country
    West Africa

    Togo

    A sliver of West Africa packing beaches, Vodun markets, coffee hills, and the mud-tower villages of Koutammakou into one long ribbon.

    Capital

    Lomé

    Population

    8.1M

    Languages

    French, Ewe, Kabyè

    Currency

    West African CFA franc (XOF)

    Timezone

    GMT (UTC+0), no daylight saving

    "One long ribbon from the Atlantic to the Sahel."

    Best time to visit
    November–February — dry, harmattan-cooled and festival-rich. April–July and September–October bring the southern rains; the north has a single June–September wet season. Evala wrestling season (Kabyè country, July) is a cultural highlight.
    Currency
    West African CFA franc (XOF), euro-pegged at 655.957. Cash rules daily life; TMoney (Togocom) and Flooz (Moov) mobile money are ubiquitous — even market stalls take them. Cards work only at upper-end Lomé hotels; ATMs (Ecobank, Orabank, UBA) are dependable in Lomé, thinner upcountry. Visa beats Mastercard.
    Language
    French (official); Ewe and Kabyè (national languages); Mina widely spoken in Lomé.
    Getting around
    Gnassingbé Eyadéma International (LFW) in Lomé is a genuine regional hub (home base of ASKY, well served by Ethiopian, Air France, Brussels). Intercity travel is by coach and shared taxi along the single north–south spine (Lomé–Atakpamé–Kara–Dapaong). In Lomé: oléyia moto-taxis everywhere, Gozem app for motos and cars.

    About Togo

    Togo runs just 550 km from the Atlantic to Burkina Faso yet rarely exceeds 100 km in width — a ribbon of a country that concentrates a remarkable range of West Africa. The coast belongs to Lomé, one of the region's liveliest capitals, and to Lake Togo and Togoville, a cradle of Vodun from which enslaved people carried the faith to Haiti and beyond. Inland, the Plateaux region rolls through coffee and cocoa country around Kpalimé, waterfalls and butterfly forests included. The far north holds Togo's UNESCO treasure: Koutammakou, the living landscape of the Batammariba people, whose fortress-like takienta mud towers are among Africa's most extraordinary vernacular architecture (check current advisories — the northern Savanes region carries travel restrictions as of mid-2026). Togo suits travelers who like their journeys unscripted: shared taxis, grand markets, palm-fringed beach bars, and a Vodun culture lived openly from the Akodessewa fetish market to lakeside shrines.

    Top experiences

    Lomé's Grand Marché
    The legacy of the Nana Benz cloth queens.
    Akodessewa fetish market
    Vodun's pharmacology laid bare.
    Togoville & Lake Togo
    Shrines, history and lake villages by pirogue.
    Kpalimé
    Coffee-and-waterfall hills and artisan workshops.
    Koutammakou (UNESCO)
    The Batammariba takienta tower-houses — advisory-dependent.
    Evala wrestling
    The July initiation festival in Kabyè country.
    Lomé beach at sunset
    Grilled fish along the beach boulevard.

    Local tips

    • Learn a greeting: "bonjour" plus Ewe "woezon" (welcome) opens every door in the south.
    • Agree moto-taxi (oléyia) fares before riding, or use the Gozem app in Lomé.
    • Bargaining is expected in markets; keep it warm and unhurried.
    • Ask before photographing people and shrines, and always at Akodessewa fetish market.
    • Carry your yellow fever card and a passport copy on intercity roads — checkpoints are routine.
    • Friday–Sunday, look for Vodun ceremonies around Lake Togo, with a local guide.

    Safety

    Southern and central Togo are generally welcoming and calm; petty theft on Lomé's beach and in Grand Marché crowds is the usual caution. The northern Savanes region is under a state of emergency with armed-group risk near the Burkina Faso border — as of mid-2026, avoid areas north of Kandé and check advisories for any Koutammakou travel. Emergency: 117 (police), 118 (fire), 8200 (ambulance/SAMU).

    Frequently asked

    About Togo

    Compact nation with palm-fringed beaches, colonial Togoville, and voodoo markets.

    Cities & Regions

    Lomé

    city

    Quick Facts

    Climate

    Tropical

    Best Time to Visit

    November–February — dry, harmattan-cooled and festival-rich. April–July and September–October bring the southern rains; the north has a single June–September wet season. Evala wrestling season (Kabyè country, July) is a cultural highlight.

    Travel Requirements & Info

    Visa

    Not required

    Vaccinations

    Yellow fever — MANDATORY for all travelers 9 months+, from any country (checked on arrival), Malaria prophylaxis (HIGH risk year-round nationwide), Hepatitis A, Typhoid

    Currency

    West African CFA franc (XOF)

    Time Zone

    GMT (UTC+0), no DST

    Plug Type

    Type C, 220V/50Hz

    Languages

    French, Ewe, Kabyè, Mina

    Weather

    Dry, harmattan-cooled and festival-rich Nov–Feb; southern rains Apr–Jul and Sep–Oct; the north has a single Jun–Sep wet season.

    Entry Requirements

    ECOWAS nationals enter visa-free. Most others must obtain the e-visa IN ADVANCE at the official portal voyage.gouv.tg (apply ≥5 days before travel; ~€39–100 by duration/entries as of June 2026; pay by card or TMoney/Flooz). Airport visa-on-arrival has been superseded by the e-visa — confirm current practice on the portal before relying on arrival issuance. Verified 2026-07-01.

    YELLOW FEVER certificate is MANDATORY (all travelers 9 months+), checked at entry alongside your visa. Malaria risk high year-round — take prophylaxis. Cash + mobile money economy (TMoney/Flooz ubiquitous, even market stalls); cards only at upper-end Lomé hotels; Visa-friendly ATMs in Lomé, sparse upcountry — carry cash north. The northern SAVANES region is under a state of emergency (armed-group risk near Burkina Faso); as of mid-2026 avoid areas north of Kandé and check advisories for any Koutammakou travel. Carry your yellow card + passport copy — road checkpoints are routine. Emergency 117 (police) / 118 (fire) / 8200 (ambulance). Verified 2026-07-01.

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