Exploring Eco Tourism Destinations in West Africa

Last Updated on June 1, 2022

Want to go local and contribute to local communities in West Africa? Here are some eco tourism destinations in West Africa that are well worth visiting.

West Africa  is the stuff of dreams. It’s packed with long-standing slavery history, remote and untouched landscapes, world-renown music traditions, and intriguing voodoo culture. But it’s also the world’s poorest region, with many countries here occupying the lowest positions in the UN Human Development Index.

For a long time, travel to West Africa was restricted — largely due to civil wars, tribal conflicts, terrorism and the ebola outbreak. This is therefore one of the world’s largest frontiers, where tourism has yet to infiltrate the local society and make an impact on traditions and culture.

Lonely Planet calls the area one of the most challenging places to travel in the world – making finding eco tourism destinations in West Africa no easy task!

But those who are adventurous enough to visit will be rewarded with some truly amazing experiences. You’ll find some of the friendliest people you’ll ever meet. You’ll also see some outstanding landscapes that are unlike anything you’ve seen.

Eco-Tourism Destinations in West Africa

For curious travelers looking for in-depth experiences, the best way to see this region is through the numerous community-based projects dotted around the rural areas of West Africa. There are 50 over projects through out Ghana, Togo and Benin. Some are solely managed by the local villages, while others are supported by national tourism boards, conservation centres or non-profit NGOs.

These projects are typically found in small rural villages and have a visitors centre. From here, travelers can arrange activities such a guided walks, village tours, and basic accommodation in a guesthouse or homestay. They are an excellent way to experience the region’s natural attractions and traditional culture. At the same time you can contribute directly to the local community and benefit those who need it.

On my journey through West Africa, I traveled with local tour operator, Jolinaiko Eco Tours.  They brought me on an eco-themed trip around Ghana, Togo and Benin. I not only got to learn about the slavery history in Ghana and voodoo culture in Benin, but I also went on many hikes and nature walks and experienced deep cultural immersions in community-based eco-tourism destinations.

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There are 50 over projects through out Ghana, Togo and Benin. Some are solely managed by the local villages, while others are supported by national tourism boards, conservation centres or non-profit NGOs.

Deep in Ghana’s Volta Region

The first stop on my journey into the deep rural heart of West Africa is Atsiekpoe (“Home of the cashew tree”) along the Volta River of Ghana. The small and peaceful village enjoys a unique location. It’s just a 1.5-hour drive from the chaotic capital city of Accra and yet it feels like a world away. It’s surrounded by tranquility and only accessible by crossing the river on a canoe.

Jolinaiko Eco Tours started an ecotourism project here almost 10 years ago. Its founders, the Dutch-Ghanian couple Cindy and Apollo, built Cashew Village here. Their hopes were of showing travellers a rural part of the country and at the same time benefitting the community directly through tourism.

Perched on the river bank, the Cashew Village ecolodge has the perfect waterfront location to watch sunsets in the evenings. The lodge consists of two mud-brick/termite clay buildings with thatched roofs offering five basic rooms. The setup here is simple and rustic — but the beds are comfortable, protected by mosquito nets, and there is electricity at night plus an open-air shower.

Besides providing accommodation, the lodge also arranges several activities to travelers to explore the area and get to know locals. I sign up for a village tour and learn about the local way of life from a young girl, Sophia. Wandering around the village, Sophia leads me into many locals’ mud houses made of termite mounds to watch how locals farm cassava and maize. Many of the local women are weaving baskets and mats from palm branches, while men sit under the blazing heat producing iron tools using century-old processes.

Over the past few years, the ecolodge has helped the village in many ways. It provides work, donates to community funds, and most recently, builds a clinic for the communities in the area. They’ve also supplied a motorboat to the community and helped people in the village in many small ways. Cashew Village is an excellent example of how ecotourism can be done right and have a positive impact on the local community.

