Togo travel guide

Getting there

Lomé's Gnassingbé Eyadéma International Airport has flights across West Africa and to Europe. Land borders connect with Ghana right at Lomé's western edge, with Benin along the coast and with Burkina Faso in the north.

Best time to visit: Nov–Feb – the dry season.

Flights: see the cheapest month to fly from your nearest airport.

Tougher months: April to June and September to October – the main rainy periods in the south, when downpours can disrupt travel.

Weather by month in Lomé

• 31°J
• 32°F●
• 32°M●
• 32°A●●
• 31°M●●
• 29°J●●●
• 28°J●
• 28°A
• 29°S●
• 30°O●●
• 31°N●
• 31°D

Average daytime highs in °C; dots show how rainy the month is (one dot dry, three dots wet).

Time zone: Africa/Lome. Compare with your local time.

Visas: in our passport dataset, 15 of 198 other passports can enter Togo without arranging a visa first (visa-free or visa on arrival), 183 need an e-visa or electronic authorisation, and 0 need a visa in advance. Check your passport.

Background: Visa policy of Togo (Wikipedia).

Official advisory: Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution (U.S. Department of State, updated 2026-03-09). Read the advisory.

Stay

Most trips to Togo are based around Lomé, Lake Togo and Togoville or Kpalimé. Pick a base for your main interest, then add day trips rather than moving hotels every night.

Typical daily budget: about US$25–40 for a backpacker and US$70–130 mid-range, per person.

Connect

Plug types: C. Voltage: 220 V. Check your own devices on the plug and currency checker.

Calling code: +228.

Mobile data: set up a travel eSIM or check your roaming plan before you fly, so data works as soon as you land.

Do

• Lomé (Coast · capital): A laid-back seaside capital with buzzing markets, a palm-lined beachfront and the striking Independence Monument.
• Lake Togo and Togoville (Coast · lagoon): A peaceful lagoon for boat trips, with a historic village full of Vodun shrines and a cathedral.
• Kpalimé (Plateaux · hills): Togo's hiking capital, surrounded by forest, waterfalls, coffee plantations and craft villages.
• Mount Agou (Plateaux · mountain): The country's highest point, with trails through farms and hillside villages.
• Koutammakou (North · UNESCO landscape): A living cultural landscape of fortress-like mud houses that is one of West Africa's most unique sights.
• Aného (Coast · historic town): A former colonial capital with crumbling architecture and strong Vodun traditions.
• Badou (Plateaux · waterfalls): A hill town in cocoa country and the base for hiking to Akloa Falls.
• Kara (North · regional city): The north's main city and gateway to Kabye villages, markets and the Evala festival.

Things to do

• Browse Lomé's Grand Marché. Lose yourself in the stalls of the great market, famous for its powerful cloth traders known as the Nana Benz.
• Visit the Akodessewa fetish market. See the ingredients of traditional Vodun medicine and talismans laid out at this unusual market in Lomé.
• Cross Lake Togo by pirogue. Glide across the lagoon to Togoville, where the German treaty was signed and shrines line the streets.
• Hike Mount Agou. Climb Togo's highest peak through cocoa and coffee plantations for views as far as Ghana.
• Explore Koutammakou. Step inside the two-storey earthen tower houses, or takienta, of the Batammariba people.
• Swim beneath Akloa Falls. Trek through the forest near Badou to a cascade tumbling into a cool pool.
• Seek butterflies at Mount Kloto. Walk the forested hills above Kpalimé, rich in birds and colourful butterflies.
• Meet Kpalimé's artisans. Watch woodcarvers, weavers and potters at work in this relaxed hill town.

Eat and drink

• Fufu – pounded yam served with soup
• Akoumé – maize dough eaten with sauces
• Ablo – slightly sweet steamed corn cakes
• Grilled fish with pepper sauce – a coastal favourite

Money and safety

Currency: West African CFA franc (XOF). Currency and plug checker.

Tipping: Not expected but appreciated.

Emergency numbers: 117 police · 118 fire.

• The currency is the West African CFA franc, shared with neighbouring countries and pegged to the euro.
• ATMs are found in Lomé and larger towns, mostly accepting Visa, but carry cash for rural areas.
• Check your government's latest travel advice: many advise against travel to the far north near the Burkina Faso border because of armed groups.
• Lomé's beaches have dangerous currents and strong waves, so avoid swimming in the sea.