Summer 2020 will see the return of our 5 country West Africa tour for the second time, travelling from Liberia through to Benin.

 

It is possible to do the trip from Liberia to Ghana, from Ghana to Benin or the whole trip together. See itinerary details below.

July 4th 2020: Pick up at the airport and transfer to your hotel in Monrovia city. Depending on your arrival time we will explore the city of Monrovia or you can rest in the hotel. After meeting your host, he will brief you with first hand important information about Liberia.

July 5th 2020: In the morning you will explore Monrovia by first having coffee with breakfast at the US Embassy Suites and then visiting the abandoned Dukor Hotel (a 5-star Hotel partly destroyed by the Civil War), National Museum, the First Presidential palace/pavilion ever built in Liberia and The Centennial Pavilion where all Liberia presidents are inaugurated and where the longest serving president was buried. After this you will visit Providence Island, the most important historic place in Liberia. It is here where the freed slaves were left when repatriated from the United States of America. This marks the beginning of the formation of the first African Republic. After, you will visit the second highest educational institution ever established in West Africa, University of Liberia. Later, you will view the most recent Presidential Palace, Executive Mansion and other branches of Government. After this we head back to our hotel.

July 6th 2020: Today we cross to Ivory Coast when we will travel from Monrovia to Man. We will take a brief stop on the highway to take a look at the Kpatawee waterfall in Bong County. We will also have the chance to see the farm of Indicted former President Charles Taylor, who is currently in The Hague. When close to the border, we will visit the first OAU (Organization of African Unity) conference center where the organization was first put together. It is located in Sanniquille, a city that used to be very vibrant during the time the mining company LAMCO was fully operating in Liberia.

July 7th 2020: Today we will visit the monkey forest where you will come in contact with thousands of monkeys as well as the La Cascade water fall where there are possibilities for swimming..

July 8th 2020: Travel to Yamoussoukro, the political and administrative capital of Ivory Coast. The city is home to the world's second largest church as well as the largest peach research foundation in the world.

July 9th 2020: Today we take a tour of the famous Basilica of Our Lady of Peace, one of the largest Christian Churches in the world. We will visit the Crocodile river and the home of formal president Ofoye, first president of Cote D’ivoire. We will also visit a local village to watch a mask dance.

July 10th 2020: Today we travel to Grand Bassam, the former French Colonial capital city. We will stay near the coast and spend time admiring the colonial architecture. Depending on arrival time, we will do a walking tour of Grand Bassam and have dinner at the old slave station hotel.

July 11th 2020:  At 9am, will start with a walking tour and take a look at the Ancient Colonial bank, the Former French Slave Station turned Hotel, Very First Cinema of Cote D’Ivoire, Fishing Village etc. We later travel further around the city and visit the King's Palace, African Traditional Craft Centre and more.

July 12th 2020: Today we visit Abidjan, the most populous French speaking city in West Africa. We will visit Platuex and see St. Paul Cathedral, The Pyramid, National Cultural Museum, Former King’s Palace turned Orphanage, Zoo, and the Adjame Market (Abidjan’s Biggest Market). Return to Grand Bassam in the late afternoon and have a chance of horse riding on the beach.

July 13th 2020:  Today we cross into Ghana and transfer to Cape Coast. Depending on arrival time we will head out for a walk around the area before heading out for dinner in the evening.

July 14th 2020: In the morning we start our day with a visit to Elmina Castle, the oldest European building in Africa, erected by the Portuguese in the XV century. At different times the castle has been used as a warehouse to trade gold, ivory, and eventually slaves. The castle we visit today is the result of successive extension works and is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site. The old Dutch Cemetery in Elmina goes back to 1806. Outside the castle, a wonderful fishing village with lots of large colorful fishing boats - every day these canoes are guided by skilled fishermen across strong ocean waves and currents.. In the old town we will see the Posuban, the shrines of the old “Asafo companies” -- the warriors who used to put their offerings on the large colourful statues. The alleys in the old town have a lively atmosphere, reminiscent of when Elmina was a busy colonial town.

July 15th 2020: Today we travel to Kumasi - the historical and spiritual capital of the old Ashanti Kingdom. After the drive here we'll take a rest before meeting up in the evening for dinner.