Chasing Waterfalls in Mount Afadja in Ghana

Continuing my journey into the region, I head further inland to Mount Afadja. It’s the highest mountain in Ghana, at an elevation of 885 metres. The mountain is located in the Agumatsa Range in the Volta Region of Ghana at the border with Togo. It is an excellent place to explore for those who love getting active.

To explore the area, I base myself in the village of Liati Wote, located at the foothills of Mount Afadja. Home to more than 3,000 people, Liati Wote is a peaceful town and gateway into the lush jungles of the Agumatsa Range. Many of the villagers help out at the visitors centre which organises hikes in the area and also provide accommodation in a basic guesthouse located at the entrance of the village.

My guide, Destiny, is a lively and well-mannered Ghanian man in his mid twenties, who spent five years in Accra pursuing an education, before moving back here to be with family. His father had been the chief of the village for years and now is Destiny’s turn to continue his legacy in the village.

Destiny brings me on a hike to the famous Tagbo Waterfalls through beautiful, thick rainforests. While I struggle with the heat and humidity, he bounces and hops like a teenager, prancing about the giant buttress roots of Acacia trees and picking mangos from the branches with monkey-like agility. We cross several coffee plantations and cocoa fields which belong to his father but had unfortunately been burned down by negligent teenagers. 

That evening, Destiny arranges for a delicious dinner for me prepared by the town’s best, Stacey. She whips up the best banku (fermented maize meal) I’ve ever had and a flavourful spicy chicken curry that has me licking my fingers for more. While we’re eating in Stacey’s dining hall, the electricity in the whole town goes out. I wander back to the guesthouse in the darkness (thankfully with a torch in hand) and sleep to the sound of insects buzzing right outside my window.

Hiking Togo’s Kpalimé Mountains

Crossing over the border into Togo, I spend the next few days at the mountain town of Kpalimé. It’s a popular stop for most travellers in West Africa because of its mild climate and mountain air. The relatively small town of 33,000 people is hidden among forested hills of cocoa and coffee plantations and offers some of Togo’s best scenery and hiking.

In contrast with the chaos of its capital city, Kpalimé is calm and tranquil. Surrounded by endless greenery, lakes and cascades reached by footpaths through the lush forests. With a guide from the local CBT (community-based tourism) project, I go on a hike up to Mount Klouto. This is the country’s second highest peak (at just 741m).

Emmanuelle and I start our hike from the village of Koma Konda. We go wandering around the community, meeting local batik artists and bamboo mat weavers, before heading into the jungle. Emmanuelle’s mother tongue is French (the main language of Togo) and he doesn’t speak much English. But with my limited knowledge of French and his intermediate level of English, we manage to understand each other just fine. We have a great time exploring the area together.

Emmanuelle brings me through avocado gardens and forest packed full of mango trees and beautiful frangipani flowers. All while explaining me how cocoa is harvested and how the natural sap of the trees is used for tattoos on local tribes. It takes us around two hours to reach the top. Once there we feast on a spectacular view of the surrounding mountains as well as Volta Lake in Ghana.

Finding Garden of Eden in Davedi, Togo

Enroute to the Togolese capital city of Lomé, I make another stop at the rural village of Davedi. This is a peaceful town surrounded by lush pineapple plantations and palm trees groves.

Turning Davedi into a small-scale eco-destination was the initiative of Isaac Aziawoo, a guide for Jolinaiko Eco Tours who was born and raised in Davedi. His commitment and character inspired two tourists who travelled with him in 2010 to donate seed funding for the realization of the Pineapple Lodge in Davedi. Like many other West Africans I meet on this trip, Isaac loves his home more than anywhere in the world. This is why he wanted to start a project here in Davedi and make a difference to his community.

During my stay at Pineapple Lodge, Isaac’s young cousin, Valentine, acts as my guide. I’m lead around the six communities that make up Davedi. It’s easy to see why Davedi is so special for Isaac — everyone is family here. The men sitting out by the village centre are all of Isaac’s uncles, the young children playing on the porch are his small nephews and nieces, the elderly lady crossing the street is his grandmother, and the people tending the only store in town are his uncle and auntie.

