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Bienvenue au Bénin. It may be one of west Africa’s smaller nations, but it’s one with a rich heritage. So rich, in fact, that it can be difficult to know how many days to spend in Benin.
Benin encompasses the origins of the voodoo faith, and was a major cog in the horrors of the transatlantic slave trade. Known to Europeans in early times as the Slave Coast, Benin is better known to generations as Dahomey. Indeed, Dahomey is a name which induced fear in pretty much everyone who heard it.
The country’s name was changed in 1975. Since then, Benin’s international repute has waned. However, with its welcoming vibes, fascinating historic sites, ridiculously-impressive Atlantic beaches, and surprising safari options, there’s never been a better time to visit Benin. Discover how long to spend in Benin below.
How long should my Benin trip be?
By African standards Benin is a small country, at 115,000 square kilometres (44,000 square miles). For comparison, that’s about 2.2 times smaller than the UK, which is already pretty small.
What’s more, Benin is well on the road to development. Yes, that’s a pun of sorts. All significant trunk roads are not only surfaced, but also in a good state of repair, making travel around the country a much easier proposition than would otherwise be the case. In addition, there’s a good network of intercity coaches. Luxuries including set departure times and air conditioning make them a winner over informal depart-when-full minibuses or shared taxis.
It’s possible to see the main historical sites in Benin with about one week. Most are in the country’s south, within a couple of hours of the coast – and often on it. Depending on what sort of traveller you are, you might therefore be able to include a day on the beach too.
To combine Benin’s historic sites with a safari, you’re looking at more like two weeks. The two main parks are in the country’s far north, and you’ll want at least a couple of nights in them to make the journey worthwhile.
What should I do with one week in Benin? A 7 day Benin itinerary.
When coming to Benin by air, it’s more than likely you’ll be arriving into Cotonou. The country’s main city (but not its capital), Cotonou is home to the country’s main international airport, Cadjehoun. I found a surprising number of good hotels, with the very best situated either on the beach or facing out across Lake Nokoué. Hotel du Lac is the trustworthy favourite for many repeat travellers.
DAY 1 Although there are a handful of mildly interesting sights (the Slave Reconciliation Monument, Notre Dame Cathedral, and the statues of Place de l’Independence), Cotonou is a workaday city. Depending on when your flight arrives, you might decide to head on straight away. On the weekend, head for Fidjirossè Beach, a stone’s throw from the airport, to experience the city at its most relaxed.
DAY 2 Catch a shared taxi to the unassuming capital, Porto Novo. Despite being within spitting distance of the Nigerian border, Porto Novo is country-town in atmosphere, with much less traffic than Cotonou. Sights are centred around the north banks of the Yewa River. Here you’ll find an old voodoo temple masquerading as the chamber of commerce, and the Honmè Museum. Also known as the royal palace and king Toffa’s palace, tours cover its collection of quad-like buildings, including the black room where kings were expected to commit ritual suicide if they failed in battle. The albeit small Jardin des Plantes et de la Nature botanical garden is also worth a stop.
DAY 3 Leave the coast for Abomey (not to be confused with Abomey Calavi). The capital of the Kingdom of Dahomey for two centuries, its royal palaces complex is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It contains a dozen mostly-ruined structures from the seventeenth to the nineteenth century. Built by the Fon, these relatively simple structures witnessed an array of terrible events, including regular human sacrifices. Today its better known for its crafts.
DAY 4 Circle back down to the coast, and Grand Popo, one of the finest beaches in all of west Africa. Situated on an area of coast pushing into neighbouring Togo, it’s single road leads to a succession of excellent beach stays.
DAY 5 Explore Ouidah, the former Portuguese town which became the foundation for Bruce Chatwin’s book The Viceroy of Ouidah. A major trading hub, attractions here include the Fort of São João Baptista de Ajudá, at the start of the four-kilometre Route des Esclaves (Route of Slaves).
Lined with modern voodoo sculptures, this was the path slaves were forced along to the coast. It ends at the beautiful Door of No Return memorial arch. The town also has a python temple, where guides will undoubtedly wrap a sleepy snake around your neck whether you like it or not.
DAY 6 Travel east to Ganvie, the ‘Venice of Africa.’ A village of stilt buildings literally in Lake Nokoué, it dates back several hundred years. The unusual construction location was created by the Tofinu people in an attempt to escape raids from the Fon of Dahomey. A boat trip around the village is one of the top things to do in Benin. But you could go one better by staying the night at Hotel Germain and truly experiencing life on the water.
DAY 7 Make the short return journey to Cotonou and its airport. If you’ve got a little time, head to the Centre for the Promotion of Artisans. In other words, Cotonou craft market. It’s just off Boulevard Saint Michel, but don’t expect taxi drivers to known where it is.
How to spend two weeks in Benin. A 14 day Benin itinerary.
Split my above one week Benin itinerary into two parts at Abomey. Instead of heading back south towards Grand Popo, continue north to Pendjari National Park. It’s gateway is the town of Natitingou.
Natitingou is a good option for travellers on a budget looking for accommodation. However, there’s no doubting you’ll have a better safari experience if you stump up a little more and stay within the park.
Pendjari is home to a variety of animals usually thought of as living in east and southern Africa. Among its species list are elephant, lion, cheetah, leopard, and hippo. All those big cats need something to hunt, so surprise-surprise, baboon and antelope are also big in number. That said, you won’t see the density of game you will in Kenya or South Africa, but that’s all part of the fun of game drives in west Africa.
Pendjari connects with W National Park, a three-nation transfrontier park around W-shaped bends in the River Niger. Both the Benin portion of W, and Pendjari, and run by the successful not-for-profit African Parks. It has a similar species list, and forms the largest intact area of wildlife in the region.
End your two weeks in Benin by completing the second half of my one week Benin itinerary, heading to Grand Popo, Ouidah, and Ganvie.
Benin one and two week itineraries
In this guide, I think I’ve provided many reasons why you should visit Benin. I’ve also given you the backbone of itineraries lasting one and two weeks. This is the amount of time I think you’ll need to do the country and its attractions the justice it deserves.
