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в Гималайский клуб в Москве:
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DAY 1  ARRIVAL AND TRANSFER TO HOTEL O/N HOTEL MAGLAB

DAY 2 ACCRA  -- LOME
This morning will be dedicated to the transfer from Accra to Lome where we will have to face the hustle at the border.In the afternoon we will visit  lome, the capital of Togo, the only African country having been colonized by GERMANS,FRENCH AND THE BRITISH. We will visit the interesting Central market visiting the interesting NANA BENZES who are responsible and sole traders of fabric in the market.
O/N HOTEL LA LICORNE.

DAY 3  LOME – GRAND POPO
We will continue the visit the to the biggest fetish market in West Africa where one finds monkey skulls, bat wings, dead snakes and snakes skins together with Herbs of many kinds and all necessary ingredients for the realization of voodoo religion. In a village, we will visit the residence of a traditional Healer, specialized in the cure of insanity. He treats his patients with herbs and magical rites which cure the body and the spirit.
 In the late afternoon we will assist in a  ZANGBETO mask dance in honor of the Gods.
O/N AUBERGE DE GRAND POPO   

DAY 4 GRAND POPO – PORTO NOVO—GANVIE
The day begins with our visit to OUIDA the slave port of WEST AFRICA which includes the oldest python temple, the museum, and the slave route to the coast, and in PORTONOVO, WE WILL VISIT THE BEST ETHNOGRAPHOIC museum in all Benin which houses some fine collections of the YORUBA Gelede masks.
A large canoe will take us to Ganvie, the largest and the most beautiful African village on stilts. Approximately 24000 inhabitants of the AIZO ethnic group, build their huts on Teak stilts and cover the roofs of the huts with thick layers of leaves. Fishing is the principal activity of this population who’s isolation has allowed the preservation of culture and customs practice of their origin.
 O/N CHEZ M

DAY 5 GANVIE  -- ABOMEY
We will visit the Royal Palace of Abomey  today. The palace is now a museum which preserves  the documents and the ritual objects of the courts of the African Kings. Also found in  the palace are the grand TOMBS which holds the corpses of the king and  the 41 faithful wives who were buried alive at the burial of the king. A temple of clay kneaded with human blood, gold dust, shells and sea water where the King will meditate or chat with the spirit of the ancestors. The kingdom of Abomey, flourishing at one time, established it’s power under  a permanent state of war, which allow the capture of prisoners used for the kingdoms slave trade. The royal armies were also made up of troops of women called the Amazons. These women were thrown into the battle at the most crucial times in order to influence  the God of war.
O/N HOTEL DAKO 1

DAY  6  ABOMEY – NATITINGOU
Going northwards the track will take us toan important voodoo shrine which is well known in West Africa by voodoo venerators. Believers from across the West African sub regions do come on pilgrimage to this site to sacrifice animals to these fetishes.
We will leave the main track in order to follow the river bed and to reach the TANEKA people who live on the rocky hillsides. After a short hike we will discover an ancient village of round huts and narrow passage ways. The conical roofs are  protected by terra-cotta pots. The highest section of the village is inhabited by the chief fetish priest, whop is dressed in goats skin and surrounded by young initiates. They  are covered are covered only with a band of skin ,they wear around their necks, numerous amulets and smoke a ritual pipe which is over a meter long. this population lives on an archeological site and could be though the descendants of a tribe thought to have mysteriously disappeared four hundred years ago.
O/N   HOTEL TATA SOMBA

DAY  7 NATITINGOU
The track will cross one of the most traditional regions of the African Continent. Where the remained uncharged for centuries within the fortified  and isolated patriarchal homes. In the next few days we will encounter different ethnic groups {  the somba, the tamberma, the talensi, the lobi } who live in the northern part of Benin , Togo , Ghana , and are part of the *fortified house civilization * we will enter the territory, the word SOMBA means nude. In certain isolated villages of the Somba the people are still dressed in simple clothes and the women covered in amulets.
We will have enough time to also visit the museum at Natitingou.
O/N HOTEL TAT SOMBA

DAY 8 NATI  -- NORTH TOGO
After a drive through the border with Togo, we will come to the land of the Tamberma, who’s architecture is characterized by the one family dwelling in the form of small three storey castles high. These beautiful fortified dwellings are separated from the others for the reasons of ownership determined in accordance with the size of the cultivable  land and also to guarantee the privacy of a group of people who are by nature individualists
Crossing the land of the KABYE, CHOKOSSI, MOBA we will arrive to the very north of Togo land.
O/N  HOTEL LE CAMPEMENT

