West Africa's Premier Travel Company
Building schools, protecting rainforests, having a sustainable positive impact locally.
Togo Tours
Togo
Population – 8,278,924
Language – French
Currency – West African CFA
Time Zone – East Africa Time
Capital – Lomé
Togo may be one of Africa’s smallest countries but what it lacks in size it most definitely makes up in culture, history and stunning landscapes all waiting to be discovered by the inquisitive traveller.
Such a contrast to its busier more populated neighbours in Ghana and Benin, Togo’s safe friendly and charming atmosphere and beautiful environment makes it a must visit destination. Togo is a French speaking country that gained independence from colonial rule on the 27th April 1960 and has a diverse population made up of over 33 ethnic groups with the majority being Ewe, Kabye, Tem and Gourma. Palm lined golden beaches, traditional fetish markets and the Grande Marche in southern Togo moving inland through the beautiful mountains and hill top villages of Kpalime to the north where we find the Batammariba people of Koutammakou an area of outstanding beauty and historical significance which is recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Visiting the many museums, historical sites, and monuments, learning the history and traditions of this region and its part in the tragic slave trade era is an interesting and emotional experience. Indigenous beliefs remain strong with many locals actively still practicing Voodoo religion here in Togo. Due to the size of Togo it is easily incorporated into multi country tours with Benin and Ghana giving you a thorough coverage of West African culture, history and wildlife.
Zoom in to see where your trip will take you in Togo
Our tours of Togo operate year-round, however the dry season here in Togo is from November to April which is the most popular time to travel. Travelling during our rainy season is also not a problem and we are rarely disrupted by the rains.
Togo Tours
Discover Togo with Ashanti African Tours
Our Price Promise
If you receive cheaper quotes from other legitimate companies, we will try to match or improve the price for the exact same tour package offered.
Togo Tours
Award-winning Local Guides
Our passion is to create the best overall experience for our guests during their time touring with us.
One of the key components to achieving this is the local expert guide assigned to lead your tour. Here at Ashanti we are lucky to have highly educated, passionate, personable, fun, friendly and professional local award-winning guides working with us on a full-time basis. Local guides with personal connections to the locations you visit, opens doors and experiences that add so much more to your overall experience during your time with us. Our team are excited to welcome you to West Africa.
For more information on our Award-winning Local Guides
Togo and Benin Tours
Togo Historical Tours
Togo located in the heart of West Africa has an interesting diverse history waiting to be explored.
Evidence has been discovered that locals were producing pottery and processing tin between the 11th and 16th century at time when other ethnic groups started migrating to the coastal areas. The Portuguese arrived in the 15th century followed by several other European powers over the following years. The coastal areas known as the slave coast were heavily involved in the slave trade until the 19th century. During the German colonial period Togo was known as Togoland from 1905, later being invaded by Britain and France and eventually gaining independence in 1960. Travelling through towns and villages visiting ancient monuments, museums, and historical sites of interest is a great way to see this wonderful country. Our experienced team can customize tailor-made tours of any duration and to incorporate additional areas of interest ensuring you get the most from your time travelling here with us.
For more information, itineraries and prices for our Togo Historical Tours
Our small group all-inclusive scheduled tours operate year-round, alternatively we can design private customized tours for individuals, couples, families, small or large groups
Togo, Benin and Ghana Tours
Togo Cultural Tours
The perfect country to visit if you are looking to immerse yourself into West African culture experiencing daily life for locals here.
If your time is limited, then remaining in the south to enjoy the beautiful coastal towns and markets which are the most populated areas of Togo gives a wonderful insight into life in Togo. Walking around the capital Lomé feeling the buzz of business and the big city with its exciting nightlife is a must. If adventure is your thing and you have more time to dedicate to travel, then venturing north to discover the ancient Batammariba people of Koutammakou and their unique dwellings would be the highlight of your time here. Fire walking, dancing horses and remote seldom visited communities are waiting to be discovered during this Togolese adventure. Contact us for customized tailor-made tours of any duration and to incorporate other areas of interest you may have.
For more information, itineraries and prices for our Togo Cultural Tours
Explore Togo
Togo and Benin Tours
A journey of discovery as we immerse ourselves into the cultural traditions and daily way of life for the many ethnic groups we encounter during our fantastic Togo and Benin Tours.
