Togo, formerly a French colony, is a narrow country in West Africa sandwiched between Ghana and Benin that has little to be famous about other than its comical name It does however have well-conserved national parks and the mud tower settlements in Koutammakou, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
What is it?: Togo is a small West African country, known for its diverse landscapes, vibrant culture, and rich history. From the palm-lined beaches of Lomé, the capital, to the lush hills and savannahs of the interior, Togo offers a mix of natural beauty and cultural experiences. The country is also home to UNESCO World Heritage sites, such as the Koutammakou region, and has a rich tradition of music, art, and cuisine, making it a unique destination for travelers looking for an authentic West African experience.
Affordability: Togo is an affordable destination for travelers. Local food, public transportation, and accommodations are reasonably priced. Budget travelers can easily find affordable guesthouses, street food, and taxis, while mid-range and luxury options are available in the capital and major towns. While guided tours and certain activities, like visiting national parks, may increase costs, Togo offers great value for money, especially for those seeking an off-the-beaten-path adventure.
Safety: Togo is considered one of the safer countries in West Africa for tourists. The country has a stable political environment, and crime rates are generally low compared to other countries in the region. The capital Lomé and popular tourist destinations are safe, but travelers should take the usual precautions, such as securing valuables and avoiding poorly lit areas at night. While the country is generally peaceful, travelers should stay updated on local conditions, particularly in border areas.
Popularity: Togo is a relatively lesser-known destination in West Africa, but it is growing in popularity among travelers looking for authentic cultural experiences, nature, and historical exploration. The country’s unspoiled beaches, traditional villages, and vibrant music scene attract a niche group of tourists who seek a quieter, more intimate experience compared to larger, more commercialized African destinations.
Tourist Infrastructure: Togo has a developing tourism infrastructure, with good services in the capital Lomé and other major cities like Kpalimé and Atakpamé. Visitors can find a range of accommodations, from budget hotels to mid-range resorts. Public transportation is available, including buses and taxis, though travel to more remote areas may require private transport or guided tours. While infrastructure is improving, rural areas may have more limited services.
Weather: Togo has a tropical climate, with a wet season from April to October and a dry season from November to March. The best time to visit is during the dry season when the weather is more comfortable, ideal for sightseeing, outdoor activities, and exploring national parks. The wet season can bring higher humidity and rainfall, particularly in the southern regions, but it is also quieter with fewer tourists.
Best Time to Go: November–March for the best weather, ideal for outdoor exploration, cultural visits, and beach activities. The wet season (April–October) offers fewer tourists but brings rain and higher humidity, which may affect travel in some areas.
Known For: Lomé, Koutammakou, traditional villages, beaches, vibrant culture, music and dance, palm oil, Togoville, and historical significance.
Top Destinations: Lomé • Koutammakou • Togoville • Kpalimé • Atakpamé • Togo National Park • Lake Togo • Aneho
- Capital: Lomé
- Population: ~8.8 million (Density: ~157 people per km², ~407 per mi²)
- Area: 56,785 km² (21,925 mi²)
- Official Language: French
- Common Languages: Ewe, Mina, Kabiyé, and other indigenous languages
- Currency: West African CFA Franc (XOF)
- Time Zone: UTC+0
- Electricity: Plug Type C (220V, 50Hz)
- Emergency Contacts: Police 117, Ambulance 118, Fire 118
- Drives On: Right
- Religions: Christianity ~47%, Indigenous beliefs ~33%, Islam ~14%, Other ~6%
- Government: Unitary Presidential Republic
- Map Links: Google Maps | Apple Maps
- Coordinates (for GPS): 8.6195, 0.8248
Togo is a narrow West African country known for its cultural diversity, scenic landscapes, and vibrant markets. Lomé, the capital, sits along the Gulf of Guinea with palm-fringed beaches, lively street life, and a famous fetish market. Inland, Kpalimé is a hub for crafts and hiking trails leading to waterfalls and lush hills. The country’s north offers traditional mud-brick villages, ancient batammariba houses in Koutammakou, and wildlife in Fazao-Malfakassa National Park. Togolese cuisine features dishes like fufu and grilled fish, often shared in open-air settings. Warm and compact, Togo offers a mix of nature, culture, and everyday West African life.
