Itinerary
- Day 1
Arrival in Cotonou
You'll touch down in Benin and get a warm welcome from the staff. From there, they'll drive you to Hotel du Lac in Cotonou where you'll settle in for your first night.
- Day 2
Cotonou and Ganvie
After breakfast, your guide takes you around Cotonou starting with the massive Dantokpa market and the fetish stores that show you the Voodoo world. Then you'll head to Ganvie, known as the 'African Venice,' where you can tour the water channels and spend time with the Tofí fishing families to learn how they live. You'll return to Hotel du Lac by evening.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Guided city exploration of Cotonou
- Visit to Dantokpa market
- Visit to fetish stores
- Tour of Ganvie water channels
- Meet Tofí fishing families and learn about their culture
Landmarks/POIs Dantokpa Market Lake Nokoué Ganvie - Day 3
Ouidah Voodoo Festival
The drive to Ouidah takes you to the capital of African Voodoo. A Voodoo devotee guides you through the festival where you'll see dancing, music, offerings, traditional umbrellas carried by nobles, acrobatic performances by griots, and colorful fetish displays. The atmosphere is filled with spiritual energy as devotees dance to drum rhythms. You'll stay overnight at Hotel Diaspora.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
Included Activities
- Guided tour of Ouidah Voodoo festival
- Festival participation and observation
Landmarks/POIs Ouidah - Day 4
Ouidah and Lake Ahémé
After breakfast, you continue in Ouidah experiencing spiritual practices with thousands of devotees from across Africa, America, and the Caribbean. Later you travel to Lake Ahémé to see Voodoo traditions and animistic practices. The visit to the High Priest of Bopa and his skulls temple is included. Following the Route of the Slaves, you'll see the auction plaza, Tree of Forgetfulness, Tree of Return, and the moving Gate of No Return monument. You'll stay at Hotel Chez Theo.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Spiritual experiences in Ouidah
- Visit to Lake Ahémé
- Voodoo ceremony and ritual dances
- Visit to High Priest of Bopa and skulls temple
- Tour of Route of the Slaves
- Visit to Tree of Forgetfulness
- Visit to Tree of Return
- Visit to Gate of No Return monument
Landmarks/POIs Lake Ahémé Route of the Slaves Gate of No Return - Day 5
Abomey
After breakfast, you drive to Abomey, Benin's cultural and spiritual center and only UNESCO World Heritage site. On the way, there's a stop at the fetish market of Bohicon. You'll explore the Royal Palace and have the option to visit the art museum. The neighborhoods show traditional dances, and your guide helps you understand what makes Abomey special. You stay at Sun City Hotel.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Visit to fetish market of Bohicon
- Guided exploration of Abomey
- Visit to Royal Palace
Optional Activities
- Visit to art museum
Landmarks/POIs Royal Palace of Abomey Abomey - Day 6
Holli Villages and Agongointo
Today you drive to the Holli villages to learn about this tribe with Yoruba and Nago influences. They're known for their distinctive scarification and tattoos. Agriculture is their main activity and they traditionally live in close groups. On the way back to Abomey, you'll visit Agongointo to see the underground house that Abomey's warriors once used. You stay at Nifur Hotel.
Included Activities
- Visit to Holli villages
- Learn about Holli culture and traditions
- Visit to Agongointo underground warrior house
Landmarks/POIs Holli villages Agongointo - Day 7
Zangbeto Dance and Grand Popo
You drive to Lokossa in the morning with a stop at the Kinkinhoue regional museum along the way. There's a Zangbeto dance performance to watch, then you visit the twins in Grand Popo. If it's Friday, you'll have a chance to see the twins' ceremony. You stay in Lokossa for the night.
Included Activities
- Visit to Kinkinhoue regional museum
- Zangbeto dance performance
- Visit to twins in Grand Popo
Optional Activities
- Twins' ceremony (if Friday)
Landmarks/POIs Kinkinhoue regional museum Grand Popo - Day 8
Grand Popo and La Bouche du Roi
Heading to Grand Popo, you take a motorboat to 'La Bouche du Roi' where the river meets the ocean. You visit Heve village with its many Voodoo temples and attend a Voodoo ceremony. Later in the afternoon, you relax on the beach and watch another ceremony while learning how people become adepts. You stay at Grand Popo Millenium Popo beach hotel.
