Local Costs

	UK	Benin	Togo
Tea/Coffee	£1.50	€1.20	€1.80
Soft Drink	£1.50	€0.40	€1.80
Bottled Water	£1.50	€0.60	€0.80
Bottle of Beer	£3.50	€0.60	€1.70
2 Course Meal*	£15.00	€6.00	€8.50
3 Course Meal**	£20.00	€15.00	€12.50
Bottle of Wine	£14.50
Breakfast	£5.00		€4.00

*Cheap local fare in a small cafe or restaurant.
**Typical food in a simple, reasonably comfortable mid-range restaurant.

Important Information

Travel Insurance

It is a condition of joining any of our tours that you must have valid travel insurance. It must indicate that you have cover for (at least) medical expenses and emergency repatriation in the event of illness or injury. We also strongly recommend your policy includes cancellation protection as all deposit paid are non-refundable.

If you require travel insurance for your tour, Explore Worldwide is an appointed representative of Campbell Irvine Limited, who is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services authority. Our travel insurance policy is specially tailored to the needs of the adventure traveller and will cover you for any included activity on any Explore trip. You can either purchase this at the time of booking or call us 0844 499 0901 after you have booked.

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Visa Requirements

Entry visas are required by all nationalities. A single entry visa for Togo is available on arrival however we recommend you obtain your visa prior to your visit, as queues on arrival can be long and processing slow. A single entry visa for Benin must be obtained before departure.

All passport information should be made available at the time of booking as Explore are required to produce letters of guarantee to support some visa applications. Passports must be valid for 6 months and have four blank pages for the visas.

Visas are available through the individual countries Embassies, or you may choose to use Explore’s recommended visa service, Visa Swift. We have been able to arrange a discount on the total cost including service charge if you obtain your visa through Visa Swift. A rate of approximately £254.00 per person will apply.

In order to take advantage of the discounted fees Visa Swift will need to receive your passport by the dates listed next to your respective tour date below. The date when your passport will be returned is quoted too. Passports that are received after the dates below will be charged at the full rate of approximately £322.00 (this service will take 11 working days to turn around).

Please note this tour will be closed to new bookings 3 days prior to the deadline.

Departure Date       Apply by          Return

AWA 23 OCT 10     25 SEP 10       18 OCT 10

AWA 20 NOV 10     29 OCT 10      15 NOV 10

AWA 18 DEC 10      08 NOV 10      13 DEC 10

All visa information is subject to change. You should confirm all visa related issues with the relevant Embassy prior to departure.

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Vaccinations & Protection

Although rarely checked, a Yellow Fever vaccination and certificate is a compulsory requirement for entry into Togo and Benin. We recommend protection against malaria, hepatitis A, diphtheria, tetanus, typhoid and polio. You may also want to take immunisation against meningococcal meningitis. Consult your travel clinic for latest advice on different prophylaxis available against malaria. Take all your vaccination certificates with you as they may be requested on entry to any of the countries visited.

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The above is not an exhaustive list. Further information regarding vaccinations and travel health advice can be found by following the NHS and NaTHNaC links at http://www.explore.co.uk/Travelhealth/ and from your local healthcare provider.

Visa and vaccination requirements are subject to change and should be confirmed before departure.

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Know before you go

We strongly recommend that you check your government’s travel advisory for up-to-date information and advice about your destination: safety and security, entry requirements, health, local laws and customs, including advice re: the legality of and local attitudes towards same-sex relationships. For UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office Advice follow the link at http://www.explore.co.uk/Traveladvice/

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Preparing for your tour

Climate

The climates in Togo and Benin are mostly tropical with two main rainy seasons in the central and southern regions – May to June and September to November. This should not adversely affect the trip as the tour operates outside the main seasons. Average temperatures range from the mid to high 20s Centigrade, with little change at night.

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Seasonal weather patterns can be unpredictable. For up-to-date information on the weather worldwide please visit www.bbc.co.uk/weather.

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Packing for your tour

To assist with packing for your tour, we have detailed some of the essential items you should take with you. 

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Luggage

Unfortunately it does occasionally happen that luggage does not always reach its destination on the same flight as its owner, or possibly it may be damaged in transit. If you are unlucky enough for this to occur, it is important that you file a PIR (Property Irregularity Report) with the airline before leaving the airport. This is essential when you come to make a claim either against the airline or from your travel insurance company

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Take a tough soft bag or holdall (or rucksack with detachable frame) suitable to be carried by vehicle. Total allowance: 33lbs/15kg maximum (due to weight restrictions on our vehicle). Also take a day sack for items needed during any short walks (20-30 litre). The limit does not include your camera equipment.

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Clothing

Pack essentially for ‘All Tours’ plus ‘Hot Conditions’. Clothing should be lightweight but a warm sweater is also advisable, as nights can be cold. A scarf is recommended as protection against dust whilst driving in the drier areas.

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Footwear

Lightweight walking shoes or trainers and sandals for relaxing and travelling in.

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Equipment

A torch, sunhat, suncream, insect repellent. You may consider bringing binoculars and also swimwear for the occasional hotel pool. Take supplies of photographic film with you, as those available locally are unreliable.

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General Information

Trip Summary

Filled with unique cultural and natural attractions, ancient towns and exotic tribal traditions, this compact adventure provides a fascinating look at the real West Africa! Travelling from the Gulf of Guinea we pass through a timeless landscape steeped in voodoo, slavery and European colonialism. Beginning in the Togo’s vibrant capital we visit the famed fetish market and the Grande Marche, home to the larger than life Nana Benz, before heading to traditional villages where we hope to witness voodoo ceremonies. From here we head east to the Mono river and continue to the old slave trade post of Ouidah, considered the spiritual home of voodoo. Ouidah was also a major staging post on the old slave route that plied the trade between Europe and its colonies. Visiting the Python Temple, where the ancient snake cult is still very much in evidence. The next day we continue to Lake Nokue and the unique stilted village of Ganvie, the largest of its kind in Africa. After a night spent on the lake we continue through Benin, visiting with local oracles and travelling to the magnificent pre-colonial capital of Abomey, home to the pre-colonial kingdon of Dahomey, before witnessing a Gelede mask ceremony in Cove. Our journey ends in the old Portuguese colonial outpost of Porto Novo, now the country’s administrative capital, where we have an opportunity to explore its colonial heart and learn something of its traditional roots in the ethnographic museum and amongst the halls of King Toffa’s Palace, the old throne of one of Sub-Saharan Africa’s longest reigning dynasties.

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Electric Supply & Plugs

For comprehensive information regarding voltages and plug types in use in the countries visited, follow the relevant link at http://www.explore.co.uk/Traveladvice/

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