Practical information Togo

Yes, a visa is required for French, Belgian, Swiss and Canadian nationals. Since 2023, the Togolese e-visa can be requested online on the official portal before departure, at a cost of approximately 50 euros for a 30-day tourist stay. A visa on arrival remains possible at Lomé Gnassingbé Eyadéma International Airport, at the same rate, with payment in cash. Your passport must be valid for at least six months after your planned return date and have a minimum of two blank pages. For longer stays or multiple entries, you must apply through the Togo embassy in Paris. Our team in Lomé can assist you upon arrival.

The yellow fever vaccine is mandatory to enter Togo: the international certificate is checked upon arrival. Universal vaccines (DTP, hepatitis B) must be up to date. Hepatitis A, typhoid fever, meningococcal meningitis ACYW (especially during the dry season) and rabies for long stays or travel to rural areas are strongly recommended. Malaria is present year-round throughout the country, including in Lomé: antimalarial treatment is essential and should be discussed with your doctor or an international vaccination center. Also bring an effective insect repellent and wear covering clothes in the evening. Ideally consult six weeks before departure.

Excluding international flights, expect an average of €80 to €130 per day and per person for a private organized circuit, with driver, vehicle, mid-range accommodation, breakfasts and certain meals. For a more comfortable stay with superior lodges, plan for €150 to €200 per day. The main expenses are transport (fuel and 4x4 in the North), accommodation (€40 to €90 for a double room in the mid-range) and meals (€5 to €15 at restaurants). Site entries remain affordable: 5,000 CFA francs for Akodessewa's fetish market, 3,000 for most tata villages. Customary tips represent €5 to €10 per day for the driver-guide.

The ideal period for a complete south-north circuit runs from November to February, during the dry season, with temperatures ranging between 22 and 32°C depending on the region. December and January experience the harmattan, a dry and dusty wind from the Sahara, which can obscure landscapes in the North. March and April become very hot, up to 38°C in the Savanas. The main rainy season runs from May to July on the coast and from June to September in the north, with tracks in the Tamberma region often impassable. A short dry season in August on the coast also allows for travel. For traditional festivals, the Evala wrestling matches take place in July in the Kabyé region.

National Road 1 crosses the country from south to north, from Lomé to Dapaong via Atakpamé, Sokodé and Kara, spanning approximately 650 kilometers of fully paved road but requiring careful driving. Our agency favors private vehicles with English-speaking drivers, the most flexible option for stops, detours and remote villages. A 4x4 becomes essential in the Tamberma region and the Savanes area, where laterite tracks deteriorate quickly. There are no regular domestic flights: everything is done by road. Bush taxis and local minibuses connect major cities but remain uncomfortable and unreliable for schedules. Allow 8 to 10 hours of driving from Lomé to Kara.

Togo is globally a safe destination for leisure travelers. Lomé experiences minor urban crime (bag snatching along the waterfront, pickpockets in markets) that calls for standard precautions: no visible jewelry, closed bag, no nighttime beach walks. The political situation remains stable. The Central, Kara, and Tamberma regions are perfectly accessible. Only the far north, in the Savanes region near the Burkina Faso and Niger borders, warrants heightened vigilance due to the Sahel terrorist threat: our itineraries are adapted accordingly. Our team in Lomé monitors the situation daily and remains available 24/7 throughout your stay.