July 16th 2020: Today we take a full day tour of Kumansi. The Ashanti people were one of the most powerful nations in Africa until the end of the 19th century, when the British annexed Ashanti Country to their Gold Coast colony. The tribute paid today to the Asantehene King is the best evidence of their past splendour and strength. With nearly one million inhabitants, Kumasi is a sprawling city with a fantastic central market believed to be the biggest in West Africa and one of the biggest in Africa. Every type of Ashanti craft (leather goods, pottery, Kente cloth) is found here, along with just about every kind of tropical fruit and vegetable. The program includes a visit to the Ashanti Cultural Centre: a rich collection of Ashanti artefacts housed in a wonderful reproduction of an Ashanti 5 house, Military Museum, The Sword Museum and the King's Palace Museum.

July 17th 2020: Today we transfer to Accra. Depending on arrival time, we will take a walking tour around the city before heading out to a restaurant for dinner..

July 18th 2020: The program today includes a visit to the National Museum, one of the first works of independent Ghana - the idea inspiring the Museum is to relate Ghanaian art to the rest of the continent and to prove the existence of an African history as part of the general history of humanity. We explore the old quarter of James Town, inhabited by the local population known as the Ga. Our day tour ends with the visit of a workshop specialized in building fantasy coffins. These special handcrafted coffins come in many shapes: fruits, animals, fish, cars, airplanes and much more.

July 19th 2020: Today the tour ends or you can take our extension to Togo! From Accra, we journey to Akosombo a city built in the early 1960 to house construction workers of the hydroelectric dam. The Dam also features the world’s second largest artificial lake.

July 20th 2020: From Akosombo, we travel to Kpalime. Today we visit Cascade de Kpime Waterfall, Mount Agou, Foret de Missahohe, Cascade de Yikpe, Aklala Batik du Togo, Cascade de Wome, The Castle Viale and Chateau Viale. Depending on arrival time we may need to visit some of the sites the following morning.

July 21st 2020:  From Kpaleme, we travel on to Lome and take a walk around the local markets with the rest of the day at leisure.

July 22nd 2020: After breakfast, we take a tour of Lome. We will visit the Craft Market, the Big Market, the Monument of Independence, Lome Cathedral, Cluppinque Du Togo, Village Artisanal and Musee International Du Golfe de Guinee.

July 23rd 2020: Today we depart Togo for Benin and travel to Abomey. En route we will isit the 'Maison Des Escale (House of Slaves) and the beatiful colonial towns of Togoville and Aneho. Rest of day at leisure.

July 24th 2020: After breakfast, we visit the UNESCO listed Royal Palace, former home of the Dahomey kings. its walls decorated with bas reliefs representing symbols of the ancient Dahomey kings. Now a museum listed on the Unesco World Heritage List, the palace displays items belonging to the ancient rulers: thrones, cult altars, statues, costumes and weapons. The Kingdom economy was for a long time based on the slave trade: a permanent state of war made it possible for the kings to capture thousands of prisoners whom they then sold as slaves. The royal army included a female troop famous for its boldness and aggressive fighting spirit. At the height of their power there were up to 4.000 women in the palace harem. In the middle of the royal courtyard there is a temple built with a mixture of clay, gold dust and human blood. After lunch, we travel onto Cotonou stopping en route in Ouidah. Here we'll visit a Portuguese fort (now a museum) and the Python temple, where the locals worship the snakes.

July 25th 2020: From Cotonou we travel through Abomey and head to Porto Novo. En route we pass through Ganvie stilt village which was created by Africans in fear of being taken by slavers. We later arrive in Porto Novo in the early evening and check in to our hotel. Possibility of walks around the Lagoon next to the hotel.

July 26th 2020: Today we take a tour of Porto Novo. We visit Centre Songhai a research, teaching and production center in sustaining farming. We will also visit Musee Ethnographique de Porto Novo, Musee Honme and Musee da Silva.

July 27th 2020: Today the tour ends, transfer to airport.

 

 

Prices:

Full 24 day tour Liberia-Cote D'Ivoire-Ghana-Togo-Benin tour (4-27 July 2020): £2765
16 day tour Liberia-Cote D'Ivoire-Ghana tour (4-19 July): £1879
15 day tour Ghana-Togo-Benin tour (13 July-27 July):£1759



Includes:
- all accommodation
- most breakfasts
- all ground transport during tours
- all entry fees
- English speaking local tour leader
- Visa support


Not included:
- visas
- meals
-flights
-insurance