Solo backpacking trip to Benin

Hi,

Your discussion about Senegal still exists. It hasn’t been deleted.

My accommodations in Benin https://afriqueparciafriqueparla.blog4ever.com/articles/par-ou-comment#google_vignette

Of course, you’ll need to check for updates, but I hope this helps. These are simple, inexpensive, but clean places to stay.

January 10th is Voodoo Festival. I much preferred the one in Grand Popo over Ouidah, which felt a bit too touristy. I have three addresses in Grand Popo. Try to find out if there’s a Gaani (a celebration honoring one of the local kings) happening somewhere in Benin... it’s an incredible experience and totally worth going to.

hi Béatrice thanks for your advice—I’d booked an Airbnb from January 8 to 11 in Ouidah, but you’re saying it’s better to go to Grand Popo instead. Now I’m not sure what to decide. What’s the difference between the festivals in these two places?

Hi, you can't go to northern Benin—terrorists are there, and you have to wear a veil on buses, not to mention the kidnappings. I have my house in Natitingou, and I can't go back anymore. Pendjari Park is closed. The south is still accessible, up to Abomey. In Cotonou, I recommend Canelia’s place.

Hi Nadine, I’m a bit disappointed—I’d planned to stay for a month, but now the territory to explore seems really limited.

I was excited to go to Benin, but I'm starting to regret choosing this destination after seeing the recommendations from France Diplomatie :/ On the other hand, their map shows you can head further north in the country while avoiding the border towns

Well, it depends on how you're traveling—whether by bus or taxi—and if you're stopping for a few days. Personally, I prefer Ouidah over Grand Popo. Did you book your flight ticket? Otherwise, Senegal is safer, and the boat trip from Dakar to Casamance is a lovely journey.

The difference is that Benin hopes to attract tourists by "showcasing" its heritage. The idea is good, but it ends up feeling more like folkloric festivities than anything else. In Grand Popo, that aspect isn’t there. Very few tourists, and it’s very "natural" (I don’t have the right word). It’s really impressive (in a good way). If you’re in Ouidah, you can do the round trip in a day. Just find a zem to get back in the evening.

One of my nephews owns a hostel in Natitingou. He works in the south but has a manager for that hostel. I’ll ask him how things are going there. As of the last update, yes, the park has been closed for 2 or 3 years, but the rest of the north of the country is safe. Still, double-check. Otherwise, the entire south is gorgeous and packed with enough to fill your month. Don’t panic when you read the French diplomatic recommendations. They open umbrellas as big as Cirque du Soleil tents. No regrets. I’ll get back to you about the north.

Thanks Béatrice, I’m reassured—I won’t take any risks, but I’ll try to fully experience my trip. I’m waiting for the *Petit Futé* guide I ordered to start planning my itinerary. I’m really starting from scratch!

I just spoke with the guide I’ve used several times in Natitingou to visit the tatas sombas and Pendjari. He tells me no problem, he’s currently working there with tourists. My nephew says the same thing. Pendjari has been closed for several years. But terrorism isn’t established in the region. Since you always have to double-check everything, I asked my sister for her opinion—she just got back from there.

If you’ve got any questions, no worries.

I’m finding my peace again could you give me the contact details for your guide? It’s a guarantee they’re good, and I’ll definitely have tons of questions—I get my book tomorrow. Have a great day

How can you say that? I get that you want to help your nephew and Noël out, but the situation is serious. There are a lot of attacks and kidnappings in the north—you can’t be complicit in this.

Hi there, When I see what the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs indicates about security and its map, I don’t think the "umbrella" (i.e., extra precautions) is really necessary. It just states what everyone already knows and observes about the continuous security deterioration in the Sahel and its spread to the northern parts of coastal countries, particularly Benin or Togo. There are indeed issues in the North, and it’s best to avoid going there. That still leaves a large part of the country to explore.

Benin - Ministère de l’Europe et des Affaires étrangères

Nothing to do with the nephew or Christmas... it would be irresponsible.

I just got a reply from my sister. There are indeed frequent and deadly attacks.

So yes, the north is to avoid.

I just got a reply from my sister who’s back from there

So yeah, the situation is getting worse and it’s better to avoid the north. I feel bad for answering too quickly—I’ll touch base with the guide to check in on what he’d told me.

Fingers crossed it doesn’t spread to the south.

I’m wary of the French diplomatic service’s assessments. They often exaggerate. I saw this firsthand in Mauritania, Mali... things aren’t as bad as they were several years ago, and I struggled to agree with their warnings. I was wrong.

Good evening,

Personally, I don’t think the site is being overly cautious or exaggerating. The French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs (MAE) is usually very well-informed, and I take their information for what it is: an additional, official source of security updates to cross-check with all the others.

