Benin, Cotonou

Popular

Cotonou, N/A, Benin
16 days
N/A
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CULTURE TOUR

With this tour you will go into the spiritual life of Benin,Togo and Burkina faso the tradition and culture. You will visit different people and ethnic group. You will also meet the different communities. You will go in each community and learn about their of lifestyles…


Itinerary

Arrival in Cotonou by international flight. Meeting the guide, transfer and accommodation at the Hotel du Lac.

Breakfast and departure for Ganvie, the biggest lake village in Africa, where live more than 37,000 Tofinu people doing their activities aboard small pirogues. Ganvie is also known as the "African Venice", appears a great concentration of Tofín fishermen families who used to hide in Lake Nokoué escaping from slavery in the 18th century. Tour along the 'water channels', meet the people, learn about Tofín culture. Head for Porto-Novo, the administrative capital of Benin via Cotonou in Porto Novo we will visit the royal palace and have a city tour. We will also have Egoungoun dance performance in Adjarra. We will also visit the black sacred lake of Adjarra. Overnight in Porto Novo. Accommodation: Ouadada Hotel in Porto Novo

In the morning after the breakfast we will visit the historic museum which was the royal palace of Porto Novo. From here we will visit the Afro Brazilians architectures before heading to Pobe to visit the Holli tribe and Ketou kingdom. In the afternoon we will have Guelede dance performance in Cove. Late in the afternoon we will drive to Dassa Zoumey. Overnight stay in Dassa Zoumey Accommodation in TG Hotel

In the morning we will hike in the mountain in Dassa to visit the voodoo convents. From here we will drive to Fulanih tribe. They are nomad and use to move with their cattle. We will also visit the most important voodoo sakpata temple in the world. From here we will head to Savalou to visit the place slaves were kept, the Dankoli voodoo temple. Overnight stay in Djougou Accommodation in Borgou hotel

In the morning we will head to Taneka, on the way you will visit the museum of Taneka people. It is on the way 30 minutes driving to the village. Taneka is one of the most spiritual village in the North. The first step of the visit is the spiritual chief. He is the one who prevent the village of the diseases, he makes sacrifices to avoid all diseases and dooms, then you will have traditional dance called the dance of circumcision. In Yom tribe men are boys are circumcise between 20 and 30 years old, during the ceremony of the circumcision the boys admit have to dance around the village to show their happiness. From here we will visit the waterfall in Kota before ‘driving to Natitingou in the evening. Overnight stay in Natitingou Accommodation in Totora Hotel

After breakfast we explore Tata Somba villages in Benin. Commonly called Somba the Betamaribe people, animists, they live mainly south-west of Natitingou in the plains of Boukoumbé near the Togolese border. The Somba live isolated in the middle of their crop fields rather than clustered in villages. Their dwellings, the Tata Somba are a typical constructions which resemble miniature fortresses. There are more than 10 kinds among which Otchaou which resemble the constructions of Tamberma, their Togolese neighbors. The uniqueness and sophistication of this architecture has been recognized since 2004 by UNESCO as a world heritage site, with the statement, "it is an outstanding example of territorial occupation by a people in constant search of harmony between man and the surrounding nature”. In between we will have the dance of women initiation. Back from Boukombe we will visit the regional museum of Natitingou and the arts shops. Overnight stay in Natitingou Accommodation in Totora Hotel

In the morning we will head to Togo to visit the Batammariba people in Koutammakou land. Here we will visit the people the houses and the lifestyles. In the afternoon we will visit Thare. It is the blacksmith village. In this village the main activity is working on iron. They make different agriculture equipment, knives…. Overnight stay in Kara Meka Hotel

In the morning we will have a city tour in Kara and attend the dance of Evala. From here we will drive to Bassar for the Fire dance. It is a cultural dance of Bassar people. Overnight stay in Bassar