Explore the spiritual religion of Voodoo during our time in its birthplace Ouidah, take a traditional pirogue through the Venice of West Africa Ganvie, search for the endangered West African Lions in Pendjari and discover the ancient traditional people of Tata Somba. The outstanding landscapes of the north and trekking the hills of central Togo passing remote communities and enjoying nature at every point makes for an exceptional expedition of discovery. Contact us for customized tailor-made tours of any duration and to incorporate other areas of interest you may have.
For more information, itineraries and prices for our Togo and Benin Tours
Booking a tour with us makes you an important part of our positive impact projects, having the option to visit and meet the locals benefitting from your booking is also a special moment for many of our participants
Multi Country Tours
Togo, Benin and Ghana Tours
Nestled closely together in the heart of West Africa, offering such diverse cultures and traditions each with distinct historical pasts and varied wildlife makes a multi country tour of Togo, Benin, and Ghana the perfect way to experience West Africa.
From the legacies of the Ashanti’s to the spiritual experience of Voodoo and the endangered West African Lions to the Venice of Africa at Ganvie, these tours offer the inquisitive traveller all they need and more from their West African adventure. Take an emotional journey through the tragic slave trade era, learning the impact of the dark colonial past and immerse ourselves in the colourful diverse culture of the north whilst visiting UNESCO World heritage sites at Koutammakou. Dancing horses in northern Togo and walking with elephants at West Africa’s best game viewing park in Pendjari, these tours have it all and offer experiences that will last a lifetime. Contact us for customized tailor-made tours of any duration and to incorporate other areas of interest you may have.
For more information, itineraries and prices for our Togo, Benin, and Ghana Tours
Discover Togo
Customized Tailor-made Togo Benin, and Ghana Tours
Ashanti’s strength is designing customized tailor-made tours incorporating any areas of interest you may have.
If you are an educator, solo traveller, couple, family, friends, small or large group or even a travel agent arranging a private group then allow our experienced team to design that perfect trip focused on the exact areas important to you. Organizing specific wildlife excursions, voluntary work, craft workshops, educational institutions, visiting friends, festivals or personal locations of interest, nothing is beyond our capabilities as this is an area, we are highly experience in. Having so many local guides experts in such a wide range of areas enables us to offer a varied tour portfolio. Tours of any duration and to fit all budgets ensuring the perfect combination for you.
For more information, itineraries and prices for our Customized Tailor-made Togo, Benin, and Ghana Tours
Exceptional African travel experiences that have a real sustainable impact in the locations and communities we visit
Travel Tips For Togo
Togo Visas
All nationalities, except Togolese and members of the ECOWAS community, need a visa for entry into Togo. Visa fees and requirements often change without travel industry being notified so to ensure you have up to date information please follow the below links where you will be able to download applications and follow the process to apply for your visa.
United Kingdom applicants – www.togoembassylondon.com
United States of America applicants – www.togoleseembassy.com
Netherlands applicants – www.visahq.nl/togo/embassy/netherlands/
German applicants – www.german-embassy.com/de/Togo-Mission-Berlin
Belgium applicants – www.embassies.info/EmbassyofTogoinBrusselsBelgium
France – www.embassies.info/TogoleseEmbassyinParisFrance
For information and links to all other Togo Embassies, Consulates and High Commissions for visa applications and other services please follow this link – www.embassies.info/togo
In the unlikely event there is no Togo Embassy or consulate in your home country to enable you to obtain a visa, it is possible to obtain a visa at the airport and borders of Togo, please be aware this will be more expensive.
Togo Weather and Climate
The warmest months are February and March and the coolest are August to early September. Seasonal changes are different from those of North America and Europe, due to its proximity to the Equator. Togo’s temperature is reasonably consistent. The rainy season is from May to October. Most of the southern sector has two periods of rainfalls, a major one from mid-May to mid-July and a minor one from September to mid-October. The northern sector has only one, from mid-May – August. From December to mid-January, the Harmattan winds blow from the Sahara Desert, causing very dry and hazy conditions in the north. This has little or no effect on visitors.Guest Houses and Homestays
On some of our more adventurous Eco, Wildlife, Voluntary, Educational and Cultural tours in the more remote areas, local guesthouses are used and in some unique cases village homestays. Although these are more basic than hotels in larger communities, they are comfortable, clean, and safe. Staying in these types of accommodations brings us into closer and more intimate contact with the locals, their ways of life and fascinatingly, their wonderful unity.Equipment and Clothing
Due to the wide variety of tours we offer, this information will be forwarded upon confirmation of your booking in your pre-trip information pack.
