GHANA, TOGO & BENIN INCLUDING ANNUAL VOODOO FESTIVAL, JANUARY 2020

ACCRA, GHANA

On arrival at Kotoka International Airport, our expert cultural tour guide will meet, assist and transfer you to your hotel in our private air conditioned vehicle. Once you have checked in, your guide will brief you on what to expect during your stay here in Ghana.

Other activities today will depend on your arrival time and preference

ACCRA

Wake up to a whole new experience that awaits you today. After a sumptuous breakfast at your hotel, we set off for a panoramic sightseeing tour of the bustling city of Ghana’s capital- Accra passing through the economic and administrative districts.

We will visit the following places of interest:

• W.E.B Du Bois Centre honoring the life of the prominent Pan-Africanist who chose to live and work in Ghana.
• We shall continue to Independence Square where you will see the enclosed flame of African Liberation, which was lit by Dr. Kwame Nkrumah in 1961. The Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park, final resting place of Ghana’s first president. Set in attractive gardens, there is an adjoining museum, which contains photos, artifacts and an insight into Dr. Nkrumah’s life. Adjoining the park is the National Cultural Centre, which is Ghana’s largest outdoor arts and crafts market selling traditional crafts from all over West Africa.
• Our day’s visit ends at Jamestown Community-One of Accra’s most historic neighborhoods where history resides on every corner. Best known for its lighthouses (the first of which was constructed in 1875 by the British) as a navigational aid for trading vessels sailing through the Gulf of Guinea. The original structure was ruined but a larger and more improved lighthouse completed in 1921 is still functioning today.
• You may visit “Brazil House” and learn about the seven Afro-Brazilian families who returned to settle in Ghana in 1836. Familiar Brazilian/Portuguese last names such as De Souza, Palmares, Azumah, Amorin, Da Costa, Santos, De Medeiros and Olympio are abundant in this section of Accra

ACCRA-LOME

Today, we travel to Togo. After a 3 hour drive, you will be assisted through Togo immigration then begin the city tour of Lome and vicinity. Visits include Independence Square, Artisans village, the National Museum, the fishing harbor, Art Street and the Grand Marche, realm of the famous Nana Benz Ladies.

LOME-TOGOVILLE-LOME

Today, visit the Akodessewa Fetish Market and the slave house in Agbodrafo. Continue to Togoville, red-earth village which was the homeland of numerous slaves taken to Haiti. Here you will find magic remedies and voodoo charms used by local sorcerers.

Late Afternoon return to Lome.

LOME-OUIDAH

After breakfast, drive to Ouidah the spiritual capital of voodoo religion and was once a major slave-trading post. You will visit the Voodoo Museum, the Sacred Forest (Kpasse Forest), the Cathedral and the Temple of the sacred Pythons where you will see the 41 writhing pythons (41 is voodoo magic number).

OUIDAH

Today you will experience the mysteries of Voodoo religion at Ouidah’s annual voodoo festival. Although there are many festivals around the country, this is the largest and most revered.

You will see followers and adepts of the various gods, from the elaborately costumed Zangbetos, to the followers of Kokou. Around the edges of the main performance area groups from various voodoo temples perform their own rites and rituals.

OUIDAH-COTONOU

Today, we complete our tour of Ouidah including visits to the common grave, the tree of forgetfulness and the “Gate of No Return”. Late afternoon, we continue to Cotonou

COTONOU-GANVIE-ABOMEY

After breakfast and check out, we depart for Ganvie, one of the fascinating villages on stilt also known as the Venice of Africa. We shall go by small boat to Nokoue Laketo Ganvie, the biggest stilt in Africa. Visit the “Maison de la Francophonie”, Lover’s Lane and the floating market. After Ganvie, continue to Abomey

Continue to Abomey. Transfer and check into hotel. Evening at leisure

ABOMEY

Tours today include the Royal Museum where you may have an audience with the King of Abomey. Abomey retains many reminders of its magnificent past including the Palace, the Historical Museum and the Royal Sepulchers bearing witness to a brave and powerful people.

ABOMEY-SOKODE

Complete the tour of Abomey then travel to Sokode. Stop to visit Dankoli fetish, believed to be the most important fetish in Benin. Cross back in to Togo and drive to Sokode.

This evening you will experience a traditional fire dance.

Accommodation: Hotel Centrale, Sokode

SOKODE-KARA

Drive to Kara, home of the Tamberma people, straddling the border between Togo and Benin. Visit a traditional village where each mud-house is built as a fortress. You will have time to visit several of these magical and enchanting structures and meet the Tamberma people, some of whom still wear headgear made from the horns of gazelles.

In the evening, witness a traditional fire dance.

Accommodation: Kara Hotel, Kara

DAGOMBA VILLAGES

Today you cross the border into Ghana via Banjeli village known for Bassar iron works. The original inhabitants were known to live in the sacred forest of Kibre. Continue to Ghana. As soon as you cross the border, you will visit the Nania witch camp in one of the Dagomba villages. You will learn about the traditions of these proud people who have maintained their culture through many centuries.

TAMALE-BOABENG FIEMA-TECHIMAN

After breakfast depart to Techiman, en-route visit the impressive Kintampo Waterfalls before continuing on to Boabeng Fiema Monkey Sanctuary, an area of the forest which is home to Mona and Colobus Monkeys considered sacred by the villagers and co-habit peacefully with the village folks. They could even enter the kitchen and pick food and when they die they are buried in a designated cemetery.

TECHIMAN-KUMASI

We continue to South to Kumasi, the capital of the Ashanti Kingdom. Visit Manhyia Palace, official residence of Ashanti Kings (Asantehene) until 1974, now a museum containing treasured items relating to the Ashanti Kingdom.

Visit the nearby Okomfo Anokye Sword, an important symbol of Ashanti unity that marks the spot where the Golden Stool “descended from the sky’” and has been in place for 300 years. Legend says the Ashanti Kingdom would collapse should the sword ever be removed.

KUMASI-ASHANTI CRAFT VILLAGES

After breakfast, visit the Ashanti craft villages:

• The Woodcarving village of Ahwiaa, known for the talented craftsmen who fashion Royal Stools, walking sticks and Fertility Dolls from wood; with the opportunity to purchase hand carved items of all kinds.
• The village of Ntonso where the Artisans hand-stamp patterns on Cotton cloth to make Adinkra textiles. Black-on-Black and Black-on-Red Adinkra cloth is worn for funerals and other solemn occasions; learn how the Black Dye is made in the village from the bark of trees and creates your own Adinkra sash to take home. You may purchase large pieces of the Adinkra Cloth handmade in the village.
• Our final village will be Adanwomase, where the Famous Kente Cloth is handmade on looms in a time-honored tradition passed down through generations. See the Kente Weavers in the process of creating Kente Cloth in various styles and have the opportunity of making purchases.

This evening, you may visit the Kumasi Central Market, the largest open-air market in West Africa, where more than 10,000 vendors sell their wares. Here you will find just about everything food, fabric, beauty products and handmade crafts.

KUMASI-ASSIN MANSO-ELMINA

Today you travel to Ghana’s Central Region; enroute, you will stop at Assin Manso, the burial site of two former slaves from the U.S and Jamaica whose remains were re-interred here. Visit the “Slave River” where captured Africans were washed before being confined in the Slave Castles to await shipment to the Americas and Caribbean.

This evening go on a guided tour through the ancient town of Elmina. At the harbor you will see the colorful fishing canoes getting ready to go to sea for another night’s task of fishing. This is a picture perfect opportunity for the photographers in the group.

ACCRA-DEPART

Today at your leisure. You will be transferred to the airport for your onward flight.