Ghana, Togo, Benin
15 days

VOODOO

Voodoo is a very important religion in West Africa, especially among the Fon, Yoruba and the Ewe tribes. This religion was taken across the Atlantic, through slavery to the Americas, where it is still practiced.
 
 Voodoo worshippers believe that there is an Almighty God, who created heaven, earth and humans.  After this creation, he created Voodoos, to look after His creations and to be intermediary between His creations and himself, in heaven. 

As Voodoos are spirits, humans have linked them to natural phenomenons, such as thunder and lightening and with nature, such as trees, water, land, wind.  Humans have also linked these spirits with sicknesses or epidemics, such as small pox.  When the illness is worshipped, the illness will not attack a community.

Messages are sent to the Almighty God and our ancestral spirits through sacrifices.  Worship is by heavy, intensive drumming, chanting songs and dances, which send the adepts into trances.  Thus, allowing the living to communicate with our dead.



THE LAND OF VOODOO AND THE CELEBRATION OF THE SPIRITS

Arrival and departure ACCRA

Day 1  Arrival and transfer to hotel, with briefing    
            O/N  Airside Hotel

Day 2  Visit the capitol of Ghana, formerly known as the Gold Coast, including the National Museum , the old capitol city and fantasy coffin makers  O/N Airside Hotel

Day 3  Accra--Cape Coast 
We travel west to the oldest European settlement on the West African coast.  Elmina Castle, the oldest European construction in tropical Africa, was built purposely for legitimate trade, such as ivory, gold, cola nuts and spices.  The castle was later converted into a slave trading post, inn the late 16th century.   O/N Elmina Beach Resort

Day 4  Cape Coast—Kumasi 
The road leads us to the most virgin forest on the coast, where we will walk on a suspension bridge in the tree tops.  We will have the opportunity to visit the “African pharmacy”, to learn about herbs and plants that are used in healing.  After lunch, we head for Kumasi, the Land of Gold.  O/N  Royal Basin Hotel

Day 5  Kumasi
We will visit the central market of Kumasi, the largest and oldest in market in West Africa. This market was the end of the Trans-Saharan trade route, that linked tropical Africa with China and India.  Proceed to the Royal Palace museum, which has gold ornaments used by the 
former Asante kings.  The kingdom developed during the early 16th century, at the time of slavery.

After lunch, we visit Bonwire, a suburb of Kumasi, where the fabric—kente—is said to be born.  The fabric is hand woven into colourful patterns, which have symbolic meaning.
O/N Royal Basin Hotel

Day 6  Kumasi—Akossombo
We transfer to the land of the Ewe and the Krobo, where girls are still initiated into adulthood.  Beads are very essential here for initiations and Voodoo celebrations.  We will visit some local bead makers.   O/N  Afrikiko Resort

Day 7  Akossombo—Lome, Togo
We visit the most interesting museum on Ewe culture in Ho and continue to Lome, the capitol of Togo.  Stops at some Ewe villages enroute.  O/N  Hotel Napoleon

Day 8  Lome—Grand Popo, Benin
Togo was a former German colony, before the first World War.  We will visit the Grande Marche to see the Nana Benzes—who rule the market. 

We will visit the largest fetish market in Lome, to see and learn about the ingredients needed for the realization of Voodoo religion.  In the afternoon, we will visit a traditional hospital, where the doctor cures his patients with herbs and Voodoo spiritually.  O/N Auberge Grand Popo

Day 9  Grand Popo
Sail on the Mono River, through mangroves and visiting the interesting islands where salt is produced, twins are celebrated, ending at the estuary.  After lunch, we will attend an authentic Zangbeto Voodoo ceremony.  O/N Auberge Grand Popo

Day 10  Grand Popo—Abomey
Abomey was the capitol of the Dahomean kingdom.  Visit the royal palace in Abomey which is now a museum and contains objects used by the kings.  The museum contains sacred houses built with human blood, seashell, gold dust and also has a tomb 41 wives, who were buried alive to serve the dead king, in the next world.  O/N Hotel Dako

Day 11  Abomey—Ouidah
After breakfast, depart for a 3 hour ride to Ganvie, a city built on stilts.  Ganvie means refuge or saved.  O/N Auberge Diaspora

Day 12  Ouidah
Ouidah is the most important slave port for the export of the Voodoo religion to the New World.  Visit to important shrines and the Museum of Ouidah.  O/N Augerbe Diaspora

Day 13  Ouidah
Today, the tenth of January is a national holiday for the celebration of the religion Voodoo.  We will assist in the ceremonies.  O/N Auberge Diaspora

Day 14  Oudiah—Lome
Ewe, Fon and Yoruba consider Voodoo the oldest religion in the world and therefore, have always elected a DAGBOHOUNON, the supreme leader of all the deities and Voodoos.  The role of the DAGBOHOUNON is similar to the Pope, in the Catholic religion.  He is responsible for all deities and Voodoo priests and priestesses.  We will have an audience with him.  In the late afternoon, we leave for Lome.  O/N  Hotel Napoleon

Day 15  Lome—Accra
Transfer to Accra and a day room, near the airport.  Departure.


Tour includes:
Car
Driver
Guide
Entries
Hotels and meals
Water

Does not include:
Any drinks other than water
Laundry
Costs of photography
Tips to staff