West Africa Things To Do

From the early 17th to the late 19th century, Benin was home to the kingdom of Dahomey, one of the most powerful empires in Africa. In the town of Abomey you can visit the relics of the empire and hear the bloody history of its kings.

West Africa’s coastline is littered with the battered remnants of European forts and castles, built to protect interests in the trade of gold, ivory, and slaves. One of the most famous sites is St George’s castle in Elmina, Ghana.

An important center for voodoo, Ouidah also figures prominently in the history of the slave trade. Follow the route des esclaves, the last walk on African soil taken by thousands of slaves bound for the New World.

Once the center of a powerful Malian empire, and an important intellectual and trade center of the Islamic world, its name still conjures up an air of mystery. Visit 13th-century mud-brick mosques, bargain for silver and colorful headscarves, and view the city’s ancient texts. Arrange for a guide through the local tourist office.

Cape Verde is an archetypal tropical paradise infused with a mixture of African and Latin vibes. You can windsurf, scale a volcano, go deep-sea fishing, scuba dive, or explore crumbling colonial cities. We recommend Cabetur tour operator.

This gargantuan market, one of the largest in West Africa, sprawls across central Kumasi. It’s a bewildering mass of stalls, selling everything from kente cloth to cooking pots to fetish items.

Cameroon’s most famous and accessible national park is an unspoiled gem. You can see elephants, hippos, giraffes and, if you’re very lucky, lions and hyenas.

West Africa’s highest mountain, at 13,435 feet, is still an active volcano. It’s a two-day, one-night hike though scrub and open grassland to the top and back, although a gentler three-day, two-night hike is recommended for novices.

Dating from around 800 AD, Djenné is one of the oldest surviving cities in West Africa. Its Great Mosque, completed in 1907, is the largest mud building in the world. Tara Africa Tours offers custom group and individual tours.

The Gambia’s Atlantic coastline is tourist central, packed with bars, clubs, casinos, and resorts catering to high-end tourists as well as backpackers. Try Ngala Lodge in Fajara, a stylish beachside boutique hotel housed in an old colonial mansion.