Lome

The dock is not within walking distance to town. Shuttle busses are provided. (3-4 Km)

A local drum band and several dancers will performing at the gangway as passengers are leaving the ship for their tours.

Printable map to take along.

Togo is a narrow country in West Africa, sandwiched between Ghana on the west and Benin on the east, with a small border with Burkina Faso to the north, and a 56km coastline on the Atlantic Ocean to the south.

Lome is the capital and largest city of Togo. It lies in southwest Togo on the Gulf of Guinea, an arm of the Atlantic Ocean. Lome is a popular tourist destination. Lome has an international airport. Highways and railroads connect the city with major towns of Togo's coast and interior. Lome was a small village until 1897, when it became the capital of German Togo. In 1919, Lome came under French control. Togo gained independence from France in 1960. Since then, Lome has expanded its port, built new hotels, and become the site of Togo's only university.

Witness a Voodoo Ceremony or browse in the Fetish Market for trinkets and talismans in this intriguing African port.

The German Cathedral, with its carved pews and wall paintings, offers a glimpse into Togo's colonial past, as do the Goethe Cultural Center and the Pasteur Library. Other sights include the mosque and the National Museum. (Allow at least two hours for the museum-it displays some interesting national and historic artifacts, including maps, paintings and photos.)

Most passengers will opt for cruise organized tour.

Sanguera is a small village about a 45 minute drive north of Lome. The“Voodoo Ceremony" here is not to be missed.

Visit one of the two city markets. The shuttle will drop you off here. The three-story-high Grand Marche is the original it's filled with brilliantly colored fabrics and other local items. The ground floor has food and spices, the second floor has various types of cloth, and the third floor offers bracelets, Togolese beads and goods imported for local residents. (Watch out for pickpockets.) There's also an interesting vodun-fetish market at Akodessewa, just 5 mi/8 km to the northeast of the center of Lome. This is where the Ewe "twin cult" figures are for sale. (Ask to see them, as they're not usually displayed, but don't begin the bargaining…

You definitely will get annoyed with the constant haggling of the thousands of street vendors. Just politely say "No thank you" and walk away. Don't get abusive to the trader; he is only trying to feed his family.

1,000 CFA= $2 USD

Official language is French

Lome has Cafes which offer free WiFi for customers, and they are cheap.