Togo is a slender strip of a country in West Africa, packed with variety despite its small size. Travelers come for its lively markets, voodoo traditions, and diverse landscapes, from the beaches of Lomé to the waterfalls and rolling hills of Kpalimé. Inland, visitors explore remote villages, hike to hidden cascades, and discover sacred forests. Togo feels low-key, authentic, and welcoming, offering cultural depth and natural beauty without the crowds.
Occult finds and traditional medicines also attract a lot of tourists. Togo is a regional commercial and trade center, but commercial developments have stalled due to its continuing political instability.
The best hotels are in Lomé that provide first-class accommodation and amenities like swimming pools. Accommodation throughout the country is basic. The continuing political unrest in the country has stalled foreign investments and infrastructure building, making commercial development slow.
Traveling in Togo is affordable, with simple guesthouses, auberges, and a few mid-range hotels in Lomé and tourist areas. Food is hearty and straightforward: expect maize porridge (akume), grilled fish, peanut sauces, and fried plantains. Western food is available in Lomé but scarce elsewhere.
Getting around is by bush taxis, shared minibuses, or motorbike taxis. Roads are paved between main cities but rougher in rural areas. French is the official language; English is rare outside business or tourism. Togo is generally safe, though petty theft is possible in busy areas, standard precautions apply.
Families: Togo offers family-friendly beaches around Lomé, educational trips to Togoville and Kpalimé, and gentle hikes. Infrastructure is basic outside urban areas, but distances are short and people welcoming.
Couples: Couples enjoy Togo’s mix of relaxation and culture , romantic sunsets on Lomé’s beaches, cozy eco-lodges in Kpalimé, and exploring waterfalls and forests together.
Backpackers: Togo is budget-friendly, uncrowded, and rewarding for backpackers. Key stops include Lomé, Kpalimé, Togoville, and trekking in the Plateaux Region. Affordable guesthouses and public transport ease travel.
Digital Nomads: Lomé has decent internet and cafés, but outside the capital connectivity drops. Togo isn’t a digital nomad hub but can work for short-term stays in Lomé.
Luxury Travelers: Luxury tourism is minimal. Lomé has a few upscale hotels and beachfront resorts, but elsewhere options are rustic. The appeal is cultural and natural rather than luxury amenities.
Foodies: Togolese cuisine blends African and French flavors , akume, grilled fish, fufu, and spicy sauces are staples. Lomé offers lively street food and market eats with authentic tastes.
Beach Bunnies: Togo’s southern coast offers wide, sandy beaches. Lomé Beach, Aneho, and quieter coastal stretches provide sun, sea, and laid-back vibes, though currents can be strong for swimming.
Nature Buffs: Togo’s natural beauty includes the lush Plateaux Region, Kpalimé’s waterfalls, and Fazao-Malfakassa National Park. Forests, hills, and birdlife appeal to nature lovers.
History Buffs: Togo’s history includes colonial heritage in Lomé, voodoo traditions in Togoville, and remnants of German rule. Museums and historic buildings add context to its past.
Culture Vultures: Togo’s culture is vibrant , voodoo ceremonies, drumming, dance, and artisan crafts. Festivals, village visits, and cultural tours around Togoville and Kpalimé offer authentic immersion.
Adventure Seekers: Adventure includes trekking Mount Agou, cycling Kpalimé’s hills, waterfall hikes, and off-road trips to national parks. Activities are rewarding but low-key.
Solo Travelers: Togo is safe and welcoming for solo travelers, especially French speakers. Lomé and Kpalimé offer social stays, and locals are helpful with directions and advice.
