West Africa Tours – Ghana Togo Benin Senegal and Gambia | November 2021

The Republic of Ghana is a stand out economic success and most politically stable country in the region. It was the first Sub Saharan country to gain independence from a European power when it separated from Britain in 1957.  There are more than 100 different languages however, luckily for us, English is the official language and the most widely spoken. One of the countries claims to fame is that has the largest man-made lake in the world, Lake Volta at 8,500km2.

Togo is a tiny country smaller than Tasmania and with a population of around 6 million. The capital Lome, sitting on the coast, has almost 20% of the country’s population. There are 35 ethnic languages within the country with French being the main spoken language. Togoland was originally part of Ghana however the Germans colonized it in the late 1800’s Most of the country’s working population is employed in agriculture with coffee, cocoa and coffee being the main exports.  

Bordering Togo to the East is Benin, also located on the Guinea Gulf. It used to be known as the Kingdome of Dahomey up until the late 1800s. It is around 110k km2 - about twice the size of Tasmania - and has a population of around 9 million people. The French colonised Benin in the early 1900s however it became independent in 1960.  

The Gambia – the smallest country on mainland Africa – has much to see despite its size. Traditional music is heard morning, day and night. Birdwatching is its biggest tourist attraction and no trip is complete without a cruise up the Gambia River – from which the country’s name is derived.

TOUR HIGHLIGHTS

1. 1. UNESCO World heritage-listed Portuguese Elmina Castle and Cape Coast Castles
   2. The Akosombo dam, Africa’s largest man-made lake
   3. The wildlife of Pendjari National Park, Benin
   4. Koutammakou world heritage-listed mini fortified castles
   5. Ganvie’s stilted houses and fish market
   6. Cruising the Gambia River