continuing to the lively and colourful market, with the Sacred Heart Cathedral in its midst. We then head to the fascinating- if rather gruesome- fetish market, where animal parts are sold for use in traditional medicines; Vodou healers and practitioners are on hand for consultations. After lunch we travel to the border to cross into Benin and travel to Ouidah for the night. Overnight Hotel Casa del Papa or similar. (BLD)

Spend today delving into the mysteries of voodoo at Ouidah’s annual voodoo festival. Although there are many festivals around the country, this is the largest. You can expect to see followers and adepts of the various voodoo gods, from the elaborately costumed Zangbetos, to the followers of Kokou, renowned for injuring themselves as a way to reach the divine. Around the edges of the main performance area you can find groups from various voodoo temples performing their own rites and rituals. This is a fascinating insight into a much maligned religion, and unlike anything you may have seen before. Overnight Hotel Casa del Papa or similar. (BLD)

(Approximate driving time: five hours)

The stilt village of Ganvie, in the centre of Lake Nokwe is our goal this morning. We take a boat onto the lake and explore the village, hopefully seeing a local market where all the trade is conducted on small boats. From here we continue to Abomey. Abomey was the centre of the notorious kingdom of Dahomey, a fiercesome people who struck terror into the hearts of the surrounding tribes. We visit the Royal Palace, its walls reputed to be forged from the blood and bones of captives, to gain an insight into this once great African power. Continue to Dassa for an overnight stay. Overnight Hotel Jeko or similar. (BLD)

(Approximate driving time: six hours)

We leave the lush coastal belt of Benin behind and head north into a different landscape, where Islam replaces Voodoo as the dominant religion. We stop en route at the Dankoli fetish, the most powerful fetish in Benin, where we may see sacrifices being performed to ask for the favour of the gods. In the afternoon we discover old Taneka villages located on a mountain of the same name. The villages are made up of round houses with a conical roof, protected at the top by a terracotta pot. The upper part of the village is inhabited by the young initiated and the fetish priests who only cover themselves in goat skin and carry a long pipe. Wander along the alleys bordered by smooth stones and explore the life of the tribe, who have been living on archaeological sites for centuries. Overnight Hotel Tata Somba or similar. (BLD)

(Approximate driving time: three hours)

The villages of the Somba and Tamberma people, straddling the border between Togo and Benin, are one of the undoubted highlights of the region. Each house is built out of earth as a fortress, able to be defended against the slaving raids of old and capable of shielding an entire family and their livestock from invaders. We spend today visiting several of these magical and enchanting structures, and meeting the Tamberma people, some of whom still wear headgear made from the horns of gazelles and sport bones through their lips. We then cross back into Togo and drive to Defale. Overnight Hotel Defalé or similar. (BLD)

(Approximate driving time: three hours)

This morning we take an easy walk through Kabye and Moba villages and then continue our journey in the mountains to meet the Kabye ethnic group. Kabye dwellings called «Soukala» are composed by several adobe huts joined by a wall – each dwelling is the domain of a patriarchal family. In the villages located at the top of the mountains, women are potters using an ancestral technique without the wheel while men are blacksmiths still working iron with heavy stones instead of hammers and anvil as in the early down of Iron Age. We follow the process of shaping a hoe. This evening get to witness a fire dance. In the centre of the village a large fire lights up the faces of the participants, who dance to the hypnotic beat of the drums eventually leaping into the glowing embers. They pick up burning coals and pass them over their bodies and even put them in their mouths without injuring themselves or showing any sign of pain. It’s difficult to explain such a performance. Maybe it really is the fetishes that protect them from the fire. Overnight Hotel Central or similar. (BLD)

(Approximate driving time: five hours)

Today we head south, stopping at Atakpame, a typical African town built on a hill where you can find all the products from the nearby forest. We continue to the tropical forests surrounding Kpalime, a town with a rich, colonial past and is now an important trading centre. Visit the market and arts centre before an afternoon walk in the forest. Overnight Gess Hotel or similar. (BLD)

(Approximate driving time: five hours)

We cross into Ghana and drive to Krubo, famous for its beads. We visit a factory specialized in the production of glass beads. We continue to Koforidua for the night. Overnight Hotel New Capital View or similar. (BLD)

(Approximate driving time: four hours)

We travel to the centre of the Ashanti kingdom, Kumasi. We visit the Ashanti Cultural Centre with its rich collection of Ashanti artefacts. Kumasi is also home to a bustling market selling all manner of goods from crafts to everyday items. We may be lucky enough to witness an Ashanti funeral – a colourful and exuberant affair which gives a great insight into the complex culture of this once powerful kingdom. Overnight Hotel Miklin or similar. (BLD)

(Approximate driving time: four hours)

This morning we continue our tour of Kumasi, with the visit of the Royal Palace Museum which hosts a unique collection of gold jewels worn by the Ashanti court. Later, we drive to Anomabu on the coast. Overnight Anomabu Beach Resort or similar. (BLD)

(Approximate driving time: three hours)

Explore the old quarter of Elmina as well as the Castle of St George, the oldest European constructed building in Africa once used for holding slaves. We also see the unique Posuban shrines, built by traditional local societies that were once responsible for the defence of towns along Ghana’s coast. Return to Accra for an overnight stay. Overnight La Vila Boutique or similar. (BLD)

Explore Accra, taking in its main sights including the atmospheric old quarter of Jamestown, the Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum and something unique to Ghana – the coffin makers. These craftsmen build elaborate coffins in many weird and wonderful shapes including fish, cars, animals and aeroplanes! You can depart any time after 21:00 – please contact us if you are in doubt before to book your flights. This evening transfer to the airport for your departure flight at the end of the Voodoo Festival tour. Day use rooms are available until 18:00. (BL)