West African Odessy

Senegal, Cote D’Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, Benin

Dakar, Abidjan Cote D’Ivoire, Lomé, Cotonou

 DAY 1.                                                        ARRIVE > DAKAR

Arrival into Dakar International Airport, meet your English Speaking Guide and transfer to the hotel in Dakar.
Dakar is the capital of Senegal, in West Africa.
It’s an Atlantic port on the Cap-Vert peninsula. Its traditional Médina quarter is home to the Grande Mosquée, marked by a towering minaret. The Musée Théodore Monod displays cultural artifacts including clothing, drums, carvings and tools.
The city’s vibrant nightlife is inspired by the local mbalax music
Dinner at the hotel (own account)

Radisson Blu Dakar Sea Plaza (BB)                            Suite

DAY 2.                                                        DAKAR

Breakfast at the hotel.
Meet your English Speaking Guide and enjoy a Dakar City Tour
Depart on an exploration of Dakar, Senegal’s capital city with its colonial aquatinter.
There you’ll be filled with wonder by the city’s beauty,  its marvellous African facet with the people dressed in their African attire and the colorful bush taxis, but also by its hidden wonders. When seeing the highlights of the city, the necessary time will be granted to you to explore and enjoy the.

•  Tilen Market, famous for a variety of medicinal herbs and traditional healers.
• The Artisans Market
• Visit of the renaissance monument.
• The New Museum of African civilizations

Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant with your guide.
Rest of the day at leisure.
Dinner at the hotel (own account)

Radisson Blu Dakar Sea Plaza (BB)                            Suite

DAY 3.                                                        DAKAR 

 Breakfast at the hotel.
Today take a drive with your English Speaking Guide to the Pink Lake of Senegal formally known as Lake Retba (Lac Rose.)
Lac Rose (meaning Pink Lake) lies north of the Senegal, some 30 km (18 miles) north-east of the capital, Dakar in northwest Africa.
It is named for its pink waters caused by Dunaliella salina algae and is known for its high salt content, up to 40% in some areas.
You will get to enjoy

* Tortoises village
* Keur Moussa (Christians village)
* Saly

Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant with your guide.
Rest of the day at leisure.
Dinner at the hotel (own account)

Radisson Blu Dakar Sea Plaza (BB)                            Suite

DAY 4.                                                        DAKAR> ABIDJAN

Breakfast at the hotel.
Meet your English Speaking Guide who will transfer you to the airport where you will board your awaiting private Lear Jet 45 to Abidjan.
Flying time Dakar > Abidjan: 2 h 28 mins
Arrival into Abidjan met by your English Speaking Guide who will transfer you to your hotel.

Hotel Tiama (BB)                            Executive Suite

DAY 5.                                                        ABIDJAN              

Breakfast at the hotel.
Meet your local English Speaking Guide and go on historical discovery tour of the city of Abidjan.
Abidjan is a city on the southern Atlantic coast of Côte d’Ivoire, in West Africa.
It’s the country’s major urban centre, with skyscrapers rising above the Ébrié Lagoon. Modern landmarks include La Pyramide, a ziggurat-like building. St. Paul’s Cathedral is a swooping structure tethered to a massive cross. Artwork, cultural relics and handicrafts are on display at Le Musée des Civilisations de Côte d’Ivoire.

You will visit:

• The market Treichville
• The St. Paul’s Cathedral
• Grand Bassam: The Museum of Costumes, the
• Wickerwork Centre, the Ceramics Centre, the Craft
• Centre and the Souvenir Market.

Stop for lunch at a local restaurant with your guide.
Return to the hotel.
Dinner at the hotel (on own account)

