West Africa overland tour; Kingdoms of Gold
| country: | Ghana, Benin, Togo |
| trip type: | A small group adventure |
| departures: | 2008: 22 Nov, 20 Dec 2009: 17 Jan, 14 Feb, 17 Oct, 14 Nov, 19 Dec |
| price: | From £1165 (15 days) excluding flights. Local payment €365, single supplement £240. We can arrange flights from the UK |
read 1 travellers review
the amazing things you'll be doing
A magical exploration of Ghana, Togo and Benin.
We’ll discover the coast with its pristine beaches, ancient slave castles, voodoo ceremonies and fetish shrines; inland rain forests that are home to ancient kingdoms, traditional festivals and ceremonies; the northern savannah with its pure tribal cultures and adobe architecture.
An adventurous journey of tribal encounters, stunning landscapes and bustling cities - a true West African experience.
We’ll discover the coast with its pristine beaches, ancient slave castles, voodoo ceremonies and fetish shrines; inland rain forests that are home to ancient kingdoms, traditional festivals and ceremonies; the northern savannah with its pure tribal cultures and adobe architecture.
An adventurous journey of tribal encounters, stunning landscapes and bustling cities - a true West African experience.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Accra: Arrive and transfer to the hotel. |
| Day 2: | Ashanti kingdom: Head north to Kumasi, the historical and spiritual capital of the Ashanti kingdom. There is time to visit the lively and bustling market as well as the Ghana National Cultural Centre. (B) |
| Day 3: | Ashanti kingdom: We visit the Royal Palace Museum, home to amazing collections of gold jewellery worn by the Ashanti court, as well as visiting traditional Ashanti houses, famous for their unique decorations. (B) |
| Day 4: | Kakum NP – Cape Coast: We travel to Kakum NP, where we take a canopy walk on the suspended rope bridge - the longest and highest of its kind in the world. We then head to Cape Coast to visit the European castles left over from the days of the slave trade. (B) |
| Day 5: | Accra: Return to Accra, where we have the chance to explore Jamestown, the old quarter of the city. (B) |
| Day 6: | Lome: We cross the border into Togo and head to the capital, Lome. We visit the biggest ‘fetish market’ in West Africa, where monkey skulls, snake skins, bat wings and all the necessary ingredients for preparing magical potions can be found. (B) |
| Day 7: | Ouidah: We have the chance to meet a traditional healer and visit a voodoo shrine, and witness an authentic voodoo celebration. We then cross into Benin and on to Ouidah, a voodoo stronghold. (B) |
| Day 8: | Ganvie – Abomey: We cross Lake Nokwe by boat to visit Ganvie, a wonderfully picturesque village belonging to the Tofinou people, built entirely on stilts. We then travel to Abomey, centre of a once great empire that controlled a large part of this region. While there we visit the Royal Palace, now a museum which holds ancient artefacts belonging to past kings. We spend the night in Dassa. (B) |
| Day 9: | Taneka: We hike to explore local villages, home to the Yom people and consisting of round huts with conical roofs, each topped by a terracotta vase. We spend tonight in a bush camp. (BLD) |
| Day 10: | Atakora: This region is considered to be one of the most authentic areas in Africa, where customs and traditions have changed little over centuries. We hike through local Somba villages and have a chance to enter some of their dwellings to learn more about their way of life. Overnight bush camping. (BLD) |
| Day 11: | Sokode: Journey through the Kabye region, where we will have the chance to visit traditional artisans and craftspeople. If we are lucky we may see blacksmiths, who use stones instead of hammers to forge the iron. Evening fire dance in the village. (B) |
| Day 12: | Kpalime: We spend half a day hiking through virgin rainforest, meeting some of the people who live here and looking out for some of the birds and animals of the forest. (B) |
| Day 13: | Hohoe: We head back to Ghana and then walk to Wli waterfalls, the highest in the region, where we have time to relax before heading to our bush camp for the night. (BD) |
| Day 14: | Accra: We take a cruise on Lake Volta before visiting the traditional bead makers at Krobo. (B) |
| Day 15: | Accra: Tour ends. (B) |
travellers' tales
The most memorable thing about the holiday was the warmth of the people in all the countries we visited. It just felt so safe (much more so than in Reading). The reaction we got wherever we went was just amazing. (more)
small group adventure holiday
Typically you will be sharing your experiences with between 4-20 like minded travellers (depending on the trip, operator and how many others are booked on the trip) and you'll have a group leader with you. Whether you are travelling alone or with friends its good value, and a great way to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of privacy. This trip will appeal to travellers of all ages who enjoy meeting new people as well as seeing new places.highly commended
This tourism business was Highly Commended in our 2007 Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards - the largest awards of their kind in the world, and organised by responsibletravel.com in association with The Times, World Travel Market and Geographical Magazine, of the Royal Geographical Society.Since 2004, the Awards has recognised individuals, companies and organisations in travel making a big commitment to the culture and economies of local communities and helping to conserve biodiversity.
how this holiday makes a difference
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The three West Africa countries of Ghana, Togo & Benin behold much magic but also much poverty. Visited by few travellers the tourism that does reach West Africa provides important income and we work hard to ensure that the revenue generated by our visit stays with local communities and small businesses.We use local tour leaders and encourage travellers to explore local markets and eat at small restaurants and stalls wherever possible. We spend time in remote areas and with local tribes where produce is purchased locally and handicrafts can be bought directly from the villagers that make them. There are countless opportunities for unique interactions with local people and this trip is a fascinating insight into a culture markedly different from our own. All along the way travellers learn about traditional festivals and ceremonies including voodoo – something often vastly misunderstood in the western world. The area also has a tragic slave trade past and while travelling along the coast we learn about this barbaric practice and its eventual decline. We also visit national parks and spend four nights in bush camps where travellers are fully briefed on minimising their environmental effect.
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Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |