Ghana Togo and Benin

Day 1

As you exit the airport in Accra, you will be greeted with a smile by your Uprise guide. Your activities today will depend on your arrival time. Early arrivals will have the chance to see some sites around Accra, including the Makola Market and Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park. You first day will also include a short cultural orientation session to prepare you for the days ahead. For late arrivals, you may go straight to bed!

Day 2

This morning you will depart Accra and travel northeast to the Shai Hills Resource Reserve. On your walking safari you will have the chance to see patas monkeys, baboons, antelope, and various species of savanna and forest birds. A short hike will take you to an excellent view of the Shai Hills area and the city of Accra. From Shai Hills you will travel to Sogakope, where you will check into a comfortable riverside hotel and enjoy the view over Lake Volta, Africa’s largest manmade lake.

Day 3

After breakfast this morning you will journey east into Togo. After crossing the border, your first stop will be in Togoville, in eastern Lome. After visiting the slave house in Agbodrafo, you will check out Togoville’s main attraction, a German Cathedral built in 1910. After Togoville you will make a quick stop in Aneho to see where Lake Togo meets the sea, before returning back to Lome to visit the Fetish Market, where you will learn about local traditional beliefs.

Day 4

Today you will journey east, to Ganvie, in Benin. Ganvie, often called the “Venice of West Africa,” is home to people who have lived in stilted and floating homes for hundreds of years. Touring this photogenic village by boat will give you a million Instagrammable moments.

Day 5

This morning we will drive up to the town of Ouidah, known for its voodoo tradition and its role in the transatlantic slave trade. The Slave Route, or the path that led slaves to ships, is lined with monuments leading to the Door of No Return. You will also visit the Ouidah Museum of History, which is situated in an 18th-century Portuguese fort, and chronicles the city’s slave-trading past.

Day 6

This morning you will drive to the hill town of Kpalime, which is surrounded by coffee and cocoa plantations. Here you will visit Vial Castle, a German-built church, and a nearby craft center which features traditional crafts like woodcarvings and batik. You also have the option to hike to a waterfall in the area.

Day 7

This morning you will tour a small eco village where local women formed a palm oil cooperative. After your tour you will cross the border to Ghana, where you will visit Wli Falls, the tallest waterfall in West Africa. A short hike over several bridges will bring you to the lower falls, at which point you can decide whether or not to brave the 90-minute hike to the upper falls. For those brave enough to hike all the way up, the upper fall has a beautiful swimming hole perfect for splashing beneath the falls.

Day 8

You will start the morning by heading south to Tafi Atome. Founded as part of a Peace Corps project, the Tafi Atome Monkey Sanctuary is home to mona monkeys that are believed by the local population to be sacred. After visiting with the monkeys on a guided tour of the sanctuary, you will take a short drive up the hill to Amedzofe, the highest settlement in Ghana. It is just a short hike to the top of Mount Gemi, the second-tallest mountain in Ghana, which offers panoramic views of the Volta Region.

Day 9

After your breakfast this morning you will begin your journey back to Accra. Depending on your departure time, you might have a final meal, a visit to the Arts Centre, or other last-minute activities before you say goodbye to the Uprise team.

The Uprise team is happy to assist you with your luggage, but feel free to pack light and keep it simple!

• We highly recommend that you speak with your doctor about about antimalarial medications or any vaccinations that he or she may suggest.
• If your trip includes a safari, please include darker, more neutral-colored clothing in order to avoid scaring off the animals.
• Also, please consider culturally appropriate dress. While many cities and beaches in West Africa are more liberal with their dress codes, many people will be offended if you show too much skin. In some communities women should cover their shoulders and knees. Consider packing capri pants, loose-fitting long-sleeved shirts, or scarves to cover your shoulders.

In your hand-luggage:

• Passport
• Photocopy of your passport
• Visa for Ghana/Togo/Benin (if applicable)
• Yellow fever vaccination card
• Wallet and money
• Waterbottle
• Medications
• Phone
• Camera
• Chargers
• Books/games

In your checked luggage:

• Underwear
• Socks
• Pants
• Shorts
• Tee shirts
• Bathing suits
• Long-sleeved shirt
• Sneakers/hiking shoes
• Sandals
• Rainjacket
• Sunglasses
• Hat
• Flashlight or headlamp
• Shampoo/conditioner
• Soap/facewash
• Toothbrush
• Toothpaste
• Deodorant
• Shaving cream
• Bugspray
• Sunscreen