Ethnic Land Journey

You discover Ganvié, a fishing village located in the middle of Lake Nokoué. Between the stilt houses, shops and the floating market where fruits, vegetables and fish are sold, you discover the daily life of the Toffins, the « men of the water ».

According to tradition, this community took refuge on the lake in the 18th century to escape slavery and attacks from the Dahomey kingdom. Legend has it that their king, Agbogdobé, first transformed himself into a hawk to spot an islet, then into a crocodile to guide his people there. Ganvié means « we are saved ».

Throughout your visit, discover the bamboo houses with thatched roofs, the cultivation of water hyacinths and the local fishing technique called akadja.

You take the road to Porto Novo, administrative capital of Bénin and chief town of the Ouémé department. The city stands out for the diversity of its communities, its colonial-era buildings and its places of worship. Its old neighborhoods and royal palace are listed on the UNESCO tentative list.

You visit the Honmé palace, then the ethnographic museum, where Guélédé masks, weapons and musical instruments are on display. You also discover the Grand Mosque of Porto-Novo, recognizable by its colorful façades.

In the afternoon, you head to Adjarra to explore its traditional tam-tam market and observe the stages of their manufacturing until their sale.

After lunch, you continue exploring Porto Novo. You admire its monuments and remnants related to exchanges between Africa, America and Europe, as well as its Honmé, Da Silva and Alexandre Sènou Adandé museums.

You then take the road to Pobé, passing through Onigbolo and its cement factory, then through the Agonlin region. Along the way, you discover rural markets and a Holi village, whose inhabitants bear different tattoos.

After breakfast, you meet the inhabitants of the Agonlin region and discover their way of life, marked by ancestral traditions, subsistence farming, hunting and ancestor worship.

You then take the track towards Gbanamé. Along the way, you stop at a Wodaabe camp to exchange with these nomads originally from Nigeria and discover their Géréwol festival, known in particular for its seduction competition.

In Bohicon you stroll through the central market, among food stalls and sheep. You then continue towards Dassa-Zoumé, with a detour through Bétékoukou to observe hippopotamuses in the Ouémé River.

You first visit the Marian center of Arigbo, a place of prayer and contemplation. A hike on the hills of Dassa then takes you along the ritual path of the Omondjagou, the majority people of the former kingdom of Dassa-Zoumé. You discover fetishes and representations of the vodoun cult there.

From Dassa-Zoumé, you reach Savalou, a region of cashew trees and teak plantations. You meet the Mahi people, who opposed the kingdom of Dahomey between the 17th and 19th centuries. You also discover the Dankoli fetish: two tree trunks representing a couple, to whom the faithful entrust their concerns.

You then head north towards Djougou. In the Tanéka-Koko region, you meet animist hunters and millet farmers. At the Yaka camp, the keepers of traditions tell you about their male initiation rites and the veneration of the dead.

You take the road to Natitingou, in the heart of the Atacora mountains. Along the way, you discover the sacred forest of Djougou and its traditional villages.

You then visit the Museum of Arts and Popular Traditions of Atacora, housed in a colonial building. It features works of art, photographs of personalities, adornments and furniture. The day ends in Natitingou.

You arrive in Abomey, the former capital of the Dahomey kingdom. You discover the ensemble of its ten royal palaces, notably those of the kings Ghézo and Glélé, now transformed into historical museums. Built in earth and wood from palm and iroko trees, they are adorned with multicolored engravings and have been inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage list since 1985.

In one of the museums, you observe royal objects: weapons, jewels, fabrics, thrones and photographs.

You discover Grand-Popo, a seaside resort located near the mouth of the Mono River on the Atlantic Ocean. Its fine sandy beaches, coconut trees, lagoon, birds and mangroves invite you to take a stroll.

Enjoy a walking tour or a canoe trip to explore the surroundings and discover the Mouth of the King, at the mouth of the Mono River.

You leave Grand-Popo for Possotomé, on the shores of Lake Ahémé. The locality is known for fishing, its thermal springs and its small beaches lined with coconut trees. You can enjoy a pirogue ride or a swim in the lake.

Possotomé is also marked by voodoo traditions. You discover its temples, its ceremonies and its sacred forests.

Accommodation at the Chez Théo hotel complex, equipped with mini-cabins, rooms and a swimming pool.

You take the road to Ouidah, a city founded by the Houéda people, whose python scarification is linked to voodoo traditions. A former center of the slave trade to South America, particularly Brazil, it preserves numerous places of memory.

You travel through the five stages of the Slave Route, from Chacha Square to the Gate of No Return. You then discover the historic center and its colonial houses with English, Portuguese and French influences, then the former Portuguese fort, which has become a history museum.

For this last day, you have free time in Cotonou. Take advantage of it to discover the open-air market of Dantokpa.

If time permits, you can also visit the Missebo market, the Zinsou Foundation, the Fidjrossè beach or the craft center.