The small West African nation of Togo has a population of close to seven million people with about 750,000 of them residing in the capital city of Lome. The country gained its
independence from France in 1960 and became a republic in 1967. French is still the official language, with a few African ones such as Watchi, Kabiyé, and Ewe being pretty popular.
There’s not much English spoken though. Other popular towns include Togoville, Aneho, Sokode, Blitta, Kara, Dapaong, Mango, Niamtougou, and Lama-Kara.
Togo’s pretty hot and dry in February and March and there’s a rainy season between April and July. It may be a small country but the landscape’s very pleasing to the eye as it’s filled
with lush forests, coastal lagoons, savannah, swampy plains, waterfalls, cocoa farms, and long sandy beaches dotted with palm trees.
The capital Lome sits next to the
Gulf of Benin and the beach is lined with modern hotels. You’ll also find some interesting colonial architecture and can learn about the local culture and things such as voodoo in the
city’s
fetish market. The market sells carved figures that are meant to ward off evil spirits as well as traditional remedies. Lome is a good place to
see the traditional way of life.
If you’d like to wander outdoors and explore the countryside there are some excellent national parks to visit where you can get a good look at a variety of species of tropical birds as
well as antelope, elephants, and buffaloes. The best of these are Fazao National Park, the Kéran National Park, and Fosse aux Lions. If you head to the northeastern part of Togo you’ll
be able to find traditional mud-tower villages of the Batammariba people. Some of this region is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
When visiting the town of Togoville, there are some interesting places to check out such as a Roman Catholic cathedral and some voodoo shrines. Lake Togo is close by and it’s an ideal
place to enjoy some watersports. The town of Aneho used to be the country’s colonial capital up until 1920. Some of the best sites there are the protestant church, the Peter and Paul
Church from the 19th century and the German Cemetery. There’s also a short coastline that features some charming fishing villages with colonial architecture.
The main airport is located just outside of Lome and you can get to town by taxi. There’s also a seaport in the city which handles ferries from Ghana and Benin. You can reach Togo by
road from the countries of Burkina Faso, Ghana, and Benin. Once inside Togo you can travel by air to Mango, Sokode, Dapaong, Lome, Lama-Kara, and Niamtougou. Ferries also run up and
down the coast and there is rail service in some major towns. There are also buses and taxis and you can rent cars and bicycles in larger towns.
The food is exceptional with much of it being influenced by French cuisine as well as African. There are numerous cafes in Lome to try out the local dishes, such as poultry, seafood,
meat, vegetables, sauces, and fruit. The local palm wine is also quite popular and tasty. For nightlife, Lome is the place to be as there are quite a few nightclubs that stay open late
and serve food and there are cinemas for English and French language movies.
Togo may be one of the smallest nations in Africa, but there’s plenty to see and do there. The local culture and traditions are especially interesting as are the landscapes and
wildlife.
About Togo