Included Activities
- Motorboat trip to La Bouche du Roi
- Visit to Heve village
- Voodoo ceremony
- Beach relaxation time
Landmarks/POIs La Bouche du Roi Heve village - Day 9
Allada and Sakpata Voodoo
You head to Allada to meet a King who is also a Voodoo priest and president of Traditional doctors in the department. You'll participate in the Sakpata Voodoo ceremony, which honors the divinity of the earth. The King shares insights about Voodoo religion and makes sacrifices for divinities. You stay overnight in Allada.
Included Activities
- Visit to King in Allada
- Sakpata Voodoo ceremony
- Sacrifices for divinities
Landmarks/POIs Allada - Day 10
Fa Divination and Beach Relaxation
This morning you participate in Fa divination, an African oracle used to learn about the future and hidden things. In the afternoon, you have time to relax on the beach with various optional activities available. You stay another night in Allada.
Included Activities
- Fa divination experience
Optional Activities
- Shooting ranges
- Slopes
- Volcanoes
- Jet skiing
- Parachute
- Countryside
- Off-road trails
- Fountains
- Bridges
- Geological formations
- Islands
- Biking
- Mountains
- Valleys
- Paddle
- Skateboard
- Rivers
- Water sports
- Climbing
- Events
- Forest
- Mines
- Boat rides
- Music
- Festival
- Theme parks
- Wildlife
- Parks
- Walkways
- Lakes
- Castles
- Religious sites
- Water parks
- Farms
- Running
- Day 11
Agonlin Mounts and Fon Farmers
After breakfast, you travel through red soil paths to the Agonlin Mounts where Fon farmers and nomadic Fulani people live, maintaining their traditional tattoos and complex hairstyles. You'll have a picnic with them and explore villages on foot to see the landscape and how they live. Later there's a family dinner before you stay overnight at Hotel TG.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (Family dinner)
Included Activities
- Travel to Agonlin Mounts
- Visit to Fon farmers and Fulani nomads
- Picnic with local families
- Walking excursion through villages
Landmarks/POIs Agonlin Mounts - Day 12
Holi Tribal Villages and Porto Novo
After breakfast, you explore the Holi tribal region, a Yoruba subgroup with animistic villages and facial tattooing practices. You visit markets where Nigerian products are sold depending on the day. A picnic sandwich at a village gives you time to talk with locals about their rural lives. Then you travel to Porto Novo, Benin's political capital, for an urban contrast. Walking through the Afro-Brazilian neighborhood, you see descendants' houses of Portuguese traders, explore the central mosque, and meet the traditional King Toffa. The fusion of Yoruba, Portuguese, French, and English influences makes this distinct. You stay at Songhay Hotel.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Exploration of Holi tribal villages
- Visit to markets with Nigerian products
- Picnic at village
- Time with local people
- Walking tour of Porto Novo Afro-Brazilian neighborhood
- Visit to Portuguese traders' descendants' houses
- Visit to central mosque
- Greeting to King Toffa
Landmarks/POIs Porto Novo - Day 13
Drum Market and Yoruba Culture
After breakfast, you visit the drum market and the Black River on the city outskirts. Then you explore Yoruba villages to learn about this region's main group and their culture expressed through dance and music. Meeting a Yoruba dance master, you discuss Nigerian rhythms with him. You stay at Songhay Hotel again.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Visit to drum market
- Visit to Black River
- Exploration of Yoruba villages
- Introduction to Nigerian rhythms
- Meeting with Yoruba dance master
Landmarks/POIs Black River - Day 14
Gnanhouizounmè Sacred Forest
After breakfast, you visit Gnanhouizounmè sacred forest, a dense flooded forest where various wildlife species live. You'll get close to Red-bellied monkeys, Tantalus monkeys, and Mona monkeys. The 'Wogboto' circuit and Wémènou village culture are on your route. Learning about local daily activities like fishing, basket weaving, and agriculture gives you insight into how people here live. The unique architecture of Gnanhouizounmè houses is also worth noting. You stay at Gnanhouizounmè hotel or similar.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
Included Activities
- Visit to Gnanhouizounmè sacred forest
- Wildlife observation - Red-bellied monkeys, Tantalus monkeys, Mona monkeys
- Discovery of 'Wogboto' circuit
- Visit to Wémènou village
- Learn about fishing, basket weaving, and agriculture
- Exploration of local architecture
Landmarks/POIs Gnanhouizounmè sacred forest Wémènou - Day 15
Forest Wildlife and Kikelé
After breakfast, you visit the forest to watch monkeys during their feeding routine. You'll have a quick lunch before driving to Kikelé in west Benin. The detour through the sacred forest lets you see different wildlife species. You arrive at Kikelé in the late evening and stay at Kikelé Guest House.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
