Mystical West Africa
Luxury Group Travel | 13 Days | Limited to 12 Guests
- Travel far off the West Africa tourist track into Benin, Togo, and Ghana
- Special access to traditions: voodoo ceremonies, mask dances, and bead making
- Admire contrasts from cosmopolitan Lomé to rural stilt village of Ganvie
- Explore Gold Coast history and castles, as well as colorful markets
- 50 Tours of a Lifetime Award from National Geographic Traveler
We are fired up by this trip to West Africa, full of private access, unusual sights, and enchanting traditions. From Benin to Togo and then to Ghana, it’s a cultural exploration in which ceremony and tradition, along with landscapes of rain forest, swampland and coastline, demonstrate the region’s beautiful extremes. We’re honored with special invitations to ancestral rituals such as a shape-shifting mask dance, a voodoo ceremony, and a celebratory funeral. We travel from West Africa’s rural villages to the more contemporary side of the region, exploring African history, imaginative art, and crafts markets.
Trip Overview
I have traveled extensively and I can honestly say this was the most interesting trip I have taken. Even though I started with a reasonable knowledge of African art and culture, I learned a great deal that was new and interesting. You can't ask for anything better than that.
– SHEILA P.
1 – 2
Get acquainted with Cotonou, Benin’s coastal city, discovering its cafés, art galleries, and markets Boat across Lake Nokoué to Ganvie, a stilt fishing village.
3 – 4
From Ketou to Ouidah, we admire Dahomey Kingdom treasure, witness the Gelede and Egun mask dances, and learn about slave-trade history Visit Ouidah, the spiritual capital of voodoo.
5 – 6
Cruise the Mono River, visiting the local villages, watch a Zangbeto mask dance, and then attend a voodoo ceremony en route to Togo Lomé immerses us in a delightful mix of colonial and modern architecture.
7 – 8
Ashanti craft villages teach us about wood carving and Kente cloth traditions See how beads are made by the Krobo people
9 – 10
In Kumasi we’re guests of the royal palace for the Festival of Akwasidae We savor crafts in West Africa’s largest market and may attend a colorful Ashanti funeral celebration.
11 – 12
Discover Elmina’s UNESCO-listed castles and forts once used in the slave trade We keep our eyes peeled for wildlife in the forest of Kakum National Park.
13
Explorations in Accra, Ghana’s largest city, offer insight into West African art Behold carpentry skills and Ga beliefs at a coffin maker’s workshop Depart from Accra.
MEET YOUR GUIDE
Noah Messan Katcha
Noah began working in tourism in 2000. He has guided travelers throughout West Africa, including Togo, Benin, Ghana, Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso. He speaks English and French, as well as a variety of local dialects. He has helped in the production of many documentaries, including National Public Radio shows.
Dates & Prices
Dates
10/18/24 – 10/30/24
02/21/25 – 03/05/25
Custom Trips offered year-round
Pricing
Group Trip: From $10,880 per person
based on double occupancy
Custom Trip: Please call for individually tailored recommendations and pricing.
Inclusions
- Expertise of GeoEx’s travel specialists
- Services of GeoEx’s in-house air reservations team
- All accommodations
- All ground transportation and airport transfers
- Sightseeing, events, visits, and entrance fees
- Most meals
- Bottled water at included meals and while sightseeing
- Services of a GeoEx trip leader (Group Trip), local guides, drivers, and other staff
- Some gratuities
- Emergency evacuation services and secondary medical expense insurance
A Journey Built Just For You
Take customization to the next level on a journey fully tailored to you. GeoEx's destination specialists will gladly tailor this existing itinerary—or build one completely from scratch—to suit your style, interests, and time frame. Contact us to see what's possible.
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