Ethno-photographic tour of Bénin

We then head 25 km away towards the lake city of Ganvié.

This village is located in the middle of Lake Nokoué and has been inhabited since 1770 by the Toffin, a tribe that fled inter-ethnic conflicts and the evils of slavery.

The spectacle that unfolds before our eyes is exceptional: its floating market with a thousand colors and thousand scents, and its bamboo and straw houses on stilts.

The tour is done by pirogue.

Then we take the road to Porto, the administrative capital of Bénin. It is also the capital of The Oueme department.

This beautiful and charming port city stands out for its ethnic diversity and especially for the colonial architecture of its buildings, classified as a UNESCO World Heritage site (such as its Great Mosque).

An African city known as the heart of the worship cults of the god Orisha, three distinct religions predominate there: Christianity, the Yoruba religion and Voodoo, and Islam.

We visit the Honmé palace, before continuing with a bit of history and culture at the ethnographic museum. You can admire various indigenous artifacts such as Guelede identity celebration masks, weapons and musical instruments. The Great Mosque of Porto proves to be a real treat for the eyes with its multicolored facades and its architectural style.

In the afternoon, we make an excursion to Adjarra in the heart of the traditional tam-tam market. We observe the process from manufacturing to sales.

We're heading to Pobé. This small town already stirs our curiosity as we're still on our way there.

We've heard that Holi groups have settled there. These fascinate with their traditional tattoos and their python scarification. We're also told that with a bit of luck, we'll see their Guèlèdè dance.

We arrive in the late evening and prepare to spend the night in the heart of the jungle of the village of Pobe.

We have breakfast and after a short morning hike, we head towards the interior of the Agonlin region around the town of Covè.

We are counting on this day to witness for ourselves the ancestral way of life of the local population. Habits that are based on subsistence agriculture, hunting and ancestor worship.

On the track connecting Gbaname and La royaute de Parakou there is a Woodabe camp.

These nomads originally from Nigeria are particularly striking for their Géréwol festival, a celebration where a beauty and seduction contest takes place among the young members of the tribe. The men dress up and the women make themselves desirable. These festivities take place every year, just after the rainy season.

As for us, we will be content to soak in the atmosphere floating through the camp and exchange with these nomads.

Then, we will go to rest in a local house nearby, or return to spend the night in Cove, depending on the situation.

After the Peul Fulani village of Gossoué, we head towards the city of Dassa. Impressive rocky hills surround the town, forming a natural amphitheater of great beauty.

Also called the city of 41 hills, Dassa-Zoumé is a crossroads town. Our explorations begin with a visit to the Arigbo Marian center, a place of prayer and meditation.

Hiking on The Hills of Dassa to see the path of rituals followed by the Omondjagou, the majority ethnic group that formed the former kingdom of Dassa-Zoumé. On the hills we have the opportunity to see the fetishes and representations of voodoo worship.

Spend the night in Dassa like a prince.

A very relaxed day where we do little driving.

Savalou is a historic city founded by King Soha. It is a region populated mainly by the mahis who came from Abomey.

In Savalou, we visit the royal palace, the pantheon, the lake with crocodiles, and the palms with 7 branches.

Overnight stay in a magnificent hotel.

From Savalou we reach the knightly city of Djougou, located just over 200 km to the north.

We leave to visit the Tanéka-Koko region, inhabited by animist hunters who live from millet cultivation.

In the Yaka camping site lives an animist ethnic group isolated from the wave of Islamization in the region. They undergo spectacular male circumcision initiation rites. We speak with sorcerers guardians of tradition to experience and get closer to their culture based on the cult of the dead.

Night in a guesthouse in Djougou.

We continue our journey towards Natitingou.

Upon arrival, we visit the popular museum, then the city market. You also have the option to take a swim in the natural swimming pool at the Chutes de Kota.

Overnight stay at a hotel located on the city hill.

On the road leading to Boukoumbe are villages whose population is essentially agricultural.