Having lived through I don’t even know how many crises over the nearly 25 years I’ve been on the continent—often living in or traveling to places that weren’t exactly safe—I always take their advice into account. In Mali in the early 2010s, I remember how some of the site’s recommendations weren’t followed by travelers, even though the situation was far worse than what was being reported or appeared on the surface. Some paid a terrible price for it, especially on the road to Bamako. Even back then, France was actually *less* cautious compared to other embassies.

Thanks everyone for your advice—I won’t take any unnecessary risks and will stick to the safe regions since you’re telling me there’s so much to see in the south.

stay in the safe regions

Good evening,

Even if a Foreign Ministry "overdoes it" by advising its citizens to stay away from countries where the security situation is concerning, it’s still better than the opposite. It would be irresponsible to lull them into a false sense of security—one that doesn’t actually exist. And describing a country’s security situation by saying "you should avoid the north, there are no problems in the south" seems pretty debatable to me...

hgb

Hi there, I went to Natitingou last April and had no issues with public transport.

Hi there, I have local contacts in Parakou and in Natitingou. I also know a really nice hostel near Lake Ahémé. I can share the contacts via private message.

Hi everyone, I’m sharing some recent issues. I’m in touch with Natitingou every Sunday. You can’t go to Kota Falls, Boukoumbé, Tanongou, or—even less so—the Pendjari area. After that, it’s up to you to do what you want, but at your own risk.

Hello! You're welcome to Senegal. For more information, feel free to ask me too. Have a great weekend!

From a local friend who’s a nursing assistant and often travels from Parakou to Natitingou, contacted today: Locals are still traveling a lot, the road to Boukoumbé is open, and Christians aren’t required to cover up on buses.

Hi Françoise, I’d love it if you could share your addresses with me

Even locals are at risk—they still have to travel, though. A friend and his son were shot at near Djougou while in their car. So when you're not a local!!! I’m not taking that risk.

Hi Corinne, In February 2015, we traveled to this beautiful little country, backpacking and using local transportation, including the ZEMs. We live not far from Brullioles—if you'd like to stop by the house to share info. Sylvie and Gilles

With great pleasure

Hi Corinette 69,

Are you still going ahead with your trip?

I was also planning to go to Benin, but given the recent events, I think I’ll wait to see what happens after the elections.

Hi Corinne, So how’s it going in Benin?

Still, be careful with info that dates back 10 years. I was there at that time too—I lived in Cotonou for a year over two stays and traveled all over the country multiple times. No doubt things haven’t changed much in the south (my nephew works there, so we’ve got updates), but the north is a different story... Cheers! [:)]

Hi everyone, and thanks to all of you who shared your experiences with me. I got back on Monday after a month-long trip, and I’m absolutely thrilled—I never felt unsafe or harassed at any point. I made it all the way up to Natitingou, and had some amazing experiences (met some wonderful people and guides—feel free to ask me for advice if you're interested). There were a few less pleasant moments, like dehydration, the "elastic" concept of time, chaotic roads, and overcrowded taxis, but that’s just Africa. It’s a country where people live with very little, but they’re not miserable—in fact, the women are stunning. Anyway, it was an unforgettable trip, and I might just feel like exploring another country on this continent soon.

Good evening! Glad you enjoyed the country! I was worried that conditions might not be the best these days given the recent events... Just like I loved Benin (and northern Togo too), I adored Cameroon. Still need to check if security is still guaranteed there.

Hi Corinne,

I’d like to go to Benin, but for a longer stay than you—about eight weeks. I’m thinking of making a side trip to Togo because I feel eight weeks might be too long for Benin, especially since some regions are advised against.

You mentioned going up to Nati—did you mean Natitingou? The Ministry of Foreign Affairs lists that area as orange (advised against unless essential).

When I looked into city transport, I heard about moto-taxis, but are there also regular taxis? I know some Gabonese friends who lived in Benin, and they warned me against moto-taxis because of the high accident rate.

Otherwise, is it possible to get around everywhere without a guide and use public transport across the whole country?

Thanks in advance.

