Benin Ethnicities and parks

International flight to Cotonou

Cotonou – Ganvie – Cotonou

Breakfast and chat with the guide about the day’s activities and the trip in general. Visit to Dantokpa, Cotonou’s central market, considered the largest in West Africa. This market draws together all the country’s different ethnic groups, and is a place where you can find absolutely everything. One of the market’s most interesting spots is its “fetish area”. We will also see some of the monuments surviving from the Communist era (Benin was a Marxist state for more than a decade). From Cotonou we will head north, where we will take a motorized canoe to Ganvié, the famous “African Venice”. Ganvié (UNESCO World Heritage Site) is a lake town of 60,000 inhabitants, founded in the 16th century as a refuge to evade enslavement. It is fascinating to cruise the canals and observe the inhabitants’ daily lives.Return to Cotonou and night at the hotel. Accommodations at the Hotel du Lac.

Cotonou – Porto Novo

Breakfast and chat with the guide about the day’s activities and the trip in general. Visit to Dantokpa, Cotonou’s central market, considered the largest in West Africa. This marketplace draws together all the country’s different ethnic groups, and is a site where you can find absolutely everything. One of the market’s most interesting spots is its “fetish area”. We will also see some of the monuments surviving from the Communist era (Benin was a Marxist state for more than a decade). From Cotonou we will head north, where we will take a motorized canoe to Ganvié, the famous “African Venice”. Ganvié (UNESCO World Heritage Site) is a lake town of 60,000 inhabitants, founded in the 16th century as a refuge to evade enslavement. It is fascinating to cruise the canals and observe the inhabitants’ daily lives.Accommodations at the Hotel Songhay. B&B (Bed and Breakfast)

Porto Novo – Onigbolo – Cove

Our route takes us northward to the town of Onigboló, home to one of the most fascinating ethnic groups in Benin: the Ohori, or the Ije, a people embracing ancient African religion and that has maintained its tradition of tattooing and body scarification. We will make an excursion on foot through fields of crops and small sacred forests to discover the Ohori villages, and their inhabitants, not highly accustomed to the presence of western travellers. Our guide will help us communicate with the head of each clan, and we’ll be able to enjoy a world of ancient traditions that, in this part of Africa, has been shielded from Western influences. We will resume our route on to Cove, but first, a brief stop and visit to Ketou, a Beninese commune and one of the first Yoruba cities in Benin.Arrival in Cove.Accommodations at the Hotel TG. B&B (Bed and Breakfast)

Cove

The day begins with a trip to Gbanamé, a town from which we will make an excursion to the hills of the Agonli Mountains to learn about the ways of life of the two ethnic groups that inhabit this relatively unknown region of Benin: the Fon people, animist farmers; and the Fulani, a quintessentially nomadic African people.The Fon people, aka the Dahomey, is the country’s main ethnic group. In the 17th century theirs was one of the most powerful kingdoms, and actively participated in the slave trade. Despite external influences, they have preserved much of their religion and tradition (voodoo). The Fulani, or Mbororo, meanwhile, despite having been influenced by Islam, continue to maintain their own deep-rooted religious traditions. Men and women wear facial tattoos. We will do some moderate hiking through the mountains, visiting traditional Fon villages and sharing moments with their inhabitants. One of our aims is to visit one of the camps of the nomadic Fula people, and learn about their way of life, based on cattle, transhumance, and a penchant for beauty, in both men and women: hairstyles, hats, tattoos … a fascinating people!Accommodations at the Hotel TG. B&B (Bed and Breakfast)

Cove – Dassa Zoumé

Route to Dassa, an area of great rocks and boulders. We will stop along the way in the village of Panouignan, home to farmers where women produce gari and tapioca, all derived from cassava tubers.Afterwards, we will continue on to the city of 41 hills. Each granite mound houses a voodoo temple that is accessed for the funerals of kings and princes, rituals, and ceremonies. This area constitutes the heart of Yoruba country, where many of their traditions have been preserved.Accommodations at the Auberge de Dassa. B&B (Bed and Breakfast)

Dassa Zoumé – Djougou

After breakfast, we’ll continue on our way to Djougou. The buildings of their villages are made of adobe, with conical ceilings. Around its villages are its sacred forests. Despite the pressure of Islam, the Taneka maintain traditional African religious beliefs. We may have the opportunity to talk to the village shaman, one of the most respected people, along with the figure of the king, who will be able to answer our questions about his culture and tradition, and we’ll be able to observe a little bit of his daily life.Then it is on to Djougou, where we’ll spend the night.Accommodations at the Hotel du Lac. B&B (Bed and Breakfast)

Djougou – Taneka – Natitingou – Pendjari Park

In the early morning we’ll continue visiting this placid people, who live in small villages surrounded by sacred forests. Then it is on to Natitingu, the capital of the area, before heading into the Pendjari National Park, where we’ll spend the night before getting up early to observe the animals there.Accommodations at Pendjari Lodge. B&B (Bed and Breakfast)

Pendjari Park

Early in the morning we’ll travel to Pendjari Park, bordering on Burkina Faso. This natural park is one of those whose wildlife can be best observed in the wild, given the limited tourism that it receives. Several types of mammals can be spotted, including baboons and gazelles. The park harbors over a hundred lions, and it is relatively easy to spot crocodiles, hippos and elephants.Trails in the park must be driven at low speeds, to keep from disturbing the animals. At the watering holes there will be stands from which we can observe the fauna that comes to drink.Accommodations at Pendjari Lodge. B&B (Bed and Breakfast)

Pendjari Park – Boukoumbe