Tour Overview
| Duration | 14 Days / 13 Nights |
|---|---|
| Countries | Senegal, Gambia, Ghana, Togo, Benin |
| Price From | $5,099 per person (twin share) |
| Tour Style | Private / Cultural Heritage & Faith |
| Data Source | Across Africa Tours & Travel via TourRadar — 2026 |
Itinerary Highlights
Day 1: Arrive Dakar, Senegal
Welcome to West Africa! Airport pickup and hotel check-in in Dakar, Senegal’s vibrant capital on the Atlantic coast. Evening walk through the Plateau district with its colonial architecture. Welcome dinner featuring thieboudienne (Senegal’s national dish of fish and rice). Overnight in Dakar.
Day 2: Dakar — Gorée Island
Ferry to Gorée Island (UNESCO), the haunting “Door of No Return” — one of the most important memorials to the Atlantic slave trade. Visit the Maison des Esclaves (House of Slaves) museum and the colonial fort. Afternoon: the African Renaissance Monument, the largest statue in Africa, and the vibrant Sandaga Market. Overnight in Dakar.
Day 3: Pink Lake & Saint-Louis
Drive to Lac Rose (Pink Lake), colored pink by Dunaliella salina algae in high-salinity waters. Watch salt harvesters at work and float in the hyper-saline lake. Continue to Saint-Louis, Senegal’s former colonial capital on an island in the Senegal River. Walk the cobblestone streets of the UNESCO-listed old town. Overnight in Saint-Louis.
Day 4: Cross into Gambia — Banjul
Drive south and cross the border into The Gambia, Africa’s smallest mainland country — a narrow strip along the Gambia River surrounded by Senegal. Arrive in Banjul, the capital on St. Mary’s Island. Visit the Albert Market and Arch 22 for city views. Afternoon at the National Museum documenting Gambian history and culture. Overnight in Banjul.
Day 5: Kachikally Crocodile Pool & Kunta Kinteh Island
Visit the sacred Kachikally Crocodile Pool in Bakau, where dozens of crocodiles live alongside humans in a fertility shrine. Boat trip to Kunta Kinteh Island (formerly James Island, UNESCO) — the fortress made famous by Alex Haley’s “Roots.” Walk through the ruins of the British slave fort and learn the story of Kunta Kinteh. Overnight in Banjul.
Day 6: Gambia River & Makasutu
Journey along the Gambia River. Visit Makasutu Culture Forest — a 1,000-hectare reserve of mangroves, savanna, and gallery forest. Canoe through the mangroves, watch for baboons, monitor lizards, and over 300 bird species. Afternoon visit to a local village for a kora (West African harp) performance. Overnight in a river-side eco-lodge.
Day 7: Gambia to Ghana — Flight to Accra
Morning at the Tanji Fish Market to watch the colorful fishing pirogues return with the catch. Transfer to Banjul Airport for flight to Accra, Ghana (not included). Arrive Accra, Ghana’s buzzing capital. Evening at Labadi Beach. Overnight in Accra.
Day 8: Accra — Past & Present
Full-day Accra: the Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum (Ghana’s founding father), Independence Square, and the National Museum. Afternoon at Jamestown fishing community and the Brazil House Museum documenting the returnee Afro-Brazilian community. Evening at Osu’s Oxford Street. Overnight in Accra.
Day 9: Cape Coast & Elmina Castles
Visit two of the most important slave trade fortresses. Cape Coast Castle (UNESCO) — the infamous “Door of No Return” where millions of enslaved Africans passed through. The dungeon tour is profoundly moving. Continue to Elmina Castle (1482), the oldest European building in sub-Saharan Africa, built by the Portuguese. Overnight in Cape Coast.
Day 10: Kakum National Park
Morning canopy walkway at Kakum National Park — suspended 40m above the rainforest floor, walking among the treetops on rope bridges. Afternoon visit to a traditional kente weaving village. Learn the symbolism of each pattern and try weaving yourself. Overnight in Accra.
Day 11: Kumasi — Ashanti Kingdom
Journey to Kumasi, the historic capital of the Ashanti Kingdom. Visit the Manhyia Palace Museum (Ashanti King’s palace) and the Prempeh II Jubilee Museum. Explore the vast Kejetia Market, one of West Africa’s largest open-air markets. Evening Ashanti cultural performance with talking drums. Overnight in Kumasi.
Day 12: Lome, Togo
Cross into Togo. Arrive in Lomé, the capital on the Gulf of Guinea. Visit the Lomé Grand Marché with its famous “Nana Benz” fabric traders. Afternoon at the Akodessewa Fetish Market — the world’s largest voodoo market with thousands of ritual objects. Tour of the Lomé Cathedral. Overnight in Lomé.
Day 13: Ouidah & Cotonou, Benin
Cross into Benin. Visit Ouidah, the spiritual capital of Vodun (Voodoo). Walk the Route des Esclaves (Slave Route) to the Door of No Return memorial on the beach. Visit the Python Temple where live pythons are venerated, and the Sacred Forest of Kpassè. Continue to Cotonou. Farewell dinner with Beninese music. Overnight in Cotonou.
Day 14: Depart Cotonou
Morning at the Dantokpa Market, one of West Africa’s largest. Transfer to Cotonou Cadjehoun Airport.
Inclusions
- 13 nights (hotels, eco-lodges, guesthouses)
- Daily breakfast + 5 dinners
- All ground transportation (private vehicle)
- Expert English-speaking guide
- Gorée Island ferry
- Kakum canopy walkway
- All monument and museum entries
- Cultural performances
Why This Journey
- Gorée Island: the single most important slave trade memorial in Africa
- Kunta Kinteh Island: walk in the footsteps of “Roots”
- Cape Coast & Elmina: the Castles that changed world history
- Kakum canopy walkway: walk 40m above the rainforest floor
- Voodoo culture in Togo and Benin: living traditions few travelers witness
- Five countries, three UNESCO sites, one unforgettable journey
