18 Days Great Empires of West Africa Tour Package

Duration: 18 Days / 17 Nights
Priced From: $9,995 pp dbl. occ.
Dates: Apr, Nov

Go where few have gone before on this unique exploration of the early civilizations of West Africa. Explore the fabled desert city of Timbuktu. Travel off the beaten path to visit a voodoo market in Benin, and journey deep into the interior to witness a great procession of tribal kings.

Travel among desert warriors and explore ancient mosques, distinctive mud dwellings and teeming markets in Bamako and Timbuktu. Trek through the Sahara Desert by camel to meet the Tuareg tribe who welcome you with a festive ceremony.

Days 5 - 8 - Mopti, Djenne & Dogon Country

Fly to Mopti to find a bustling port at the confluence of the Niger and Bani Rivers. Then visit Dogon cliff villages to discover their unique architecture. Their superstitious culture is famous for its animist beliefs and strange death rituals. Djenne’s spectacular mud mosque is the centerpiece of a fascinating town.

Days 9 - 13 - Accra, Kumasi & Cape Coast, Ghana

Visit the Manhyia Palace with time to explore the vibrant Kumasi central market. Experience Durbar at the climax of the Akwasidee Festival, where a procession of chiefs, resplendent in their gold ornaments, drum and dance. In Accra, we will enjoy an authentic dinner in a private Ghanaian home.

Days 14 & 15 - Ouidah & Lomé, Togo

Discover the history and culture of the cities and fishing villages along the scenic Bight of Benin. For over a century, in the trading towns of Porto Novo and Ouidah, the Portuguese bartered slaves for guns—mainly to the Caribbean and particularly Haiti. Haitians imported their practice of voodoo from the slaves. In Ouidah, see the Sacred Python Temple where fetish rituals are performed, and visit a voodoo cemetery.

Days 16 - 18 - Cotonou, Abomey & Ganvie, Benin

Known as “the cradle of voodoo,” Benin’s largest city Cotonou is home to a unique fetish market. Enjoy a scenic drive to Abomey, the center of the Danhomey kingdom. In Abomey, visit Goho historical square, the historical museum and the former palaces of the kings of Danhomey featuring the throne room, the weapon room and the palace artisans. Discover the African version of Venice in Ganvie, where bamboo huts are built on stilts above the lagoon and fishermen move about in pirogues (dugout canoes).

11/09