Hotel Tiama (BB)                            Executive Suite

DAY 6.                                                        ABIDJAN > KUMASI     

 Breakfast at the hotel.
Meet your English Speaking Guide who will transfer you to the airport where you will board your awaiting private Lear Jet 45 to Kumasi, Ghana.
Flying time Abidjan > Kumasi: 24mins
Upon arrival at Kumasi you will meet your local English Speaking Guide and transfer to the hotel in Kumasi
Kumasi is the capital city of the Ashanti Region, in southern Ghana. It’s known as a centre for Ashanti culture. In the huge, open-air Kejetia Market, stalls sell everything from glass beads to Ashanti sandals.
The National Cultural Centre offers craft workshops and dance performances. It includes the Prempeh II Jubilee Museum, which displays jewellery and ceremonial clothing belonging to the 20th-century Ashanti king.
13:00 Meet your English Speaking Guide and enjoy lunch at a local restaurant.
After lunch take a drive to the Ashanti region where you will visit the local Ashanti Craft Villages.
Ghana’s Ashanti Region is known for its artistic heritage, and each of its villages boasts its own specialized craft. Gain insight into the region’s creative industries and purchase authentic souvenirs directly from producers
You will then head to Asante Traditional Buildings which is a world heritage site and has a collection of 13 traditionally built buildings from the time of the Ashanti Empire.
Return to the hotel.
Dinner at the hotel (on own account)

Golden Tulip Kumasi City (BB)                            Executive King Room

DAY 7.                                                        KUMASI > ACCRA

Breakfast at the hotel.
Meet your English Speaking Guide who take you on another tour of Kumasi where you will see the Manhyia Palace, Military Museum and the Kumasi Cultural Centre.
After your morning history tour, your English Speaking Guide will transfer you to the airport where you will board your awaiting private Lear Jet 45 to the city of Accra.
Flying time Kumasi > Accra: 16mins
Arrival into Accra Airport met by your English Speaking Guide who will transfer you to your hotel in Accra
Accra is the capital of Ghana, on the Atlantic coast of West Africa. Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park honors Ghana’s first president, who helped lead the country to independence. The park contains Nkrumah’s mausoleum and a museum charting his life. Makola Market is the city’s vast, colourful bazaar. Popular seafront spots Labadi Beach and Kokrobite Beach offer golden sand and high-energy nightlife
Meet your local English Speaking Guide who will take you to a local restaurant where you will try out the local cuisine.
Return to the hotel.
Dinner at the hotel (on own account)

Labadi Beach Hotel (BB)                            Executive Suite

DAY 8.                                                        ACCRA          

Breakfast at the hotel.
Meet your English Speaking Guide and start the day with an Accra city tour.
Beginning with the Independence square, the Arts Centre for National Culture, the Dr. Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum.
Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant with your guide.
After lunch we move onto the University of Ghana Campus, we visit the Aburi Botanical Gardens, which offers a rich collection of tropical flora.
Not far from the gardens are craftsmen who use wood and leather to create art unique to Ghana. Also visit the bead market in Agomanya, we will also make stops at:

• Fantasy coffin makers
• James Town
• Ga Mashie Palace

Return to the hotel.
Dinner at the hotel (on own account)

Labadi Beach Hotel (BB)                            Executive Suite

DAY 9.                                                        ACCRA 

Breakfast at the hotel.
Meet your English Speaking guide and depart for the Cape Coast.
Today we take you to see Cape Coast Castle, Cape Coast Castle is one of about forty «slave castles», or large commercial forts, built on the Gold Coast of West Africa by European traders. It was originally built by the Swedes for trade in timber and gold, but later used in the trans-Atlantic slave trade.
We then proceed to Elmina Castle which was erected by the Portuguese in 1482 as São Jorge da Mina Castle, also known simply as Mina in present-day Elmina, Ghana. It was the first trading post built on the Gulf of Guinea, and the oldest European building in existence south of the Sahar.
Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant with your guide.
Return to the hotel.
Dinner at the hotel (on own account)

Labadi Beach Hotel (BB)                            Executive Suite

DAY 10.                                                        ACCRA > LOME              

Breakfast at the hotel.
Meet your English Speaking Guide who will transfer you to the airport where you will board your awaiting private Lear Jet 45 to Lomé, Togo.
Flying time Accra > Lomé: 13 mins.
Arrival into Togo Airport met by your English Speaking Guide who will transfer you to your hotel in Lomé
Lomé is the capital of Togo, in West Africa. It’s known for its palm-lined Atlantic coastline. The central Independence Monument is in a landscaped traffic circle. The nearby Congressional Palace houses the National Museum, exhibiting West African jewellery, masks, musical instruments and pottery. To the northeast, the Akodésséwa Fetish Market sells voodoo items like animal skins and skull
13:00 Meet your English Speaking Guide and take a drive to Akodesséwa fetishes market, The Akodessewa Fetish Market, or Marche des Feticheurs, is a place where you can find anything from leopard heads and human skulls to Vodou (voodoo) priests who bless and create fetishes or predict the future and make medicines to heal whatever ails you.
We will then head to The Grand Marche and Nana Benz, which is one of the largest markets in the region.
Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant with your guide.
Return to the hotel.
Dinner at the hotel (on own account)