Included Activities
- Forest visit for wildlife observation
- Quick lunch
Landmarks/POIs Kikelé - Day 16
Kikelé Village and Wildlife
After breakfast, you explore the village to learn its history and culture. You spend time in the green forest observing the rich fauna and flora. The tame White-thighed colobus monkeys that locals consider their ancestors are around, and if you're lucky you might spot Mona monkeys. You learn about plants locals use for traditional medicine. You stay at Kekeli Guest House.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
Included Activities
- Exploration of village history and culture
- Forest immersion for fauna and flora observation
- Observation of White-thighed colobus monkeys
- Possible Mona monkey sighting
- Learn about traditional medicine plants
Landmarks/POIs Kikelé - Day 17
Dassa Zouméy, Mariai Cave, and Savalou
After breakfast, you drive to Dassa Zouméy for a mountain walk and explore the Mariai cave. You visit the Dankoli Voodoo temple and Fa museum in Savalou. The slavery monument here marks a place where slaves were kept and given water from the ground, a source still present today. You stay in Savalou.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Drive to Dassa Zouméy
- Mountain walk
- Visit to Mariai cave
- Visit to Dankoli Voodoo temple
- Visit to Fa museum
- Visit to slavery monument
Landmarks/POIs Mariai cave Dankoli Voodoo temple Fa museum - Day 18
Natitingou
After breakfast, you depart for Natitingou in Benin's northwest, a long drive through beautiful vegetation with several detours. You stop at Fulani villages to learn about Fula people culture and history, and grab a quick lunch. You arrive at Natitingou in the afternoon and visit the regional museum. You stay at Hotel ToTora.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Quick lunch)
Included Activities
- Visit to Fulani villages
- Learn about Fula culture and history
- Visit to Natitingou regional museum
Landmarks/POIs Natitingou - Day 19
Pendjari National Park Game Drive
After breakfast, you drive to Pendjari National Park, one of West Africa's most important animal reserves and a UNESCO heritage site. Upon arrival, a game drive gets you close to lions, elephants, antelopes, warthogs, buffalos, and more. Dinner and overnight happen at Pendjari camp.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
Included Activities
- Game drive in Pendjari National Park
Landmarks/POIs Pendjari National Park - Day 20
Pendjari Early Game Drive and Waterfall
After breakfast, an early morning game drive gives you another wildlife encounter before you return to camp for lunch. In the afternoon, you visit the waterfall where you can swim and relax.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
Included Activities
- Early morning game drive
- Visit to waterfall
- Swimming and relaxation at waterfall
Landmarks/POIs Pendjari National Park - Day 21
Boukombe and Otammari People
You depart in the morning to Boukombe to visit the Tata Somba of the Otammari people, known for their distinctive full-face scarification. The day is spent learning about their activities and lifestyles, including young girls' coming-of-age ceremonies. Before sunset, you return to Natitingou and stay at Hotel Totora.
Included Activities
- Visit to Boukombe Tata Somba
- Learn about Otammari culture and scarification
- Explore community activities and lifestyles
Landmarks/POIs Boukombe - Day 22
Tata Somba and Taneka Traditional Dance
After breakfast, you drive to Boukombe to visit Tata Somba and the Otammari people with their distinctive facial scarification called 'tchoudanfas,' hundreds of scars made with a thin blade when members turn 10. Learning about their culture and history happens over lunch. In the afternoon, you drive to Taneka for a traditional excision dance performance. You stay at Teneka hotel.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
Included Activities
- Visit to Tata Somba
- Learn about Otammari facial scarification (tchoudanfas)
- Learn about Otammari culture and history
- Lunch with locals
- Taneka traditional excision dance performance
Landmarks/POIs Boukombe Taneka - Day 23
Taneka Villages and Return to Cotonou
In the morning, a hiking adventure takes you to discover old Taneka villages located on a mountain with roundhouses featuring conical roofs topped by terra cotta pots. You learn about this ethnic group's history and culture. By mid-morning you return to the hotel for early breakfast, then drive back to Cotonou where you'll be dropped at your hotel or airport.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Hiking to old Taneka villages on mountain
- Exploration of roundhouse architecture
- Learn about Taneka ethnic group history and culture
Landmarks/POIs Taneka villages
