NEW TRIP
From Luanda to Tema
West Africa Odyssey
BOOKING DISCOUNT
Back to back booking discount when combined with Exploring the Coast of West Africa
Please call for details
Please call for details
Overview
Experience the myriad cultures and fascinating wildlife reserves of Africa's West Coast. Call at Gabon to explore the beautiful beaches and rich culture of Port-Gentil; visit picturesque São Tomé, capital of São Tomé and Principe. In Benin, explore the stilt village of Ganvié and traditional villages on Lake Togo, then head to Accra, Ghana, to disembark.
Arrive: Luanda, Angola
Depart: Tema, Ghana
Highlights
- Get a glimpse of local life at the vibrant Grande Marché in Congo's Point-Noire
- Experience the beautiful beaches and rich culture of Port-Gentil, Gabon
- Tour the two-island nation of São Tomé and Principe, with their soaring volcanic peaks and beautiful beaches
- Call at picturesque and traditional villages
Itinerary
Note: This trip is not exclusive to, nor operated by, Wilderness Travel, who acts solely as an agent in booking your reservation with the operator. Please download the Rate Sheet in the Dates & Pricing section to see the full pricing details and contact our Cruise Collection Specialists to check availability.
As Angola emerges from years of colonial rule and a long Civil War, its capital, Luanda, is fast becoming a forward-looking city with a rich heritage. Delve into its colonial past at the Old City's Portuguese-style buildings and the 16th-century Fortress of São Miguel. Museums across the city offer a glimpse of local culture through their exhibits on traditional art, hunting equipment, and masks. At Ilha do Cabo, chic seaside steak restaurants and bars showcase a modern side of the city.
Days at sea are the perfect chance to relax, unwind, and do whatever takes your fancy. So whether that is going to the gym, visiting the spa, trying to spot a whale from the deck, reading a chapter or two, or simply topping up your tan, these blue sea days are the perfect balance to the green days spent exploring on land.
The Republic of Congo's second city offers up a slice of French Africa with two distinct quarters—European and African. Explore lively La Cité on foot, sampling traditional cuisine and stopping in at the vibrant Grand Marché for a glimpse of local life. Relax at a waterfront restaurant at Côté Sauvage. a laid-back city beach. Just outside the city, the Diosso Gorge offers tropical rainforest and sweeping views of red canyons. Shore excursions include seeing Notre Dame Cathedral, colorful markets, and the railway station dating back from French Colonization; visiting the African Circle Museum and its exhibition of local masks, statues, and ritual objects. Optional excursions include visiting the Loango Museum, where you can learn about the colonization of Congo from your expert guide, and the Diosso Gorges, with their dramatic views of tall cliffs and unspoiled tropical rainforest. You can also opt to visit the Makola Salt Glacier and learn about the Congo's mining history.
After a day at sea, arrive in Port-Gentil, Gabon, known for its beautiful beaches and rich culture. You can enjoy various activities in Port-Gentil, including swimming, sunbathing, and exploring the city's many museums and art galleries. Port-Gentil is an excellent place for those interested in African culture and history.
São Tomé was a prized possession of the Portuguese, who ruled it from the 15th century until 1975, when São Tomé and the nearby island of Principe gained independence and formed the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Principe. You will call at the island’s capital and main port, also called São Tomé, a picturesque and friendly town featuring colonial architecture. Also explore the island’s lush interior and rich biodiversity, and visit an active coffee plantation, where you will witness a lifestyle largely unchanged since the colonial era and where you will be invited to sample some of what the locals claim is the world’s best chocolate.
Excursions include watching the vibrant music and dance of a traditional Tchilolo performance, visiting the Cathedral of Nossa Senhora de Gra?a, and a panoramic walking tour taking in the city's colonial architecture. Optional excursions include a visit to the Botanical Garden to spot endemic birds, and a special lunch followed by a chocolate tasting tour.
Excursions include watching the vibrant music and dance of a traditional Tchilolo performance, visiting the Cathedral of Nossa Senhora de Gra?a, and a panoramic walking tour taking in the city's colonial architecture. Optional excursions include a visit to the Botanical Garden to spot endemic birds, and a special lunch followed by a chocolate tasting tour.
This laid-back, compact capital has less than 3,000 inhabitants and is the smallest city in the world (according to the Guinness Book of Records). Time seems to move more slowly in this dream-like place with its pastel-colored buildings and salty sea air. Pay a visit to the Nossa Senhora da Conceião church with the beautiful stone carving of St. Anthony, the city's namesake saint, inside. Optional excursions here include relaxing at two of Principe's best beaches, exploring the charming town of Santo Antonio, and enjoying an entertaining performance by local dancers.
