Tour Overview
Join ZayVoyage on an unforgettable journey along the coast of West Africa as we explore the vibrant cultures, rich histories, and breathtaking landscapes of Ghana, Togo, and Benin. From the colorful markets of Accra to the lively streets of Lomé and the spiritual landmarks of Ouidah, this trip offers a deep dive into the region’s unique heritage.
Day 1 - Accra
Arrival
Upon arrival at the airport, a ZayVoyage by SARI Representative will pick you up at the Kotoka International Airport and drop you off at your hotel. The guide will assist you with check-in, take you through your itinerary, and answer any questions regarding your stay in Ghana.
Overnight in Accra
Day 2 - Accra
Accra City Tour
After breakfast, you will have a late morning pickup to start an Accra city tour
Your next stop is the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park, where the first president of Ghana, Osagye Dr. Kwame Nkrumah stood to declare the independence of Ghana. The site has a museum which houses his personal belongings; from the items he used while in School, gifts he received, items he used during his presidency, and some books he authored. The site also houses the mausoleum where he and his wife were buried.
You will make a stop at the Arts and Crafts Market to purchase some Ghanaian-made and inspired arts and crafts to take as souvenirs back home. You will get some already-made African dresses, shirts, wood-works and carvings, paintings, traditional fashion accessories, some Ashanti Kente and Northern Smock fabrics, among many other things. The sellers will be persuasive in their bid to get you to look at the wares since there are various stalls with similar items.
Your final visit will be the Independence Square, also known as the Black Star Square. It is a vast area built for national gatherings in 1961 by Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, the first president of Ghana, that can host about 30,000 people. It has other monuments like the Independence Arc, the Monument of Liberation, and the Independence Gate. This site is bordered by the ocean, Accra Sports Stadium, and the Osu/Christiansborg Castle.
You would finally visit the Fantasy Coffin making site. Funerals in Ghana, aside being a solemn moment for family and friends, are a time for celebration of the deceased's life spent on earth. Coffins at this site are made in accordance to what job the deceased did and what they loved most. The shoe maker can have a shoe coffin while the fisherman can have a fish or boat like coffin and so on. This is an interesting craftsmanship reflected in the culture of the Ghanaian people.
Overnight in Accra
Day 3 - Lome
Arrival in Lome, National Museum, Independence Square & Grand Marché
Early this morning, you will drive from Accra to Lome, the capital city of Togo
You will be assisted with check-in upon arrival at the hotel in lome and be helped to settle in before your day continues with a tour of the city of lome.
After lunch, you will first visit the National Museum of Togo. This museum takes you down memory lane through the history, culture and livelihoods of the people. This museum provides you with maps of the journey of Togo, with pictures and drawings of the fascinating history of Togo. The museum also houses some musical instruments, woodworks, fabrics and artifacts used overtime and their evolution.
You will continue, just close to the museum, with a visit to the Independence Monument of Togo. This monument was built, with the help of some local artisans, to commemorate Togo’s independence from France in 1960.
Your next stop will be the Grand Marché, a public open market, where you can find some very colourful African fabrics, spices, and fashion accessories. Lome is also a shopper’s paradise for high quality tribal masks, african arts and crafts.
In the evening, you will have the option to have a Lome Nightlife experience. You will get to see how the people spend their evenings.
Overnight Stay at Lome
Day 4 - Cotonou
Boat Ride & Village on Stilt
You will leave Lome to Benin this morning.
En route, you will stop to visit Ganvie, the lake town in Benin. You will take a boat ride to the village on stilts that is spread across the Lake Nokoue and inhabited by a population of about 20,000 people. The ancestors of the Tofnu people, who now live in the village, created this settlement in the 16th century to escape being captured by the Dahomey army to be sold as slaves to the Portuguese. You will spend some time touring the lake town, mainly the lovers lane and the floating market.
Overnight in Cotonou
Day 5 - Cotonou City Tour
Marche Dantokpa, Etoile Rouge, Places des Martyrs,Monument Amazone
You will have this day for a city tour of Cotonou, Benin.
You will visit the Marche Dantokpa, the market on the banks of the Dan Lagoon. This is an open market where you get to have a walking tour through to explore the several wares available on display for purchase.
Your next stop will be at the Etoile Rouge, the Red Star, a monument commemorating friendship between Benin and Russia. This is a gathering place for the locals where they organize their events like funerals, celebrations, religious activities and some national events. This square is always very vibrant with vendors, traditional arts and craft and drumming and dance performances surrounded by stunning urban and historical architectural building styles.
You will move to the Place des Martyrs/Souvenir, a museum for the struggle of independence and social justice. This museum will take you through some memorial of the Beninese military fighters who were the front runners in their 1977 conflict and struggle to gain independence from the colonizers.
You will also make a stop at Monument Amazone, a 100 foot tall statue created by a Chinese Sculptor Li Xiangqun. This statue is to pay homage to the world’s all-female army from the Dahomey Kingdom whose impact is undeniable and forever engraved in history. It is not just an attraction site that draws tourists to it but a symbol of resilience of African women especially.
