Benin: The Cradle of Voodoo & The Amazon Spirit

Bienvenue! Welcome to the vibrant heart of Benin. Upon arrival at Cotonou Cadjehoun International Airport, you will be met by your cultural guide and transferred to your hotel in a private vehicle. Take a sunset walk along the Cotonou Waterfront or explore the bustling Espace Dina, a local hub for food and music.

Enjoy local Beninese delicacies like Pâte (corn dough) with spicy peanut sauce.

Highlights: Esplanade des Amazones & Abomey

After breakfast, start at the Esplanade des Amazones in Cotonou to see the towering 30-meter statue of the Dahomey Amazon, honoring the world’s only all-female army. We later travel to Abomey, the historic capital of the Dahomey Empire. Explore the Royal Palaces of Abomey (a UNESCO site), where the thrones of kings once rested on human skulls, and learn about the fierce "Mino" female warriors.

Highlight: Lake Nokoué Stilt Village

After breakfast, Journey to the lakeside village of Abomey-Calavi and board a boat for Ganvie. This entire city is built on stilts in the middle of Lake Nokoué. Glide through the "moving" floating markets, visit the local school and church on stilts, and learn how the Tofinu people escaped slave traders by building their lives on the water.

Highlights: Python Temple & Sacred Forest Drive to Ouidah, the spiritual capital of Voodoo.

After breakfast, Visit the Temple of the Sacred Pythons, where dozens of pythons are revered and housed. Continue to the Kpassè Sacred Forest, filled with ancient trees and hidden Voodoo shrines. Explore the Ouidah Museum of History, located inside an old Portuguese fort, to understand the city's complex role in the Atlantic trade.

Highlight: The Gate of No Return

After breakfast, Embark on a moving 4km walk along the Slave Route, following the path taken by millions of ancestors.Stop at the Tree of Forgetfulness and the Memorial of Zomaï before ending at the beach at the Gate of No Return (Porte du Non-Retour), a hauntingly beautiful monument facing the Atlantic. Reflection and dinner by the coast in Ouidah.

Highlights: Mono River & "Soft Life" Beach Time Head further west to the sleepy coastal town of Grand-Popo.

After breakfast, take a scenic boat trip down the Mono River to see the "Mouth of the King" (Bouche du Roy), where the river meets the sea. Watch local salt-makers and explore the mangroves. Spend the afternoon enjoying the "soft life" on the quiet, coconut-palm beaches of Grand-Popo.

Highlight: Cotonou Art & Craft Market Return to Cotonou for your final day.

After breakfast, visit the Centre Promotionnel de l'Artisanat (CPA) to buy hand-woven textiles, bronze castings, and intricate wood carvings.

Enjoy a final coffee or cocktail at a chic café in the Haie Vive neighborhood before your airport transfer.

Meal(s) Included: Breakfast Daily