6-Day Itinerary for Traveling in Togo

Togo is one of the few West African countries where you can still clear immigration in under twenty minutes, find a cold beer at a beach bar before sunset, and be standing in front of one of the world’s largest voodoo markets the next morning. It is small, it is overlooked, and for independent travellers that combination is close to ideal.

Before You Go: Visa and Entry

Most nationalities need a visa. Togo has shifted toward the e-visa system, which takes 5 to 7 working days to process and is the most reliable route. If you arrive without one, visa-on-arrival is available at Gnassingbe Eyadema International Airport (LFW) in Lomé. Expect to pay around 25,000 CFA francs (roughly $40) for a single-entry tourist visa and bring two passport photos. Yellow fever vaccination proof is required at entry; keep the certificate on your person. The visa-on-arrival is initially issued for seven days but can be extended to 90 days at the immigration office in Lomé once you are in the country.

Day 1: Arrival in Lomé

The airport sits just 6 kilometres from the centre of Lomé. A pre-arranged hotel pickup or metered airport taxi costs in the region of 5,000 to 8,000 CFA francs (roughly $8 to $13) for the city centre and takes 15 to 25 minutes depending on traffic. Negotiate the fare before getting in if you are not using a metered or pre-booked car.

Spend the afternoon at Baguida Beach, about 15 kilometres east of the city. It is quieter and calmer than Lomé’s main city beach, with golden sand, palm-thatched shelters, and a handful of vendors selling grilled fish. It gives a gentle introduction to the country’s coastal pace without the hustle of the capital.

In the evening, head to the beachfront strip in central Lomé. The restaurant Mini Brasserie has been a reliable fixture for years, popular with locals and expats alike for grilled meat and cold Flag beer. Prices are moderate: a full meal with drinks for around 5,000 to 8,000 CFA.

Day 2: Lomé City

Start at the Akodessewa Fetish Market in northeastern Lomé, the largest voodoo market in the world. Stalls are stacked with dried animal skulls, medicinal herbs, carved wood figures, and ritual objects used in Vodun (the local variant of voodoo, practiced by a substantial portion of the population). Guides on site will explain practices for a small fee; tip around 2,000 to 3,000 CFA. Photographs require permission. This is not a tourist performance, it is a functioning market and deserves the same discretion you would give a place of worship.

From there, walk or take a zemidjan (motorbike taxi, typically 200 to 500 CFA per short trip) to the Grand Marché. The city’s central market spills across several blocks and sells everything from cloth and spices to phone accessories and fresh produce. The fabric section is worth time: Togo’s kente-adjacent wax prints are high quality and cheaper here than in airport gift shops.

Finish at the Cathedral of St. Francis Xavier, the most recognisable building on Boulevard de la Marina, and then take an evening walk along the seafront promenade while the fishing boats come in.

Day 3: Aného and the Colonial Coast

Aného, about 45 kilometres east of Lomé along the coast road, was the capital of German-controlled Togo from 1884 to 1897 and still has the decaying grandeur to prove it. Shared bush taxis (7-place Peugeot estate cars) leave regularly from the Agbalépédogan taxi station in Lomé for around 1,500 CFA per person and take 45 to 60 minutes.

In Aného, visit the German colonial governor’s former residence, a crumbling but impressive structure near the lagoon. The town’s Catholic church and small cemetery are also worth a look. The town sits on a narrow strip of land between the Atlantic and a large lagoon; hire a pirogue (dugout canoe) from fishermen near the lagoon’s edge for 2,000 to 3,000 CFA to cross to Petit Lomé island. Most boats will wait for you.

For lunch, ask locals to point you toward a street stall serving akoumé, a fermented corn porridge served with fish sauce. It is the local staple and costs almost nothing. Return to Lomé by late afternoon.

Day 4: Kpalimé and the Plateau Region

An early departure is essential. Bush taxis to Kpalimé leave from Lomé’s gare routière from around 6am; the journey costs roughly 3,000 CFA per person and takes 2 to 2.5 hours on a reasonable road. Kpalimé sits at 120 kilometres northwest of Lomé in a highland zone of coffee plantations, cocoa farms, and forested hills. The air is cooler than on the coast.

Hire a local guide in town (the main hotel can arrange this) for a half-day hike to either the Cascade de Tomegbé or the Cascade de Yikpa, two waterfalls in the hills above town. The Tomegbé falls are the more accessible of the two; the walk takes around 90 minutes each way. Guides charge 5,000 to 8,000 CFA for a half-day. The falls run strongest from June through October in the rainy season; November through February gives clearer paths but less water.

Mount Agou, Togo’s highest point at 986 metres, lies southeast of Kpalimé. The hike to the summit and back takes most of a day, but the views extend into Ghana on clear mornings. If you plan to do this, add an extra night in Kpalimé and do it on Day 5 instead.

For accommodation, Hôtel Chez Fanny in Kpalimé is reliable and mid-range, with clean rooms for around 15,000 to 22,000 CFA per night.

Day 5: Kpalimé to Lomé, via Craft Villages

The villages between Kpalimé and Lomé are known for hand-woven kente cloth and woodcarving. Kloto, just outside Kpalimé, has several workshops where you can watch weavers work on traditional looms and buy directly. Prices are fixed by the weavers’ collective and are fair.

Return to Lomé by early afternoon. Spend the evening at Le Galion, the most established French-Togolese restaurant in the city, housed in a colonial-era building near the port district. The menu runs to grilled barracuda, plantain fritters, and a good wine list. Budget 10,000 to 18,000 CFA for dinner for two with drinks.

Day 6: Departure Day

If your flight is evening, the morning can hold one more visit. The Musée National du Togo on Rue du Commerce has a small but well-curated collection covering the country’s pre-colonial history, traditional masks, and Vodun artefacts. Entry costs around 1,000 CFA. Plan 90 minutes.

Return taxis to the airport run on the same tariff as arrival. Allow 90 minutes before departure during busy morning periods and confirm your driver knows the difference between the domestic and international terminals (the airport is small but the car drop-off points differ).

Practical Notes

Currency: CFA franc (XOF). Cash is essential, particularly outside Lomé. ATMs exist in the capital but run out on weekends. Bring enough cash to cover two or three days before leaving Lomé.

Zemidjans: Motorbike taxis are the fastest way around Lomé for short hops. Always agree on a price first; 200 to 500 CFA is typical within the city. Keep a bag between your knees and avoid back pockets.

Language: French is the official language. Ewe is widely spoken in Lomé and the south. A few words of either earn goodwill.

Health: Malaria is present year-round. Take prophylaxis, use a net, and use repellent at dusk. The city tap water is not safe to drink.

Season: The dry season from November to February is the most comfortable for travel. The rainy season (April to October, with two rainy peaks) makes interior roads muddy but the waterfalls much more impressive. Avoid the Harmattan period in December and January if haze bothers you.

The one logistical trap most first-timers miss: Lomé’s Grand Marché closes early on Sunday afternoons. If souvenirs are on your list, build in Saturday morning rather than leaving it to departure day.