Togo
Discover Togo
Togo is a narrow country in West Africa, sandwiched between Ghana on the west and Benin on the east. It is a charming country, mostly due to its charming people as there are not many tourist attractions. In an 1884 treaty signed at Togoville, Germany declared a protectorate over a stretch of territory along the coast and gradually extended its control inland. This became the German colony of Togoland in 1905. After the German defeat during World War I in August 1914 at the hands of British troops (coming from the Gold Coast) and the French troops (coming from Dahomey), Togoland became two League of Nations mandates, administered by the United Kingdom and France. After World War II, these mandates became UN Trust Territories. The residents of British Togoland voted to join the Gold Coast as part of the new independent nation of Ghana, and French Togoland became an autonomous republic within the French Union.
What to Experience in Togo
Famous Beaches
Taste of Togo...
Akume is made from corn flour. The "national" dish of West-Africa is Fufu. In Togo, it consists of white yams pounded into a doughy consistency. You will find plenty of Fufu Restaurants in the cities as well as roadside stands. Akume and Fufu are usually eaten with your hands and come with different sauces (from smoked fish to spicy tomato to peanut). Plantains can also be found in various forms; grilled, cooked, mashed or fried. In the season, mangos, papayas, and pineapples are for sale everywhere. Lemonade and Bissap juice are the most popular drinks. There are many bars almost around all corners in Lomé where you will be able to have a beer. The most popular drinks you will find in common bars are beers and sodas. Here is a list of the beers you may find based on their popularity: Don't be surprised if most of the bars do not have what you ask. The Togolese are not renowned for their organisation and tight management, except one small motel called "Auberge London" in the northern suburbs of Lomé called "Agoe" where you will have all the possible drink listed above. As a rule, stay away from public beaches, where tourists find themselves mugged any time of day or night. Most of the country has little crime, but Lomé is a clear exception, and is a good deal more dangerous than any city in Ghana or Benin. If going somewhere at night, take a car taxi, and get the numbers of a few trusted taxi drivers if you plan to stay for a while.
Culture & Religion
Religion
Indigenous beliefs 51%, Christianity 29%, Islam 20% Several airlines offer regular flights to Lomé (LFW). Ethiopian Airlines and Royal Air Maroc have some good return fares from Europe to Lome. You can also fly to Accra airport in Ghana then get a comfortable, air-conditioned, and reasonably priced bus from Accra to the border at Aflao. At Aflao, people must walk across the border into Lomé and find their own transport inside Togo. There are bush taxis everywhere. These are basically four door cars, with four people in the back, and two sharing the front. From either Accra or Benin, you can take bush taxis for US$5 to Lomé. From there, you can take them out to more rural areas. You can also offer to pay for the entire car, so that you're not cramped. For this, calculate the price of six people, and then bargain down from there. The Trans-West African Coastal Highway crosses Togo, connecting it to Benin and Nigeria to the east, and Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire to the west.
A Rich Past
Explore the historical roots that shaped Togo into what it is today.
In an 1884 treaty signed at Togoville, Germany declared a protectorate over a stretch of territory along the coast and gradually extended its control inland. This became the German colony of Togoland in 1905. After the German defeat during World War I in August 1914 at the hands of British troops (coming from the Gold Coast) and the French troops (coming from Dahomey), Togoland became two League of Nations mandates, administered by the United Kingdom and France. After World War II, these mandates became UN Trust Territories. The residents of British Togoland voted to join the Gold Coast as part of the new independent nation of Ghana, and French Togoland became an autonomous republic within the French Union. Togo's size is just less than 57,000 km² (22,000 sq mi). It has a population of more than 6,600,000 people, which is dependent mainly on agriculture. The mild weather makes for good growing seasons. Togo is a tropical, sub-Saharan nation. Togo gained its independence from France in 1960. In 1967, Gnassingbé Eyadéma, the former leader of the country, led a successful military coup, after which he became President. Eyadéma was the longest-serving leader in African history (after being president for 38 years) at the time of his death in 2005. In 2005, his son Faure Gnassingbé was elected president. About a third of the population live below the international poverty line of US$1.25 a day....
Climate
The climate is generally tropical with average temperatures ranging from 27°C on the coast to about 30°C in the northernmost regions, with a dry climate and characteristics of a tropical savanna. To the south there are two seasons of rain (the first between April and July and the second between October and November). Highly variable stretching from north to south. Gently rolling savanna in north; central hills; southern plateau; low coastal plain with extensive lagoons and marshes. Indigenous beliefs 51%, Christianity 29%, Islam 20% Several airlines offer regular flights to Lomé (LFW). Ethiopian Airlines and Royal Air Maroc have some good return fares from Europe to Lome. You can also fly to Accra airport in Ghana then get a comfortable, air-conditioned, and reasonably priced bus from Accra to the border at Aflao. At Aflao, people must walk across the border into Lomé and find their own transport inside Togo. There are bush taxis everywhere.
Essential Information
Getting There
Multiple OptionsSeveral airlines offer regular flights to Lomé (LFW). Ethiopian Airlines and Royal Air Maroc have some good return fares from Europe to Lome. You can also fly to Accra airport in Ghana then get a comfortable, air-conditioned, and reasonably priced bus from Accra to the border at Aflao. At Aflao, people must walk across the border into Lomé and find their own transport inside Togo. There are bush taxis everywhere. These are basically four door cars, with four people in the back, and two sharing the front. From either Accra or Benin, you can take bush taxis for US$5 to Lomé. From there, you can take them out to more rural areas. You can also offer to pay for the entire car, so that you're not cramped. For this, calculate the price of six people, and then bargain down from there. The Trans-West African Coastal Highway crosses Togo, connecting it to Benin and Nigeria to the east, and Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire to the west....
