Travel to Togo — everything you need to know
When to go to Togo?
- November – March — Dry season : Ideal for travelling: cool harmattan winds, clear skies. Roads passable throughout the country. The north is dry and accessible.
- June – September — Rainy season : Regular rain in the south, difficult bush roads, the north is less affected but hot. Less favourable.
Weather in Togo
Check the weather city by city, starting with Lomé.
- [object Object]: daytime highs from 29 to 34 °C depending on the season, 69 mm of rain per month on average.
- [object Object]: daytime highs from 30 to 38 °C depending on the season, 108 mm of rain per month on average.
What to do in Togo?
Togo is a narrow corridor between Ghana and Benin: Lomé and its Grand Marché des Fétiches (an open-air voodoo market), the perched Tamberma villages along the mud-castle route (UNESCO), Kpalimé's waterfalls in the tropical forest, and the beaches of the Atlantic coast. An overlooked country that rewards the curious.
Lomé — Fetish Market
Lomé's Grand Marché des Fétiches (Akodessewa) is the largest voodoo market in the world: thousands of animal skulls, skins, medicinal plants and fetishes used by traditional healers. A striking sight found nowhere else. Lomé's seafront, the only African capital directly on the Atlantic, rounds out the visit.
Highlights : Akodessewa Fetish Market — the world's largest voodoo market, Lomé seafront — the only African capital on the Atlantic, Lomé Grand Market — fabrics, crafts, Palais des Congrès.
Koutammakou — Tamberma Castles
The Tamberma country (UNESCO) in northern Togo is dotted with tata — two-storey mud-brick castle-houses, built like fortresses with watchtowers and millet granaries. This unique, centuries-old architecture reflects the Tamberma's resistance to slave raids. An extraordinary, inhabited landscape.
Highlights : Nadoba village — the best-preserved Tamberma tatas, Tamberma plain landscape at sunset.
Kpalimé — Forest and waterfalls
Kpalimé and its surrounding region form Togo's green lung: dense tropical forest, the Kpimé and Wome waterfalls, butterfly farms, coffee and cocoa plantations. Mount Agou (986 m, Togo's highest point) is located here. A cool, lush region, ideal for hiking.
Highlights : Kpimé Falls (1 h from Kpalimé), Mount Agou (986 m) — Togo's highest point, Coffee and cocoa plantations — walking tours.
Travel budget for Togo
Togo is one of the most affordable destinations in West Africa. The CFA franc, pegged to the euro, is a stable currency. Lomé is the priciest city, but remains very affordable by European standards.
- Backpacker : 30–55 €/j — Guesthouse + local food + motorbike taxi
- Comfort : 75–120 €/j — 3★ hotel + restaurants + guided excursions
- Luxury : 200 €+/j — Grand hotel in Lomé + private excursions
Practical tips for travelling to Togo
- Flight from Paris : ~6h (Ethiopian Airlines via Addis, Air France via layover, sometimes Corsair)
- Visa : Visa on arrival possible (30€) or online e-Visa. Valid 7 to 30 days.
- Currency : CFA Franc (XOF). 1€ = 655 XOF fixed rate. Cash essential outside Lomé.
- Language : French (official) — easy to communicate. Ewe in the south, Kabiye in the north.
- Electricity : Type C/E (European) — 220V.
- Health : Yellow fever vaccine mandatory. Malaria prophylaxis essential year-round.
- Tap water : Not drinkable — bottled water essential.
- Mobile network : 4G coverage in Lomé. Northern part of the country: limited coverage. Local Togocel SIM recommended.
Compare Togo with other destinations