Party Animals: Lomé has a lively nightlife with beach bars, nightclubs, and live music venues. Elsewhere nightlife is more relaxed, centered on community gatherings and music.
Wildlife Watchers: Fazao-Malfakassa and other parks offer antelope, monkeys, and birdlife. Wildlife spotting is less dense than East Africa but enjoyable for patient observers.
LGBTQ+: Same-sex relations are criminalized, and attitudes are conservative. LGBTQ+ travelers should remain discreet, particularly outside urban areas.
Why Go to Togo?
- Lomé’s Markets and Beaches: Visit the Grand Marché for crafts and fabrics, explore the Voodoo Market, and relax along the coast.
- Kpalimé’s Waterfalls and Artisans: Hike to hidden waterfalls and meet local artists crafting batiks, pottery, and sculptures.
- Tamberma Valley: Discover the UNESCO-listed mud-tower houses of the Batammariba people, an architectural and cultural highlight.
- Voodoo Traditions: Witness rituals, festivals, and sacred sites tied to Togo’s rich spiritual heritage.
- Togoville’s History: Cross Lake Togo to explore this historic village known for voodoo shrines and colonial-era churches.
- Hiking in the Plateaux Region: Trek lush hills, coffee plantations, and forested trails with scenic viewpoints.
- Music and Dance: Experience energetic drumming and dance performances in villages and cultural festivals.
Who Might Not Enjoy Togo?
- Luxury-Only Travelers: Luxury accommodations are scarce outside Lomé; most hotels in smaller towns are basic or mid-range with limited amenities.
- Tourists Expecting Polished Tourism Infrastructure: Togo’s tourism sector is underdeveloped; attractions often lack signage, organized tours, or formal visitor facilities.
- Budget Travelers Without Local Knowledge: Public transport is informal, crowded, and difficult for newcomers to navigate without local assistance; schedules are unpredictable.
- Strict Vegetarians or Vegans: Togolese cuisine centers on meat, fish, and maize-based dishes; vegetarian options are limited, and vegan-specific meals are rare outside international restaurants.
- People Sensitive to Heat and Humidity: Togo’s tropical climate is hot and humid year-round; the rainy season (April to June, September to November) brings heavy downpours and muddy roads.
- Visitors Hoping for Big-Game Safaris: Togo has some nature reserves, but it lacks large wildlife populations and safari infrastructure compared to East or Southern Africa.
- Travelers Needing Reliable Medical Care and Internet: Healthcare facilities outside Lomé are basic; internet access is slow or unreliable in rural areas.
- Tourists Wanting Vibrant Nightlife Beyond Lomé: Lomé has modest nightlife, but other towns and rural regions are quiet after dark with few entertainment options.
What’s Cool
Friendly and welcoming locals, vibrant markets and colorful textiles, lively traditional music and dance, rich cultural mix of over 40 ethnic groups, authentic voodoo practices and ceremonies, beautiful palm-lined beaches, scenic highlands and waterfalls like Kpalimé, affordable travel and living costs, off-the-beaten-path adventure, bustling Lomé nightlife and art scene.
What’s Not
Poor road conditions outside main routes, unreliable electricity and water supply, health risks like malaria, limited English (French widely spoken), basic healthcare outside Lomé, slow public transport, petty crime in urban areas, occasional political protests, tourist scams in markets, few luxury accommodations.
Togo is a narrow country in West Africa, bordered by Ghana to the west, Benin to the east, Burkina Faso to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the south. It’s one of Africa’s smallest countries by area but offers diverse landscapes ranging from beaches and lagoons to mountains and savannas. Togo is known for its vibrant markets, traditional crafts, voodoo culture, and scenic interior.
The geography runs north to south: coastal plains in the south give way to forested hills and plateaus in the center, followed by savanna in the north. The Mono River runs along the eastern border, and the Togo Mountains stretch diagonally across the country. The climate is tropical in the south with two rainy seasons, and semi-arid in the north.