Hi Marie, to answer your questions, yes, it's Natitingou and you can go there without any problem. Eight weeks seems like a lot to me, and you're right to go to Togo, but you'll end up exploring the country more thoroughly than I did. Just so you know, the palaces of Abomey are still under construction. For transportation, there are motorcycle taxis called "zem." The drivers wear different colored shirts depending on the city. The price is very affordable, but you should haggle if they try to overcharge. However, I often accepted their fare because it's so little for us. On the other hand, if you're staying a while, I recommend buying your own helmet for about 8 €—it'll be cleaner, and you'll have one since they usually don't provide them. As for car taxis, depending on the condition of the vehicle, it's more or less comfortable, but either way, you'll be packed in like sardines. I recommend the buses, which aren’t much more expensive but are way more comfortable for traveling between major cities. A little tip: I stayed with Tata Edith in Abomey—it was great! At every place I stayed, they found me a guide. It’s essential because you can’t visit the cities or tourist spots alone; you need to move around a lot. If you have any other questions...

Hi there,

Thanks, Corinne, for all this fresh info!

I didn’t know the Abomey palaces were under renovation. I’d also read that several big museums are planned by 2029, but I’m not sure where things stand with that...

As an alternative to zems, I’d heard there’s now a car taxi app. To be honest, after what I’ve heard about moto-taxis, I’m not keen on trying them (or maybe just once for the experience!).

I’m really surprised to read that you need a guide to visit cities. I thought you only needed one for remote spots or places linked to the orishas and voodoo, but that you could explore cities on your own. Good to hear it’s easy to find guides, though!

I gather you enjoyed the country—so no places or visits that disappointed you or weren’t worth it?

Did you attend the Vodoun Days? I would’ve loved to, but I never get time off in early January. My Gabonese friends who lived in Ouidah told me it’s mostly for tourists.

Thanks again for the tips!

Yeah, I saw the shows that were really surprising and beautiful to me, and which are indeed designed to attract tourists. However, I saw another one in Abomey that felt more authentic. I think you can visit some cities on your own—Ouidah is easy, but Cotonou and Porto-Novo are trickier in my opinion because they’re big cities. There weren’t any places that disappointed me because I was open to everything the country offered. I went to discover the people and African culture (for architecture, I had a blast in Uzbekistan last year). That said, you’ve got to stay zen because time is *very* flexible for them. With Denis in Dassa, I went to see cheese being made in a Fulani village—nice experience. I loved the tata semba, spent 2 nights on Lake Ganvié, swam in Lake Ahémé, and adored the beaches of Grand-Popo, even though the sea is dangerous. Watching the fishermen pull in their nets was amazing. On the other hand, I didn’t really enjoy the food, except for the street-bought doughnuts and pineapples.

Hi Corinne, That’s awesome, you totally loved your trip! Did you happen to walk through the hills of Kamaté, at the association Les Papillons? Great to hear from you. Sylvie and Gilles

Hi again,

And what’s the approximate cost of guides?

Hi Gilles, yeah, I went hiking in the hills but with a guide from another association. Your tips were really helpful, thanks! Now I’m diving into planning my next trip 😉.

between 10,000 and 20,000 CFA

Hi there, I lived in Benin for almost a year, over three trips, and I’m not sure I discovered everything. If you can take your time and not rush from city to city, it’s totally worth it.

If you have two months, definitely head to Togo. I know it less well than Benin—just a bit of the south—and I crossed it from north to south. The landscapes are really beautiful. In the northeast, the Tamberma region is a must-visit, with their fortress-like houses, just like the tatas somba in Benin. Same people, same culture.

Don’t skip the moto-taxis—they’re one of the best ways to get around, in my opinion. Great views, no neighbors practically sitting on your lap like in taxis, and a cooling breeze... pure bliss.

You don’t have to hire guides, except in two or three places. Since you’ve got time, walk. Walk. That’s how you really discover a city. You can go solo everywhere. In Abomey, you can spend time with artisans through the tourist office: potters, bronze workers.

between 10,000 and 20,000 CFA

Thanks Corinne, that gives me a budget idea!

I lived in Benin for almost a year, over 3 stays, and I’m not sure I discovered everything. If you can take your time, don’t rush from city to city—it’s totally worth it.

Hi there,

When I travel, I like to take my time. Usually, for a two-month trip, I stay in the same country, even if it’s small. I always find things to do, and I also enjoy doing nothing and just soaking in the place I’m in...

But for Benin, since part of the country (the North) is advised against by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, I was thinking of heading to Togo instead. Corinne went up to Natitingou and didn’t feel unsafe, so maybe there’s more to see than just the South.

I read your 2015 travel journal about the bronze casters in Abomey—it’s such a beautiful piece, you don’t see travel journals of that quality much anymore. I wonder if those artisans are still active today.

Anyway, thanks for your tips!

You're right, it's best to check if it still exists. But there might be something else set up—you’ll only find out once you're there. Opportunity makes the thief.

The main draw of Natitingou is the Somba region and its tatas. The Kota Falls are nice for cooling off. Unfortunately, Pendjari Park is now closed.

Happy planning! 🙂