LES SITES TOURISTIQUES

Kota Falls

The falls are formed by a chain of cascades going down the hillside in the eastern part of Atakora. You can walk a trail in the botanical garden of Panatia that will lead you to the base of the waterfalls, where you can swim. A new charming trail was built in 2013, leaving you with two options to get to the waterfalls. Perfect place to take a walk. Bungalows were built for those interested in staying overnight (it will cost 15,000 CFA francs, breakfast costs 2,500 CFA francs).

Pendjari National Park

The Pendjari National Park, an amazing wildlife park. The landscape consists of an extensive peneplain with flat terrain, flanked to the north and east by the Pendjari river.

This rich wildlife reserve is part of a wide set of protected parks, spanning three neighboring countries (Benin, Niger and Burkina-Faso – Niamey and Ouagadougou are closer to Pendjari than Cotonou) with the W National Park and the Arly National Park in Burkina Faso.

Built in 1961, the Pendjari National Park was added in 1886 by Unesco to the list of the World Biosphere Reserves. This can appear paradoxical but this reserve includes both the hunting zones of Pendjari and Konkombri and the national park itself, which covers an area of 275,000 ha because hunting zones are protected areas against poaching and transhumance. Moreover, they are separated by a single lane but rest assured that hunting is highly regulated and the National Center of Management of Fauna Reserves (CENAGREF) lays down quotas for tour operators offering safaris.

Tourists who want to see lots of scenery need to know that March and April are the best time to see animals because it is the dry season and the Harmattan (which brings a dust storm) has subsided, but it is also the time of year when it is hot.

Ganvie

Ganvie is a lakeside town, built entirely on stilts and has earned the nickname of the Venice of Africa. Ganvie is built on a lake which is part of the Oueme river delta and originates in the northern part of the country and covers a surface area of almost 26,000 ha. Almost 40,000 people named” Toffinou” (who live on the water), whose main activity is fishing, live in lakeside towns; Ganvie being by far the largest.  This small town is organized into streets, districts and marketplaces which can be accessed in canoe.

Traditionally, houses are built with a frame made of wooden piles on which braided branches or bamboo are placed and topped with a thatched roof. Lately, these types of houses have progressively been replaced with heterogeneous houses with sheet metal roofs and cement walls, which make the maintenance much easier. Small artificial islands were also built here and there by the residents to teach their children how to walk. Because, in the past, residents of the lakeside town could feel handicapped when arriving on the mainland, having difficulties to stand on their feet and were stigmatized by their fellow citizens.

Agongointo-Zoungoudo Underground Town

The Agongointo-Zoungoudo underground town consists of a number of german bunker type of caves, made of tropical ferruginous soils and showing various geometric shapes.

Located approximately 10 meters underground, these caves were built according to specific plans to serve as dwellings (living room, bedroom, kitchen, well, etc.) and as a shelter for warriors. According to the available data, these homes have been built since the 16th century under King DAKODONOU (second king of Abomey).

We also note that these underground constructions have a normal temperature, smell and cleanliness.