Tipping
All our company drivers, assistants and expert local guides are employed on full time contracts with Ashanti African Tours and receive a basic salary and daily bonus when on tour. Ashanti African Tours also have a company policy to tip all local site guides and hotel staff. Therefore, if any of our clients would like to tip any of our guides, site guides, drivers, or staff at hotels we use, it is at the client’s own discretion.
Spending Money
The amount of spending money you will need is determined by the type of tour you have booked with us. The majority of our standard scheduled and customized tours are all-inclusive, so you only need to budget for the following: snacks, soft (not mineral water as this is always included) and alcoholic drinks and items of a personal nature. If you have booked a budget tour, then some aspects of the tour may not be included in the tour price and you will receive this information during your enquiry process.
Building schools, protecting rainforest, having a sustainable positive impact locally
Ashanti would like to think most international travellers coming to West Africa care about the locations they visit and about having a positive impact during their time here. Booking with a responsible travel company goes a long way to achieving this. Many companies state they benefit locals and conservation when they do extraordinarily little and are more focused on their profit margins. Ashanti are West Africa’s leading travel company putting their profits back into building schools, protecting wildlife, rainforest, biodiversity and connecting communities to the conservation of their environment through community development initiatives connected to eco-tourism. Click to learn more about where our profits go.
Travel Insurance
You must ensure that you have adequate personal insurance cover for your trip. It is a compulsory requirement for all our trips in Togo and other African destinations and it is your responsibility to take out a suitable policy. You will not officially join our tours until evidence of your insurance has been provided to our office. This must include personal accident, medical expenses, and repatriation to your country of origin. We also strongly recommend that your policy covers cancellation, curtailment and loss of luggage and personal effects. Please note that free insurance cover offered by some credit cards does not cover repatriation expenses.Hotel Accommodation
As most of our tours are customized tailor-made tours then your budget will determine the standard of accommodation at each location. Togo has a limited selection of hotels however there are some Luxury 5- and 4-star establishments, most are mid-range 2 to 3 star and there is a wide selection of clean and basic budget hotels. Our experienced tour planners will identify the best hotel to fit your budget in the right location. If you have booked onto one of our scheduled Togo tours, then we usually use quality mid-range hotels when available and all with private en suite facilities and air-conditioning. In some remote locations where these hotels are not available, we will use the best standard alternative.Camping
On occasions during some of our more adventurous expeditions in more remote areas, we will camp. This is not for the duration of your entire tour, but for a couple of days where accommodation is unavailable. Camping is usually on a shared basis, but single occupancy tents are available when requested. Our experienced camping team are on hand to make the experience special. All meals are cooked by our team and are usually a mixture of ample and delicious Western and salivating authentic local dishes eaten around an open fire, the local way for a memorable evening.Immunisations and Vaccinations
ou need to consult your doctor or travel clinic six to eight weeks prior to departure for extensive up to date information on foreign travel to Africa.
Below is a guideline only:
Polio
Tetanus
Typhoid
Anti-malaria tablets (consult your chemist)
Hepatitis A
Meningitis
Yellow fever (you must carry a valid certificate with your passport)
Responsible Tourism
When you travel with Ashanti African Tours you can be assured that all trips are ethical and sustainable, as we put the environment and the communities at the heart of all that we do. As such, this policy draws on the criteria set out by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) and tries to recognise many of the principles within the United Nations World Tourism Organisation’s (UNWTO) Global Code of Ethics for Tourism. All Ashanti African Tours trips aim to have a positive impact on the countries, communities, and environments we visit. Our policy of operating low-impact, ethical tours allows us to create authentic, cultural connections, which not only enhances the traveller experience, but also creates economic opportunity and social development, whilst preserving local cultures for future generations. For full detailed information on our company responsible travel policy please visit the Ethical Travel page of our website.
We Offset Your Trips Carbon Footprint
We plant 3 indigenous forest tree species for every person that travels with us. The main aim for this project is carbon offsetting – guests choosing to travel with us would offset their flights to/from West Africa by more than 15 times if the trees live to their expected lifespan. This is based on projected carbon dioxide generated on a return flight for the average guest (approximately 900kg/1980 lbs). The average tropical tree can absorb approximately 48lbs of carbon per year (when mature) and in West Africa it takes 30-50 years for a tropical tree species to grow to maturity, with an average life expectancy of 200-300 years. If the trees we plant for each guest are continued to be protected, then we are confident that we will be making a big difference in carbon offsetting: 3 trees planted would each absorb approximately 10,080 lbs of carbon, totalling 30,240 lbs/13,745 kg for all 3 trees (per guest).