Please see our philosophy on itineraries. Changes can be made depending on local conditions, spontaneous discoveries, and the considerations of the group. Nothing is set in stone. 

Day 1 – Lagos to Porto Novo 

The Route: Drive east out of Lagos, cross the land border into Benin at Seme, then turn north to Porto Novo

The Plan: Day 1 is primarily a travel day. It is also New Year’s Day. If Lagos is ever slow, it might be today, but the border will be staffed by people who were up until the early hours and the road will reflect all of that. Getting out of Lagos and through the Seme border crossing is the job. How much of Porto Novo we see depends entirely on what time we arrive. If we get in with daylight to spare, we plan to walk the Afro-Brazilian quarter and find the Great Mosque, two of the most architecturally distinctive stops in the city. If the road and the border eat the day, Porto Novo at night and a cold drink is also a perfectly good outcome.

Where We Stay: Guesthouse in Porto Novo.

Day 2 – Porto Novo to Ganvie

The Route: Morning in Porto Novo and the surrounding villages, then by boat across Lake Nokoue to Ganvie, overnight on the water.

The Plan: We use the morning to get further into the region. We head just outside the city to Adjara, a community known for its traditional vodun objects and tam-tam drum carvers, where you can watch artisans shaping hardwood and tuning the skins with fire. From there, a boat trip on the Black River, a narrow forest waterway navigated by pole boat through mangrove and palm on the edge of the city. In the afternoon we take a boat from Porto Novo across Lake Nokoue to Ganvie. The name means “we survived.” The Tofinu people built this village on stilts in the lake in the 16th century to escape the reach of the Dahomey slave traders, whose religious beliefs prohibited conflict on sacred water. Around 30,000 people still live here today, moving between stilt houses by pirogue for everything — school, market, visiting neighbours. A quick boat tour can feel a bit empty and at times you can feel like an unwanted guest. But if you slow down, put the camera away, and talk to people instead, it is a really interesting place. Getting paddled up to a woman selling beignets she has just cooked in her boat is a really amazing experience. That is why we stay overnight.

Where We Stay: Basic guesthouse on stilts in Ganvie, wooden walls, mosquito nets, lake views, fresh fish from the water. 

Day 5 – Kpalime

Today we split based on preference. Experienced riders can hire motorbikes and spend the day exploring the surrounding hills at their own pace. The road up Mount Kloto winds through coffee and cocoa farms and traditional Ewe villages before reaching Chateau Viale, a colonial-era castle that became the presidential retreat under Togo’s long-ruling President Eyadema, and has sat in slow decay since his death in 2005. Views over the hills from the tower are worth the climb. For those who prefer to stay on foot, we arrange a guided hike through the mountain forest trails with a local who knows the region’s medicinal plants. The two groups come back together for lunch at a local restaurant before visiting some of the waterfalls in the hills on the way back into Kpalime.

Where we Stay: Guesthouse in Kpalime.

Day 6 – Kpalime to Atimpoku, Ghana

The Route: Drive west from Kpalime, cross into Ghana at the Kpedze border, stop at Amedzofe in the Volta Region, then continue south to Atimpoku on the Volta River.

The Plan: Once across the border we head up into the hills to Amedzofe, Ghana’s highest human settlement, perched in the Togo mountain ranges. The canopy walkway here is built directly alongside the Ote waterfalls, 259 steps down into the forest and one of the only walkways in West Africa that puts you face to face with a waterfall. We allow good time here before dropping south through the Volta Region to Atimpoku. The Adomi Bridge spans the river here, Ghana’s longest suspension bridge, opened in 1957 by Kwame Nkrumah and featured on Ghanaian stamps and currency. We walk the bridge, watch the river traffic below, and spend a quiet evening on the Volta. 

Where we Stay: Riverside accommodation in Atimpoku.

Day 9 – Lome to Ouidah to Cotonou

The Route: Drive east from Lome, re-enter Benin, and follow the coastal route to Ouidah, then on to Cotonou.

The Plan: We follow the Route des Pecheurs, a coastal track running between the Atlantic and calm lagoons, lined with coconut palms and small fishing settlements. This is the historic slave coast. Ouidah was one of the largest transatlantic slave trading posts in West Africa and the crumbling Afro-Portuguese architecture gives the town a particular weight. We plan to stop at the Portuguese Fort, walk the Route des Esclaves, and end at the Gate of No Return on the beach. The Vodun Days festival will already be in full swing by the time we arrive. We then continue to Cotonou for the night.

Where We Stay: Guesthouse in Cotonou.

Day 10 – Vodun Days — Ouidah

The Plan: Vodun Days is a country wide celebration with the nexus being Ouidah. What started as a national day of traditional religion has become one of the biggest events on the West African calendar. The small town explodes with colour, music, drumming, and performance across several sites, each offering a window into the traditional beliefs of this region. This is not voodoo as it has been portrayed in popular culture. Vodun is an ancient animist religion rooted in the belief that spirits inhabit the natural world and the ancestors remain present among the living. It was carried across the Atlantic with enslaved people and took root in Haiti, Brazil, and Louisiana, where it evolved into the forms we know today. Seeing it here, at its source, is something else entirely. Zangbeto, the guardians of the night, and Egungun figures move through the crowds. We spend the full day here before transferring back to Cotonou in the evening. For those with energy left, there is a massive beach concert that runs into the early hours. We can arrange transport for anyone who wants to go. 

Where we Stay: Guesthouse in Cotonou.