In the morning we will head to Kpalime. It is long way driving. In Kpalime we will visit the KOUMA KONDA village also called the village of warriors. We will also visit the Klala makers, the arts workshop. In the evening we will visit the bats valley. Overnight stay in Jess Hotel

In the morning we will drive to the Mount Agou for hiking. From here we will go in Lome to visit the fetish market, the place of independance, the regional museum of Lome, the international arts museum of Lome. The big market of Lome, In the evening we will relax on the beach. Overnight stay in Lome Accommodation in Marcello beach hotel

In the morning we will visit the slaves house in Agbodrafo and cross the lake Togo to visit Togoville, the historic capital city of Togo. From here we will cross the border to Grand popo in Benin where we will have zangbeto dance. In the evening we will drive to Abomey. Overnight stay in Abomey Accommodation in Hotel BOIS VERT

After the breakfast we will visit the royal palace of Abomey, the fetish market of Abomey, the cameleon temple and visit the city of Abomey. From Abomey we will head to Allada to meet the King Da Glele Milonon II who will tell us about voodoo religion and Fa divination. Fa is African oracle; it helps to know about the future how to avoid problems and know anything hiding. Here we will do some sacrifices voodoo. Overnight stay in Allada Accommodation in EVA LODGE in Allada

At 8 o’clock after the breakfast you will depart to Ouidah, the touristic city of Benin, in the city you go directly to the chief of voodoo house. You will visit some convent and here the history of Voodoo. How, from Benin voodoo reached all the countries in the world especially in America and the different kind of voodoo. In afternoon you will visit the sacred forest. This forest was the rest place of the king of Kpasse, one day he told his children that he didn’t want his enemies to see his body when he died. One of those days he disappeared and the same time a young plant of Iroko tree was growing in the forest and the FA, African Oracle said it was him. Till today a sacrifice is made to the tree each year and also all visitors can make a wish under the tree. In the same forest one tree was broken for 41 days and raised the 41st. It is a mysterious place with a pathetic history. From the forest you will go to the python temple. In Ouidah the python is worshiped. You can see many alive pythons in this temple. They don’t bite you can take and make photo. It is a principal totem of HOUEDA people the biggest community in Ouidah. Overnight stay in Ouidah Accommodation in DJEGBA HOTEL

Early in the morning we will drive to the city to visit the priest and the kings making sacrifices to start the ceremony before coming back to hotel for the breakfast. Today is the big day of the Voodoo festival where come people from all over the world from Africa to America and the Caribbean. The Voodoo religion, very unknown and misinterpreted by some theorists is one of the most important religion the world. Every person who attends to this celebration will discover that Voodoo and Evil are different things. In the collective imagination voodoo believes that the ancestors and natural forces decide life of its believers. At that time thousands of devotees go to Ouidah, the main center of this cult to receive the blessing of the Voodoo leader of the city. Today, the great priests and their faithful from all over Benin and even neighboring countries meet to magnify the deities through songs, dances, drums, animal sacrifices, libations and prayers. Attend this important festival with high dignitaries and other crowned heads. Overnight stay in Ouidah Accommodation in DJEGBA HOTEL

In the morning we will still spend the day by visiting the different ceremonies by the different voodoo priests in Ouidah and around Ouidah and drive to Cotonou in the evening. Overnight stay in Ouidah

In the morning we will drive to Cotonou for a city tour, where we will visit the Amazon square, the place of the red star, the arts market and the longest Grafitis wall in the world. Late in the afternoon we will relax on Cotonou beach and transfer you to the aiport depends on your flight.

Detail & Features
  • Country:Benin
  • Depart City:Cotonou
  • Arrival City:N/A
  • Tour Type:Culture
  • Group Type:N/A
  • Max People:N/A
  • Duration16 days
  • Accommodation:Hotel
  • Transport:N/A

Includes
  • Transportation
  • Live Tour Guide
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Activity Culture
Duration 16 days
Language English
Group N/A

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