Hôtel 2 Février Lomé (BB)                            Executive Suite

DAY 11.                                                        LOME      

Breakfast at the hotel.
Meet your English Speaking Guide and go on a site seeing tour of Lomé.
We will take you to the Agbodrafo Slave house.
After your tour of the Agbodrafo Slave house, we will take a boat ride to Boat ride to Togoville
On arrival in Togoville, we visit the ancient German Cathedral, the traditional museum of the King of Togoville, where we’ll be received and welcomed by the king and his court.
Return through Agbodrafo with a stopover at the Place de l’Independence and the Akodesséwa fetishes market, where one can find magic remedies and local voodoo charms used by local sorcerers.
Return to boat in the late afternoon and get to experience a  Zangbeto ceremony, Zangbetos are the traditional voodoo guardians of the night in the Yoruba religion of Benin and Togo which are known as the «Night watchmen». Similar to Egunguns, they are highly revered and act as an unofficial police force patrolling the streets and watching over people and tracking down criminals and presenting them to the community to punish. They were originally created to scare the enemy away, now the Zangbeto will wander around the street to detect thieves and witches, and dispensing justice.

Hôtel 2 Février Lomé (BB)                            Executive Suite

DAY 12.                                                        LOME > COTONOU   

Breakfast at the hotel.
Meet your English Speaking Guide who will transfer you to the airport where you will board your awaiting private Lear Jet 45 to Cotonou, Benin
Flying time Lomé > Cotonou: 10mins.
 Cotonou is a large port city on the south coast of Benin, in West Africa. At the eastern end of central Boulevard St. Michel is the huge Dantokpa Market, which features religious items and spices alongside everyday objects. To the southwest, the 19th-century Cotonou Cathedral has a striking red-and-white striped facade. Nearby, in the Haie Vive district, the Fondation Zinsou museum shows contemporary African art.
Arrival into Benin, meet your local English Speaking Guide and head to Ganvie, this is a village on stilts lying in Lake Nokoué, near Cotonou. With a population of around 20,000 people, it is probably the largest lake village in Africa and is known as the Venice of Africa.
The village was established in the sixteenth or seventeenth centuries by the Tofinu people, established on the lake because the Dahomey’s (a slave trading tribe) religion forbade the Fon warriors from entering water, therefore the lagoon was a safe territory for other tribes.
Originally based on farming, the village’s main industries is fish farming.
We will then stop for lunch at a local restaurant before heading back to the hotel.
Rest of the day at leisure.
Dinner at the hotel (on own account)

Maison Rouge (BB)                            Senior Suite

DAY 13.                                                        COTONOU

 Breakfast at the hotel.
Meet your English speaking guide and continue your exploration of this interesting city.
We take you to Temple of pythons, sacred forest, Porte de non Retour “Door Of No Return”
We will then stop for lunch at a local restaurant.
After lunch proceed to enjoy a Gelede Mask Dance before heading back to the hotel.
Dinner at the hotel (on own account)

Maison Rouge (BB)                            Senior Suite

DAY 14.                                                        COTONOU > LAGOS      

Breakfast at the hotel.
Meet your English Speaking Guide who will transfer you to the airport where you will board your awaiting private Lear Jet 45 to Lagos, Nigeria
Flying time Cotonou > Lagos: 08mins.
Arrival into Lagos Airport met by your English Speaking Guide who will transfer you to your hotel in Lagos
Lagos, Nigeria’s largest city, sprawls inland from the Gulf of Guinea across Lagos Lagoon. Victoria Island, the financial center of the metropolis, is known for its beach resorts, boutiques and nightlife. To the north, Lagos Island is home to the National Museum Lagos, displaying cultural artifacts and craftworks. Nearby is Freedom Park, once a colonial-era prison and now a major venue for concerts and public events.
14:00 Meet your local English Speaking Guide and enjoy a Ikeja City Tour.
Lunch at a local restaurant.
Return to the hotel.
Dinner at the hotel (on own account)

