Togo travel guide
Togo is a narrow West African country stretching from a short Atlantic coastline north through forested hills to savannah, with traditional earth tower-houses, vodun shrines and lively markets. It sees relatively few tourists and its tourism infrastructure is modest, but it is compact, friendly and rewarding for travellers interested in culture and landscapes.
Places worth the trip
Lomé
The coastal capital sits right on the border with Ghana. The Grand Marché is a multi-storey market famous for the 'Nana Benz', women traders who built fortunes selling wax-print cloth, and palm-lined beaches run along the city's seafront boulevard.
Akodésséwa fetish market
On the edge of Lomé, this market sells ingredients for traditional vodun medicine and rituals, including dried animal parts, herbs and charms. It can be confronting, but it gives an insight into beliefs that remain important in the region.
Koutammakou
In the north-east, the Batammariba people build takienta, two-storey earth tower-houses with granaries on the roof. The landscape is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and local guides lead visits to the villages.
Kpalimé and the plateau
A market town in green hills near the Ghana border, with cocoa and coffee plantations, waterfalls, butterflies and walks up Mount Kloto. Mount Agou, the highest point in Togo, rises nearby.
Lake Togo and Togoville
A lagoon east of Lomé where pirogues cross to Togoville, a town with vodun shrines, a Catholic cathedral and a monument to the 1884 treaty that made the territory a German protectorate.
Aného
A former colonial capital on the coast near the Benin border, with faded colonial buildings, a lagoon and a strong vodun tradition, including a major annual festival among the Guin people.
Fazao-Malfakassa National Park
Togo's largest protected area, with forested hills, waterfalls and savannah in the centre-west of the country. Wildlife is shy, and facilities are basic.
Interesting facts about Togo
- Togo's Atlantic coastline is only around 56 kilometres long, while the country stretches more than 500 kilometres inland.
- Togo was a German protectorate from 1884; after the First World War it was divided between France and Britain, and the British part later became part of Ghana.
- The Nana Benz traders of Lomé earned their nickname from the Mercedes-Benz cars they bought with the profits of the wax-cloth trade.
- The takienta houses of Koutammakou have shaped the architecture of the Batammariba people for generations and are a symbol of the country.
- Togo is one of the countries where vodun, the West African religion from which Haitian vodou descends, is widely practised.
Best time to visit Togo
The best time to visit is during the dry season, from roughly November to March, when roads are easier and the weather less humid, although the dusty harmattan wind from the Sahara can bring hazy skies from about December to February. The south has two rainy seasons, roughly April to July and September to October, while the north has a single rainy season from about May to October. Rains can make rural roads difficult.
Getting around
A main north–south highway links Lomé with Atakpamé, Sokodé, Kara and Dapaong, and shared taxis and minibuses run along it, leaving when full. In towns, motorbike taxis known as zémidjans or 'zems' are the quickest way around; agree the fare first and ask for a helmet. Hiring a car with a driver is a comfortable option for touring the north. Roads off the main routes can be rough, particularly in the rainy season.
Practical details
- Capital
- Lomé
- Currency
- West African CFA franc (XOF)
- Languages
- French (official), Ewe and Kabiyè (national languages)
- Plug types
- C, E
- Voltage
- 220 V, 50 Hz
- Emergency
- 117 police (161 from a mobile), 118 fire
- Driving side
- right
- Tipping
- Not obligatory, but small tips for guides, drivers and restaurant staff are appreciated.
Staying online in Togo
Mobile coverage is generally good in Lomé, Kpalimé, Kara and other towns, with 4G available in the capital and some larger towns. Coverage weakens in rural areas, in the hills and in parts of the north, and some villages have little or no signal. Wi-Fi is available in many hotels in Lomé but less often elsewhere, and power cuts can occur. Download offline maps for longer journeys. Install an eSIM before you fly and switch it on when you land.
Togo eSIM plans
1 ГБ
1GB eSIM Data for 3 Days for Togo, V2
Безлимит
Unlimited eSIM Data for 1 Day for Togo, V2
Безлимит
Unlimited Plus eSIM Data for 1 Day for Togo, V2
3 ГБ
3GB eSIM Data for 3 Days for Togo, V2
Useful apps
- Gozem: A West African ride-hailing app operating in Lomé, for cars and motorbike taxis with fares shown upfront.
- Google Maps: Navigating Lomé and planning road journeys; download offline maps for the north.
- Google Translate: French translation, with an offline pack, for markets and rural areas where English is uncommon.
- WhatsApp: Widely used to contact guides, drivers and guesthouses.
Togo travel FAQs
French is the main language of government and business, and Ewe and Kabiyè are widely spoken. English is less common, though some people speak it near the Ghana border and in tourism. Basic French helps a lot.
Yes, in Lomé and the larger towns, coverage is good. In rural areas and the north it can be patchy. A travel eSIM gives you data for maps and ride-hailing in the cities without high roaming fees.
It is best visited with a local guide, arranged in nearby Kandé or through the visitor centre. Guides explain the houses and customs and help arrange respectful visits to families.
Lomé is right on the Ghana border and the coast road continues east to Benin, so overland trips along the coast are popular. Check your government's travel advice and border requirements before you go.