Most visitors arrive via Lomé–Tokoin International Airport in Lomé. Travel across the country is straightforward, with a main highway linking the coast to northern towns.
Southern Togo
The southern region is Togo’s economic and cultural heart, home to the capital, coastal resorts, and voodoo heritage sites.
- Lomé: The capital city with lively markets, colonial-era architecture, a beach promenade, and the Grand Marché.
- Aneho: A historic coastal town once a colonial capital, known for its fishing port and voodoo temples.
- Togoville: A village on Lake Togo, famous for its role in voodoo culture and colonial history.
- Agbodrafo: A quiet coastal town with former slave trade sites and small resorts.
- Kpalimé: A town inland near the mountains, popular for hiking, waterfalls, and craft markets.
Central Togo
Central Togo features plateaus, rolling hills, and a cooler climate. It’s a region of farming towns, colonial history, and natural attractions.
- Atakpamé: The main town in the Plateaux Region, surrounded by hills and agricultural lands.
- Badou: A base for exploring waterfalls and hiking to Mount Kloto.
- Amlamé: A quiet town known for cocoa and coffee farming.
- Notsé: An ancient Ewe settlement with historical walls and local legends.
- Tchamba: A small town east of Sokodé, linked to northern cultural routes.
Northern Togo
Northern Togo has savanna landscapes, traditional mud-brick architecture, and cultural ties to the Kabye and Tamberma peoples. It’s less developed for tourism but rich in heritage.
- Sokodé: The second-largest city, known for its central mosque, markets, and traditional festivals.
- Kara: A major northern city and political center near Kabye cultural sites.
- Tamale: A nearby Ghanaian border town often linked with cross-border trade (note: not in Togo but relevant for travelers crossing).
- Koutammakou: A UNESCO World Heritage Site famous for its traditional Batammariba “Takienta” mud tower houses.
- Dapaong: The northernmost town, a hub for trade and access to cliffs, caves, and rock art.
Highlights
Marché des Féticheurs: this unusual market in Lome sells all kinds of occult objects and ingredients used for voodoo practices and traditional medicine such as animal skins, mummified animals, skulls, and voodoo dolls. Fetish doctors can also be found in the market.
National parks: some of the national parks you can visit to get a view of the country’s beautiful hills, waterfalls, forests, and animals are the Badou or Fazao-Malfacassa National Park and the Les Cascades d’ Akloa.
Kandé: visit the Tamberma people who live in a beautiful valley setting in almost stone-age conditions.
Lake Togo: Lake Togo is a relaxing place where you can sit, eat, drink beer, rub elbows with the fishermen, and watch the sun go down.
The weather is tropical all year round.
It is hot and humid in the south and semiarid in the north. Avoid the summer months when it gets unbearably hot inland.
Shopping: aside from the interesting and unusual finds in Marché des Féticheurs, you can also shop for ebony elephant sculptures, painted shirts, and ethnic jewelry.
Eating: try the local food such as Akume, corn pounded into flour, mixed with water, and served with sauces, or Fufu, white yam pounded like mashed potatoes and served with sauces.
Beach-hopping: many of the beaches in Togo are not safe for swimming due to the strong currents, but you can still go there to check out the scenery. Some of the notable beach resorts are found in Lome including Le Ramatou, Robinson’s Plage, Lome Rivage, and Coco beach.
Cultural immersion: visit the French Cultural Center for any scheduled concert, play, cinema exhibition, or music festival.
There are direct flights available to Togo, but they are expensive. You’ll save more money if you fly to Accra in Ghana before taking an air-conditioned bus to Togo. Motorcycle taxis are the most common means of getting around. Most of the main streets in Lome are paved, but the rest of the roads in the country is generally bumpy and unpaved.
Drink only bottled water and avoid eating roadside meals. Do not be shocked if you find people relieving themselves in the streets because it is an accepted practice there. Stay away from the beaches at night because robbery is common in these areas.