Hello everyone,
I am planning to travel to West Africa in September. I was thinking of visiting 2 of the following: Benin, Burkina Faso or Togo.
I will have roughly 19 days available and do not want to have to rush too much.
Is it reasonably possible for example to travel through Benin and Burkina Faso in 19 days and so to see a decent amount of each country without having to rush?
Is it fairly easy to travel between Benin and Burkina? I guess the best way would be by public bus? Is it possible to get a bus from somewhere like Kandi, or any other northern city, into Burkina?
I was also wondering how safe Burkina Faso is at the moment. On another website (Wikitravel), I read that at present 'Burkina Faso is in chaos. Students are protesting against President Blaise and his dictatorship. Do not travel to B F until the protests clean up'. It seems a little melodramatic, but I wondered how secure the country is at the moment. I've also heard that the north is not as safe as it might be (I remember reading reports last year of AlQaeda encroaching across the border from Mali)
Thanks guys!
I am planning to travel to West Africa in September. I was thinking of visiting 2 of the following: Benin, Burkina Faso or Togo.
I will have roughly 19 days available and do not want to have to rush too much.
Is it reasonably possible for example to travel through Benin and Burkina Faso in 19 days and so to see a decent amount of each country without having to rush?
Is it fairly easy to travel between Benin and Burkina? I guess the best way would be by public bus? Is it possible to get a bus from somewhere like Kandi, or any other northern city, into Burkina?
I was also wondering how safe Burkina Faso is at the moment. On another website (Wikitravel), I read that at present 'Burkina Faso is in chaos. Students are protesting against President Blaise and his dictatorship. Do not travel to B F until the protests clean up'. It seems a little melodramatic, but I wondered how secure the country is at the moment. I've also heard that the north is not as safe as it might be (I remember reading reports last year of AlQaeda encroaching across the border from Mali)
Thanks guys!
3
To cross the board between Togo and Benin is a little bit difficult because there is no immigration office in Bokoumbe, so you have to get your stamp of Benin in Nati.Another possibility coming from Togo is to take a taxi from Kara to Djougou entering into Benin in Ouakè .... In Ouakè you can visit one of the biggest markets in north Benin each Friday But if you want to see the Tata Somba and some nice nature, Bokoumbe is much more interesting.
The normal bus-connection between Burkina and Benin is from Ouaga to Cotonou via Tanguieta, Nati and Djougou. I think that there is no bus connection from Kandi (but perhaps some taxis? ) , because the route between Kandi and Banikoara is in a very bad condition....
I'm planning also a trip to Burkina in August and the German embassy sais, that the situation is stable, and only the north part of it (north of Gorom-gorom) is not recommend at the moment...
5
3 years ago we travelled from Ouaga to the Burkina's southwest (border area Ivory Coast/Mali and Lobi lands around Gauoa) over Bobo Dioulasso, then back over Ouaga to the Benin border (easy good buses ply this route). Into Benin (Tanguieta), visiting Pays Somba, down Natitingou and Djougou where we stayed visiting other tribal lands, further south next stop was Abomey. Then down to the coast, Grand Popo, Ouidah, Porto Novo and Cotonou.We took 24 days for this trip, including a week in Burkina's southwest (passionate about Lobi land...).
We loved the Burkina-Benin combo.
Also then there where some troubles in Burkina's north due to spill-over from Mali. We didn't go north.
Furthermore Burkina and Benin where peacefull and quiet.