After a day at sea, arrive in Cotonou, Benin's vibrant port city. Cotonou is defined by its colonial legacy and voodoo (the state religion). As a former French colony, it retains a certain European flair in its cuisine and architecture. For an insight into local culture, there's no better place than the sprawling Dantokpa market, filled with local crafts and an entire section devoted to sacred voodoo items. Along the lakeshore, visit Ganvie, a lake village with bamboo houses and the world's only town on stilts, where residents get around in canoes. An optional excursion includes a visit to Ouidah to explore the City's Afro-Brazilian architecture and experiencing the Sacred Forest with its ancient trees.
Voodoo traditions, colonial history and beautiful beaches: Togo's capital city offers plenty of history, culture, and outdoor fun. Learn about the country's heritage at the National Museum, housing artifacts like pottery, masks, and Togolese art. Akodessewa Fetish Market, selling animal skins and voodoo talismans, offers a fascinating insight into the region's traditional customs. Trace the country's colonial past at the Sacred Heart Cathedral, built by the Germans, and the Independence Monument, a symbol of the country's freedom gained in 1960. Shore excursions include visiting the fetish market, the Grand Marché, and the Sacred Heart Cathedral. Optional excursions include witnessing the frenetic rhythm of an authentic voodoo ceremony.
Sail into the coastal city of Tema, a short drive from Ghana's buzzing capital, Accra. Once named “Africa's Capital of Cool” by the New York Times, Accra has become one of West Africa's top destination cities. Marvel at the towering statues in the city's Black Star Square, wander through Kwame Nkrumah National Park, the resting place of Ghana's first prime minister and president, or shop for locally made arts and crafts in the Centre for National Culture. Optional excursions include a tour of Shai Hills Reserve, one of Ghana's stunning nature parks. DIsembark and transfer to the airport for flights home.
Accommodations
Scroll through our signature accommodations for this trip below. Although it is highly unlikely, we may make substitutions when necessary.
What the Trip is Like
The trip is rated Level 1, Easiest, and is appropriate for anyone in good health who is physically active. Zodiac landing crafts are used to transport passengers ashore for walking tours. Some agility is required for getting in and out of the Zodiac landing crafts.
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Itinerary
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Trip Levels
With more than 200 different adventures to choose from, we want to help you find the trip that’s right for you. Our Trip Level system ranks each trip in two ways: a number rating from 1 to 6 according to the activity, and general travel rigors. 1 is the easiest and 6+ the most difficult—see descriptions below for explanations of each number. A plus (+) sign means the trip is a bit more strenuous than other trips of that level. The detailed explanation of each trip—below the bar with the number rating—is perhaps more important, specifying activities, altitudes, hiking, and travel conditions. The Detailed Itinerary, available by download or mail, gives further information. Our Area Managers can also answer questions and guide you to the trip that best suits your interests.
Level 1 – Easiest
Non-camping journeys, optional walks, little elevation gain or loss.
Level 2 – Easy to Moderate
Hotel nights and/or safari-style camping, hikes of two to four hours on some days. Other physical activities are sometimes included, such as optional sea kayaking.
Level 3 – Moderate
Half- to full-day hikes (3-6 hours) over rolling countryside on most days, occasional steep trails. Many of our hotel-based walking tours are in this category, as are our snorkeling adventures.
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- Palau Snorkeling & Sea Kayaking
- Some trips with minimal hiking but rugged travel conditions or long drives, such as Tribal Ghana, Togo & Benin, are Trip Level 3.
Level 4 – Moderate to Strenuous
Full-day hikes (4-6 hours), mountainous terrain, significant elevation gains and losses (hiking up or down as much as 3,000 feet) on many days. Altitudes no greater than about 10,000 feet.
Level 5 – Strenuous
Full-day hikes (4-8 hours), mountainous, steep terrain (hiking up or down as much as 3,500 feet) on many days. Trips with hiking at average altitudes of 10,000 to 12,000 feet are in this category.
Level 6 – Very Strenuous
Full-day hikes (5-8 hours), mountainous, steep terrain (hiking up or down as much as 3,500 feet) on many days. Most hikes take place at altitudes above 10,000 feet, with some days ascending as high as 18,000 feet.