The best hotels in Togo

For beach access, the Bld du Mono seafront strip has the main beach bars and is walkable from most hotels in the Tokoin and Quartier du Port districts. Onomo Hotel Lomé near the port at $250 to $320 is the city's best upscale option. La Résidence de l'Ambassadeur in the embassy quarter is the most discreet luxury choice at $280 to $380. Budget travelers do well on Boulevard du 13 Janvier near Hotel Le Bénin at $100 to $145 per night.

Most nationalities can get an e-visa at visa.gouv.tg for $50 USD. ECOWAS citizens enter visa-free. The online process takes 48 to 72 hours. A single-entry tourist visa is valid for 90 days. Togo is one of the easiest countries in West Africa for visa logistics, which partly explains why it attracts so many overlanders. Bring printed copies of your e-visa and arrival card as immigration sometimes requests both.

The Marché des Féticheurs in the Bè neighborhood is one of the largest traditional medicine and voodoo artifact markets in West Africa. Stalls sell dried animal parts, skulls, herbs, and ritual objects used in traditional Vodou practice. It is an active market, not a tourist display, and photography requires asking permission and often a small fee. Located on Rue du Commerce near Bè, it is 20 minutes by taxi from central Lomé (500 CFA francs).

The Koutammakou UNESCO World Heritage Site in northern Togo preserves the fortified Batammariba earthen tower houses (Takienta), built in the 17th century as defense against slave raiders. The Tamberma valley is about 65 kilometers from Kara city. Getting there requires a vehicle, either a rented car or a tour arranged from Hotel Kara at $50 to $80 per person. The villages are still inhabited and a local guide from the village entrance costs 2,000 CFA francs.

November through February is the dry season and the best window for all travel in Togo. The harmattan wind from the Sahara can reduce visibility in the far north from December to February but temperatures are manageable at 25 to 32 degrees C. Kpalimé and the central highlands are best in November to January when hiking conditions are excellent. Avoid May through September when heavy rains make interior roads difficult, particularly in the north.

Kpalimé is 120 kilometers north of Lomé and takes about 2.5 hours by bush taxi (1,200 CFA francs). It is the gateway for hiking the Agou massif, including Mont Agou at 986 meters, the highest point in Togo. Hotel Ahodzo in the town center at $60 to $90 per night is the most popular base with connections to local hiking guides. The surrounding area has coffee and cocoa plantations worth visiting on half-day tours for 5,000 to 8,000 CFA francs.

The West African CFA franc (XOF) is the currency, shared with 7 other countries in the region. The exchange rate is fixed to the euro at approximately 656 CFA per euro. This means your euros work efficiently throughout the region. ATMs are available in Lomé and the main cities. USD and euros can be exchanged at banks and at some hotels in Lomé. Cash is essential outside the capital as card machines are almost nonexistent.

The Tamberma valley and Kara area are generally safe for tourists. The far north near the Burkina Faso border at Dapaong has seen increased security incidents in recent years related to the regional Sahel instability. Check your government's latest travel advisory before planning trips north of Kara. The route from Lomé to Kara along the main national highway (Route Nationale 1) is safe and well-policed.

Hotel Kara near the main roundabout in central Kara is the most established quality option in the north at $150 to $200 per night. It has a proper pool, good air conditioning, and a lively bar. The Tamberma valley UNESCO site is a 1.5-hour drive, the Fazao-Malfakassa National Park is 80 kilometers south, and the Kara weekly market on Saturdays is one of the best in the country. Book at least 2 weeks ahead as the hotel fills during the dry season.

Fufu (pounded yam or cassava) with peanut sauce is the national staple, found at local restaurants throughout the country for 500 to 1,500 CFA francs. Akpan, a fermented corn porridge, is a common breakfast. Grilled fish on the Lomé seafront from beach vendors costs 1,000 to 2,500 CFA francs for a full plate. Hotel Eda-Oba in Sokodé at $130 to $175 per night is specifically known for its Tem ethnic cuisine, worth the drive from the coast.

Avoid guesthouses in the Bè market area of Lomé, which is busy and noisy 24 hours, particularly the night before market days. In Kpalimé, do not book rooms at properties without mosquito nets as malaria risk is elevated in the humid highlands. Avoid any hotel near the Lomé international airport unless you have an early flight, as the area has no interesting access to the city. Verify that mid-range hotels include air conditioning in their room rate before confirming.

Yes, Togo is thin and both borders are accessible in under 2 hours from Lomé. The Benin border at Hilla Condji east of Lomé crosses into Cotonou's direction. The Ghana border at Aflao west of Lomé is one of the busiest land crossings in West Africa and takes you toward Accra in 3 to 4 hours. Both crossings are straightforward for ECOWAS citizens. Other nationalities should confirm visa requirements for Benin and Ghana before attempting either crossing.