DAY 9/10 NORTH TOGO – BOLGA
After the border crossing into Ghana, we will reach the savanna inhabited by the Gourounsi [kasena] and the Talensi tribes. These ethnic groups are the creators of beautiful African murals which decorates the walls of their mud houses the are situated in harmonious, round formations. These African *frescoes* are painted on the walls by the women of their tribes-which carries the history of the family to generations to come. An excursion on the high plateau of the Talensi. In this mysterious place, are numerous pinnacles formed by stacking enormous rocks with an incredible regularity. The local people consider these vestiges  as the ancient domiciles of the Gods and one goes there on a PILGRIMAGE, but in order to enter there, it is necessary to be accompanied by the fetish priest who come to perform rites and SACRIFICES. This mountain is inhabited by the TALENSI who live there as a united CLAN. The typical fortified home , which can accommodate to up to over 400 people, is built with mud and wood. It resembles a LABYRINTH surrounded by walls which can be entered by only one door way. The narrow passage ways, the small stairways, the covered hall ways, and the oval shaped rooms , and terraces for a harmonious ensemble of great beauty.
O/N SAND GARDENS HOTEL

DAY 11  BOLGA – WA
We will transfer ourselves to the north eastern corner of the country, to enable us to visit the lobi tribe. Wa is situated on the ancient caravan trail which linked the most important commercial centers the Sudanese trade like Djenne and Timbuktu to the forest and Kumasi , the capital of the Ashanti kingdom. Our visit this afternoon will include the Royal Palace of the EX Wana  built in the old Sudanese style which is an evidence of the trade  and the ancient market that has been since the Era of the trade between the Arabs coming from the North.
O/N UPLAND HOTEL

 DAY 12 WA
The LOBI territory, a tribe famous for it’s labial disks worn by their old women .Half of the day will be dedicated for the exploration of the land, their architecture, and the ever-present signs of their animist beliefs. Their houses , small fortress of mud protected by a wall erected without openings ,are made up of rectangular wells which are surrounded by successive rooms. The head of the family is the only authority, responsible for everything including all things regarding the council of elders or the government. He is in charge of the shrines and the wooden statues essential to the practice of the cult of the ancestors which is a very important part of the LOBI way of life.
O/N IPLAND HOTEL 

DAY 13 WA  --TECHIMAN
Following the trade route, we will transfer to the semi forest of Techiman, which at least in the past was the rest stop for the caravanier , the evidence of the passage on this route are the two mosques that we will visit on the way down
O/N DYMNS HOTEL.


DAY 14  TECHIMAN – KUMASI
In late morning, we will arrive to Kumasi where we will visit the ancient market. The market of kumasi is believed to be the end of the SILK road from China where silk ,as a very precious commodity was being brought from  to West  Africa.
The silk in those days were used in weaving the marvelous KENTE fabric in multi colors used by the royals and the prominent persons. Today ,the fabric can be used by anybody.
O/N GEORGIA HOTEL

DAY 15 KUMASI
In kumasi, the capital of the Ashanti, we will visit the museum, rich in African art. The Ashanti king, his palace and court continue to have strong political and moral influence on the population. The political , spiritual and historical capital of the country was founded at the end of the 15th century. A short drive will take us to the wonderful KENTE weaving village [BONWIRE] where the fabric was born and developed. The two museums of the cultural center and the palace. The Adinkra [fabric stamping] village where funeral cloth are stamped with the proverbial prints.
O/N  GEORGIA HOTEL. 

DAY 16  KUMASI – ELMNA
Today, we will drive south through the lush forest .visit the Kakum nature park  forest. A well conserved Virgin tropical forest with it’s flora ,and the longest canopy walk on a suspension bridge in the world. After many days of tracks and roads in the interior of the African continent, we will return to the ocean.
 O/N ANOMABO BEACH RESORT.

DAY 17  ELMINA
The castle of Elmina , an imposing building on the shore was a trading post for Gold and Slaves. Elmina Castle was built by the Portuguese in 1482 and is the largest and the oldest European settlement in Africa. The fishermen town  of Elmina have some animistic shrines of ASAFO cult heavily decorated with symbolic sculptures which remembers the surrealistic art of DE CHIRIKO and EL DALI. Cape coast is the former capital of the British Gold coast. This castle was initiated by the SWEDISH in 1652 and was an important trading point for Gold dust and Slaves. The castle includes an interesting historical museum.
O/N ANOMABO BEACH RESORT  

DAY 17 ELMINA – ACCRA
A shirt drive to Accra ,the country’s capital, combines the African tradition and modernism. The National Museum displays items of art form all over the country and some parts of the continent as well. Points of interest are the district of carpenters who’s craft is making elaborate , colorful Fantasy  coffins in forms of AIRPLANES,FRUITS, ANIMALS, etc and the old town of JAMES TOWN and the colonial buildings. Markola, is the biggest market in the central part of the city. Last shopping at the Art center and transfer to the Airport for departure.