While on your way to Porto-Novo, you will pass by the Monument Bio Guera, the representation of the beninese spirit of defense, temerity and fight for freedom. Bio Guera was a farmer, hunter, latter became a fierce warrior who led various wars in the defence of ancient towns and cities of Benin. It can be found at the roundabout of the Cotonou airport.
Drive to Porto-Novo (about 55 mins from Cotonou)
Overnight Stay in Porto-Novo
Day 6 - Port Novo
Ethnographic museum, Jardin PlaceJean Bayol, The Royal Palace of King Toffa & Egungun Dance Experience
This morning after breakfast, you will have a Porto-Novo City Tour.
Your first visit will be to the Jardin Place Jean Bayol, the largest garden and public square in the city of Porto-Novo. It has a statue that represents the first king, King Toffa I, and the history of Porto-Novo. The garden is an ecotourism site that blends culture, architecture and community in one site
Your next stop will be the Alexandre Senou Adande Ethnographic Museum of Porto Novo. This museum was established in 1957 by the Dahomey Institute under the watchful eyes of Mr. Adande, a renowned ethnologist, archivist and librarian. The museum has a rich collection of artifacts that clearly tells the history, culture, heritage and independence journey of the people of Benin.
You will make a stop at the Royal Palace and the former home of King Toffa I, who reigned from 1874 to 1908. This Palace, now a museum, is designated as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The museum has a regal display of the items and essentials used by King Toffa during his reign. He was very passionate about education and he introduced and enforceyhe essence of eduction to his subjects to uphold.
You will have the rest of the day to experience the Egun dancing masks. The Egungun is a very powerful and are known and feared for their aggressiveness and their unpredictable way of moving around. Intensely colored, masks are covered with a multitude of pieces of cloth of many red shades. They emerge from the forest and form a procession through the streets of the village. When masks arrive, they perform a kind of bull fight designed to scare the crowd but in truth they are actually greeted with bursts of laughter!
Overnight in Porto Novo
Day 7 - Porto Novo
Arts and Crafts Village & Departure to Accra
Before you leave Benin for Accra on this day, you will go shopping at the Arts and Crafts Village. This is for you to purchase some souvenirs and essentials you like to take along with you. Get ready to depart, drive through formalities and cross borders back to Accra.
Drive from Benin to Accra
Overnight in Accra
Day 8 - Accra
Hotel Relaxation & Wellness Activity
You will have this day to relax at the hotel, read a book, take a walk around the hotel, visit the beach, have a massage/ spa session, or engage in any wellness activity or experience you like.
Overnight in Accra
Day 8 - Accra
Hotel Relaxation & Wellness Activity
You will have this day to relax at the hotel, read a book, take a walk around the hotel, visit the beach, have a massage/ spa session, or engage in any wellness activity or experience you like.
Overnight in Accra
Day 9 - Accra
Assin Manso Slave River Site & Elmina Castle
En route, you will make a significant stop at the Assin Manso Slave River Site, an important part of the history of slavery. This is where the slaves took their last bath after their long journey, shaved their beards, and were made to look presentable and ready for sale. They were branded based on who they belonged to before they were dispatched to the castles and awaited shipment. This was a very emotional and spiritual journey, especially for those in the diaspora
Your final visit for the day will be to the Elmina Castle, the oldest European building below the Sahara, built in 1482 by the Portuguese. This slave dungeon was initially built as a warehouse to store trade goods that were bartered between the Europeans and Africans. These warehouses were later converted to dungeons to keep slaves when the attention was shifted from trade of goods to human trade. This is where it all started.
Overnight in Cape Coast Castle
Day 10 - Accra
Kakum National Park & Social Impact Initiative
You will first visit the Kakum National Park, the second largest national park in Ghana, home to various plant and animal species. Here, you will take about a 20-minute hike through the national park towards the Canopy walkway constructed in 1995 by 2 Canadians and 6 Ghanaians. You will take a 350-meter-long walk on a suspension bridge, 11 to 40 meters above the ground. You will see the forest from above and appreciate nature amid chirping birds and some butterflies.
Before you finally depart for Accra, as part of our Social Impact Initiative, you will engage the Cape Coast School for the Deaf and Blind. You will give out donations and talk with the students to motivate them and make them feel included and seen in society.
Day 11 - Accra
Cape Coast Castle
From there, your next visit is to the Cape Coast Castle, the youngest of the three slave castles in Ghana, yet the most significant in the history of slavery. It was built at the peak of slavery to accommodate more slaves who were taken through the door of no return to the “new world”. This is a very significant site in the Emancipation Day celebration, as the remains of two descendants of our ancestors who were taken through the door of no return were brought back symbolically through that door of no return. This is to signify the welcome of all diasporans to Ghana and the continent of Africa on behalf of our ancestors who did not get the chance to.
Drive Back to Accra
Day 12 - Accra
Departure
This is the day for your final departure from the shores of Ghana back home.
Depending on your time of departure, you will have some time for last-minute shopping and packing. Our guide will be at your hotel to pick you up for the Kotoka International Airport for your final departure.