Regions
Explore AreasIn an 1884 treaty signed at Togoville, Germany declared a protectorate over a stretch of territory along the coast and gradually extended its control inland. This became the German colony of Togoland …...
Getting Around & Staying
Getting Around
A taxi-moto (motorcycle taxi) will cost CFA 150-500 to get you around. You can tell who the taxi-moto drivers are: they will honk or hiss at you as they drive by and usually wear baseball caps and sunglasses. A taxi will usually cost about CFA 500 for a one-way short trip inside the city, for trips to the northern parts of the city expect to pay up to CFA 2,500. Taxis will have yellow licence plates and their registration number painted on the car. Always negotiate before you get on/in, the quoted price will include tip. Sometimes, when you are on a side street, it might be helpful if you ask a security guard to wave down a taxi for you. Tipping CFA 300-600 is expected. French is the national language and the lingua franca between ethnic groups. Virtually no English is spoken in the whole of the country, aside from business offices and major banks in the capital. Ewe is far and away the most widely spoken native language, with the Ewe people populating the southern half of the country.
Where to Stay
As a rule, stay away from public beaches, where tourists find themselves mugged any time of day or night. Most of the country has little crime, but Lomé is a clear exception, and is a good deal more dangerous than any city in Ghana or Benin. If going somewhere at night, take a car taxi, and get the numbers of a few trusted taxi drivers if you plan to stay for a while. Driving is atrocious in Togo, with fatalistic overloaded speed demons chancing it on curves and hills, capital streets swarming with motorcycles throughout the black of night, and worrisome accident scenes along the main roads. The hilly north-south road north of Kara is particularly dangerous. If you are skeptical, take a day trip, and marvel at all the husks of buses and trucks that weren't there on the way out! Traffic is the single biggest danger to travelers in Togo. Drink bottled water such as Volta or sachets of "Pure Water".
Money & Budget
The currency of the country is the West African CFA franc, denoted CFA (ISO currency code: XOF). It's also used by seven other West African countries. It is interchangeable at par with the Central African CFA franc (XAF), which is used by six countries. Both currencies are fixed at a rate of 1 euro = 655.957 CFA francs. The West African CFA franc is to be renamed the "eco" by the end of 2027. It would continue to be fixed to the euro. All Ecobank and Banque Atlantique ATMs in Togo take Master card and Visa card for cash withdrawal. A liter of gasoline will cost you around CFA 600, a liter of water around CFA 300. A baguette is around CFA 175 and half a pound of local coffee will cost CFA 1,200.
Language & Talk
French is the national language and the lingua franca between ethnic groups. Virtually no English is spoken in the whole of the country, aside from business offices and major banks in the capital. Ewe is far and away the most widely spoken native language, with the Ewe people populating the southern half of the country. You may also come across the related Mina language in the area around Aneho. Kabiyè is the predominant language of the north. Lomé's markets, both general and voodoo, are the most popular stop in the country along the road between Ghana and Benin. The smaller towns of Togoville on Lake Togo and Aneho on the ocean are also popular stops for the former's voodoo shrines and historic sights and the latter's beaches.
Safety Information
Safety Overview
As a rule, stay away from public beaches, where tourists find themselves mugged any time of day or night. Most of the country has little crime, but Lomé is a clear exception, and is a good deal more dangerous than any city in Ghana or Benin. If going somewhere at night, take a car taxi, and get the numbers of a few trusted taxi drivers if you plan to stay for a while. Driving is atrocious in Togo, with fatalistic overloaded speed demons chancing it on curves and hills, capital streets swarming with motorcycles throughout the black of night, and worrisome accident scenes along the main roads. The hilly north-south road north of Kara is particularly dangerous. If you are skeptical, take a day trip, and marvel at all the husks of buses and trucks that weren't there on the way out! Traffic is the single biggest danger to travelers in Togo. Drink bottled water such as Volta or sachets of "Pure Water".
Glimpses of Togo
A day at the beach in Togo. We were on a trip to three different African countries, and we visited a beach in Togo that was close to a market.
Mobile money to help farmers get their Subsidy. Le mobile money aide les agriculteurs à avoir accès à leur subventions dans le programme AgriPME du ministère de l'agriculture.
Serene
a red truck driving down a street next to trees
a street with trees and buildings
Social Media addiction in school. Addiction aux réseaux sociaux en milieu scolaire. Cette photo surréaliste est prise pour exposer l'usage fait des réseaux sociaux par la majorité des élèves situation de classe.
a brown horse standing next to a brick wall
cafe au lait from Coffee Call in Baton Rouge, LA
a cup of coffee sitting on top of a table
woman in gray sweater sitting beside man in black and white stripe shirt
A day at the beach in Togo. We were on a trip to three different African countries, and we visited a beach in Togo that was close to a market.
Mobile money to help farmers get their Subsidy. Le mobile money aide les agriculteurs à avoir accès à leur subventions dans le programme AgriPME du ministère de l'agriculture.
Serene