Capital: Lomé

Area: 56.790 km2

Inhabitants: 8.849.000 inhabitants (2022)

Population density: 155,82 inhabitants per km2. 

Languages: Togo is a country where French is the most spoken language. Although it was a German protectorate until the First World War, the main language known by the majority of the population and used in public administration is French. Even so, within the country we find around 50 local languages ​​where Ewe, Mina and Dagomba stand out; among others.

Currency: The official currency of the country is the West Africa Franc (CFA). At the exchange, 1 euro is 655 CFA. You can see the current change in the next link. This currency is shared by seven other West African countries such as Senegal, Benin, Ivory Coast, Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso or Guinea Bissau. Therefore, you will be able to use the same currency in different African countries.

Clima: The climate of Togo varies depending on the area and the time of year. The southern part of the country is humid, with an average annual temperature of 27 °C, therefore it is a hot area. In the north, temperature fluctuations are stronger, ranging from about 17 °C to 41 °C on average. Rainfall in the south of the country occurs in two rainy seasons: the first between mid-March and the end of July and the second between the beginning of September and the beginning of mid-November. The north of the country, on the other hand, stands out for suffering different periods of drought. The dry winds of the Harmattan desert blow south from the northeast, resulting in cool, dry weather between November and March.

Internet / SIM card: The main SIM card we used for our phone was from the company Togocel. To get it, the procedure was longer than what we were used to in other countries. The reason is that you have to go to one of their officers in Togocel and there do all the procedures to get the SIM card and the corresponding data pack. We bought a 60 GB pack to use for a month for 15,000 CFA. As for the Internet, we had good coverage except in the Pays Tamberma area where the connection was more limited. Always carry cash as payment by card was not yet very popular when we visited the country in May 2022. There are ATMs to withdraw money, but they are located in larger towns or cities.

Visa: To enter in Togo, with a Spanish passport, you will need to process a visa that you can do online at this link. We recommend that you apply for the visa at least two weeks before traveling to the country to avoid any unexpected problem. Being online, you will have to create an account and follow all the steps in order to obtain a visa according to your reason for travel and the days you will be there (from 1 to 15 days, for example, it costs 25,000 CFA). We, entering the country by land at a very rural border (Pays Tamberma), got an entry permit and had to go to the police headquarters in Kara to get the tourist visa for one month. In 2022, the Visa cost us 10,000 CFA which we got by buying a stamp at the OTR offices and going to the police headquarters to get the visa stamped to travel around the country as a tourist.

Budget: In total, we spent 13 days in Togo and spent a total of 266.04 euros per person. It should be noted that we went by public transport and different taxis to discover the Nok caves with Koulbême; and that we stayed for a week in an apartment in Kara with a special price hoping to visit one of the most impressive traditions of Pays Tamberma. In addition, in Lomé and Kpalimé we did Couchsurfing, so the stay did not cost us anything. Here, you will find in detail all our expenses in Togo:

WHAT TO SEE IN TOGO?

1.- LOMÉ AND AGBODRAFO SLAVE HOUSE

Lomé is the capital of the country and one of the nerve centers of Togo. Located on the seafront, its port is one of the most important in the Gulf of Guinea region. In Lomé, like most African capitals, you can find a large market that stands out for being next to its cathedral. In this market, the Mama Benz are very well known, women who have made a fortune selling their fabrics in the market. In addition, you will be able to find different markets related to voodoo (such as Akodessewa), as well as places that have witnessed the passage of slaves that were taken by the European powers to the New World. In Agbodrafo, a town near Lomé where mostly everyone lives by fishing, you can visit one of the houses where the slaves lived in subhuman conditions before leaving the African continent.

2. KPALIMÉ, A GREEN AND RURAL PARADISE OF TOGO

Kpalimé, a city located in the west of Togo right next to the border with Ghana, stands out for being a rural area where we find the highest mountain in the country: Mount Agou. In Kpalimé we can find rural villages built on the mountains, waterfalls (the highest in West Africa act as a natural border between Togo and Ghana), very diverse fauna and flora, rivers and a very green landscape that forms one of the most visited places in the country for nature lovers. This region, also known as Terre de Barre, is a mainly agricultural region known for its red and orange colored soil where the main fruits of the country are grown (coffee, cocoa, bananas…).

3. KARA AND NORTHERN REGION OF TOGO

Kara is the most important city in the center and north of Togo where the majority of the population is of Kabye origin. If you visit this area during the month of July, you cannot miss the traditional fights known as evala, which is one of the most important events in this region. In addition, we find different villages where different traditional works are carried out, such as people who weave clothes, those who work with forges or those who work with ceramics. Further north of Kara, we find Pays Tamberma and also Dapaong, just under the border with Burkina Faso, a region in permanent conflict due to the presence of jihadist groups. We had the opportunity to visit the Gruttes de Nok, caves built into the rocks of a cliff where the local tribes took refuge. In Kara, you can enjoy its mountains, its agricultural landscapes and the different ethnic groups that inhabit this region of Togo.

4. PAYS TAMBERMA, A GROUP NOTABLE FOR ITS FORTIFICATIONS AND ITS TRADITIONS

Pays Tamberma, located in the center of Togo and which is part of the same group of Benin known as Pays Betammaribè or Pays Somba, is a region that stands out for its rural landscape and for its traditional houses known as tekyete, earthen fortifications of two plants that served to protect themselves from possible invaders and that integrate harmoniously into the agricultural landscape of the region. This region, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, also stands out for its rich and diverse culture with traditions that are shown in its festive celebrations, such as the dansa des fouets that we were lucky enough to see in a small town in this Togo tribal group.