Boukoumbé is one of the nine communes of Atacora Department, not far from the border with Togo. We are in Somba country, a region where people lived naked and isolated from the rest of the world until the 1960s. It was not until 1975 that the government "civilized" this pagan people, notably through schooling.

A few kilometers from Boukoumbe, we arrive at the small village of Koutagou, which in the Somba language means "where there is happiness". This village is known for its Somba tatas, traditional constructions that command admiration. But beyond these veritable fortresses, Koutagou offers a plain conducive to hiking and exchanges with the local population. We can also admire the Atakora mountains which, in the distance, challenge us…

Night at the Tata Somba inn.

We are back on the road heading to Tanguiéta. A relatively short journey, along the Atakora chain, which once again reveals to our eyes the great cultural diversity of the country.

We will take advantage of this beautiful day to go and take a cold bath in the Cascades de Tanougou located 27 km northeast of the city. Tanougou is a wonder in Bénin. This inexhaustible source which skims part of the Atakora mountain brings happiness.

Picnic and exchanges with the surrounding populations.

Night in Tanguieta.

Full day of travel to reach Nikki, close to the Nigerian border, in the east of the country.

We settle into the hotel to regain our strength and prepare the logistics for our day tomorrow in the savanna.

After our night in the savanna, we head towards the city of Kobourou, Parakou.

Arrival at The royalty of Parakou and a stroll through the largest market of the largest city in northern Bénin.

Visit to the royal palace of the baribas.

Tasting of local cheese and local drink, the tchoukoutou.

Parakou is a very pleasant city full of small businesses, craft activities and local products.

After our breakfast we take the long road towards Abomey.

On the way, we make a brief stop at Bohicon to see what its market looks like. Amulets, animal carcasses, and ingredients for voodoo worship are sold there.

We set off to discover the kingdom of Abomey.

Former capital of Dahomey, the city of Abomey is home to the royal palaces of ancient kings. Founded in the 16th century, Abomey houses the museum which preserves ancient royal objects, regalia and treasures from the former kingdom. The sites were abandoned following the defeat of King Behanzin by French colonists. Later, these castles were renovated by UNESCO and became historical museums.

Night in a guesthouse in Abomey.

We visit Goho Square and take a break at the Hountondji, specialists in the transformation and manufacturing of gold and copper objects.

After these visits we leave Abomey and take the road to the city of Dogbo, in the Couffo Department. Our objective is the archaeological site of Gounoundji and its tailed men.

Night in Lokossa.

On this day we continue our journey and settle into the most peaceful village in the country, Possotomé, which is also a real temple of animism.

We visit a temple that has remained secret until now. The highlight of our day's adventures is the pirogue ride on Lake Ahemé.

Night in a guesthouse on the banks of the lake.

We devote our day to exploring the Bouche du Roy, a large aquatic area formed by the delta of the Fleuve Mono and home to a vast mangrove.

We navigate aboard a motorized canoe through this vegetative maze, and observe the artisanal techniques for sea salt extraction, which still persist in the villages of the region.

Here, sea turtles are protected and we discuss with fishermen who raise them. We also don't forget to relax and take a dip to cool off.

In the afternoon, we head to the village of Avlo Plage, where voodoo is very present, and exchange with families about their daily and spiritual activities.

We spend the night by the ocean, at the Grand-Popo guesthouse.

We make a short transfer this morning to the city of Ouidah, close to the Atlantic coast.

We dedicate the day to long hours of wandering in this historic city and start with the Temple of Pythons. It stands opposite the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, the city's cathedral, with which it forms a striking contrast.

Then, we stretch our legs by exploring The sacred forest Kpassè Zoun. It is a wooded area where centuries-old trees stand. We enjoy discovering its voodoo temple with its statues of voodoo deities, as well as contemplating the iroko tree of the king.

The Slave Route remains an essential circuit in Ouidah. We walk several kilometers of beach to trace one by one the 5 stages of this path, symbol of the slave trade in Bénin.

Night in a beachfront hotel.

For our last hours in Bénin, we take a small tour in Cotonou, visit a school if it's a school day, do our last shopping.

Then, we are transferred to the airport for our return flight.