Like any other rural population in West Africa, the majority of the people living in Davedi are farmers. In this area, palm trees and pineapples are the main cash crops and are an important source of income. While men are mainly engaged in palm wine distillation, women are engaged in processing palm nuts into palm oil. Valentine showed me how much hard work the women had to put in to process oil. Also how much effort it would take to distill wine and produce things that we would usually just buy in the stores.

Back at the Pineapple Lodge, I sit down to have some fresh pineapple with Valentine. At present, there are only two guest rooms with basic facilities and an open-roofed bucket shower. Isaac has plans to build two more rooms to hopefully include a kitchen so they can cook for guests. The lodge has no electricity (neither does the village) and Isaac intends to keep it this way to keep it simple. It therefore makes for a more authentic experience with tourists.

Understanding Voodoo in Possotome, Benin

The last stop on my journey through West Africa is Possotome. It’s a relatively large community on the banks of Lake Ahémé in southern Benin.

Through the lodge at Eco Benin, I hire a local guide Dennis to bring me around the area and share some of their voodoo culture with me. As I learn, voodoo isn’t some black magic or evil witchcraft as portrayed in Hollywood movies. With hundreds of years of history, voodoo was the first religion in Africa. While a large percentage of West Africans are now Christians or Muslims, many still practise voodoo on the side.

Of the 8,000 people living in Possotome, around 60% practice voodoo. Dennis and I start our visit at the entrance of the village where the voodoo temple was located. A big stone figure of the deity Malegba (protector of the temple) stands beneath the tree by the entrance of the temple.

“Everyone who wants to enter must speak to this deity before approaching the fetish priest and entering with him,” Dennis explains.

Next to Malegba is a shack made of a few range interwoven together. “This is the voodoo hotel,” as Dennis says, “where we keep the bodies of those who have disobeyed the law and committed something bad (like steal). The body would remain here for three days before being buried.” I shudder due to the cruelty of the act, but keep quiet as a form of respect.

As we meander along the shore of the lake, I drink in views of the lake and observe as fishermen haul their nets into the water. Groups of children are frolicking in the water while others are playing on the sand banks. As we walk further into the village, we pass clusters of mud houses made of red earth and more elaborately decorated voodoo temples.

With that, my journey into West Africa comes to an end. Thanks to these community-based projects, I managed to explore the rural heart of the region and meet many incredible people. Most of all, I experienced the true spirit of West Africa.

West Africa Travel Info

How to:

I traveled with Ghana-based tour operator, Jolinaiko Eco Tours. This was a 14-day tailor-made tour around the southern corners of Ghana, Togo and Benin. The eco-themed tour focused on exploring the natural attractions of the region and the eco-friendly areas to visit. My Ghanian driver, Ben, has 10 years of experience in the tourism industry and he acted as my guide on this journey. 

Getting there:

The best place to fly to in West Africa is Accra, Ghana, as it is the hub of the region. I got a promo airfare from Madrid to Accra on Iberia for only 200 euros return. Turkish Airlines also flies there from many parts of Europe and Asia via Istanbul. From there, you can travel overland and cross borders to Togo and Benin. 

When to go:

Most parts of the region experience a typical tropical climate. Daytime temperatures are high throughout, approaching or topping 30°C on most days. The best time to visit Ghana, Togo and Benin is generally from October through to April, when humidity levels are lower. During this period (the dry season), there is less rain. There are also consequently fewer mosquitoes (and a correspondingly decreased risk of contracting malaria).

Budget:

West Africa isn’t an expensive place to visit, especially if you are supporting community-based tourism projects. In most of the ecolodges mentioned, a night’s stay usually costs around $15-30 a night. A meal at a local restaurant would generally cost just under $5.

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