The Wheatbaker Lagos (BB)                            Executive Suite
 

DAY 15.                                                        LAGOS

Breakfast at the hotel.
You will be picked up from your hotel to begin your full day city tour of Lagos.
Start off with a visit to the famous Tafawa Balewa Square, venue of Nigeria Independence in 1960. Proceed on to the Freedom Park, formally a prison facility.
A trek through this oasis nestled in Lagos will give you a cultural narrative and historical context that will clue you into the richness and diversity of Nigerian Culture.
It is an artistic nirvana from modern to traditional outdoor sculptures. Take a stroll or grab a bite and take in the sites. It’s also a well known music venue and if you are there at the right time you can catch a show.
Proceed to Nike Art Centre, one of Nigeria’s hidden treasures. Located in Lekki, comprises of an art gallery and textile museum featuring over 7,000 pieces.
Proceed to Lekki Art Market where you can bargain and purchase different local arts, fabrics, jewellery and more.
Proceed to Shoprite for light refreshment.
Return to the hotel.
Dinner at the hotel (on own account)

The Wheatbaker Lagos (BB)                            Executive Suite

DAY 16.                                                        LAGOS > DEPART   

Breakfast at the hotel.
Meet your English driver and transfer to Lagos Airport for your onward services.
End of services.

INCLUDES

• Accommodation as specified in itinerary
• Meals as specified in itinerary
• Transfers as specified in itinerary
• English Speaking Driver as specified in itinerary
• English Speaking Guide as specified in itinerary
• Services of an experienced English-speaking driver-guide
• All entrance fees and guided excursions as described in itinerary
• All park fees
• 1 litre bottled water per person per day
• Pillow Gifts
• Tips & Gifts for local hotel staff, drivers, guides

EXCLUDES

•  International Flights and Airport Taxes
•  Visa Fees (if applicable)
• Medical & Travel Insurance
• All expenses of personal nature
• Any entrance fees and guided excursions not included in the above itinerary
• Early Check In & Late Check Out
•  Internal & Domestic Flights (priced separately)

PLEASE TAKE NOTE

• All ITRAVEL standard terms and conditions apply to this quote, these terms and conditions are available on request
• This quote is valid for 48 hours only and after 48 hours a new quotation will be issued on request
• All quotes are subject to availability and change due to airfare increases, hotel rate increases, currency exchange fluctuations and any other unforeseen circumstances all without prior notice.
• Please check and re-confirm all services on this itinerary with Itravel prior to final booking, failure to do so may result in incorrectly scheduled services for which Itravel will not be held responsible in any manner whatsoever.
• Itinerary and journey times are close approximations and are subject to change without prior notice.
• Light Aircraft Flights:
• Baggage allowance is normally restricted between 15kg to 30 kg (depending on country, aviation supplier and seat class chosen) per passenger, inclusive of hand luggage in soft bags. Excess baggage will be charged at prevailing rates and only carried subject to space availability.
• Timings in remote areas such as national parks may vary from day to day. It is very important that your clients ask their tour guide or lodge manager to reconfirm flights 24 hours before departure. This reconfirmation process will give the departure and arrival details for the flight(s) the following day and will save unnecessary waiting time and discomfort. Charter companies reserves the right to change departure times or carrier when so required for operational, weather or safety reasons.
• Passenger weights limits apply for light aircraft flights and additional seats may be required if exceeding the weight limit. However, please let us know in advance if this is likely to apply so we can do whatever is possible to minimize the likelihood of this becoming an issue.

ESD – English speaking driver | ESG – English speaking guide | ITR – Itravel Representative

RO – Room Only | BB – Breakfast only (Bed & Breakfast) | HB – Breakfast & Dinner (Half Board) | FB – Breakfast & Lunch & Dinner (Full Board) FB+ – All meals + activities | FI / AI – All meals, drinks + activities (Fully inclusive / All Inclusive)