The most beautiful natural sites to discover Togo

Just behind the mound, there is a lake where hippos splash around. They can be seen around the lake early in the morning, around 6:00 am, or late in the afternoon, from 4:30 pm. During the day, the myriad of hippos submerge completely to avoid the heat, sometimes leaving a pair of eyes to surface. A promontory has been built to observe them. The trail is as admirable as the activity itself, with the rice fields imported by the Chinese decades ago, and still farmed by local families.

From the Tomegbé checkpoint, a short hike of about 20 minutes, with a slightly steep but feasible access for good walkers, leads to this refreshing waterfall. Nicknamed "the talking river" because of its important rustling, it has a height of about 30 m. Its flow is powerful, especially in the rainy season. It is surrounded by lush vegetation and hills offering a panoramic view of some of Ghana's mountains. On site, it is possible to swim and picnic.

A pleasant hike in the middle of nature leads to the waterfall which is fed by the rivers of the Highlands. However, a hydroelectric dam upstream of the Kpimé waterfall does not allow it to flow during the dry season. In the rainy season, the spectacle is striking, if the rains are abundant. Nevertheless, we appreciate the site for its natural and green side, which offers a beautiful contrast with its red rocks. The climate is pleasant and one can rest there to picnic. Sometimes, you can also refresh yourself.

The famous Aledjo fault where the cliff seems to be sheared off by a sword. The road was actually opened by the Germans at the time. It was a very delicate passage for many heavy goods vehicles which join the Sahelian countries, often overloaded. Today, thanks to the national road 1, a real highway between Sokodé and Kara, the deviation is easier and faster for all. Since then, the Aledjo fault has been forbidden to trucks. It has become a very beautiful and not overloaded tourist road with beautiful panoramas on the mountains.

From the Aledjo fault, a nice hike of about 5 hours leads through beautiful landscapes to the Rock of Death, commonly called Kazaliya in Kotokoli language. From the top, one can contemplate a superb view of the Aledjo mountains and the Mono plain. According to the legend, the evil sorcerers were thrown from the top of the cliff. Only one sorcerer would have escaped the ordeal three times, by transforming himself into a bird of prey at the moment he was thrown into the void.

Covering nearly 15,000 ha along the southern slopes of the Togo Mountains, this forest offers a remarkable biodiversity, one of the richest in Togo. You can see while walking there tree species such as iroko, mahogany, frake, cordia, giant yucca and many other tropical trees. Birds are also numerous: bulbul, Senegal coucal, kingfishers, parrots... as well as insects such as beetles, lepidopterans and moths.

To reach the waterfall of Amegapé, departure from Kpalimé to Kouma Kounda, Blifou and Amegapé by 4x4 (about 1 hour journey) or by Adéta and Danyi (road to Atakpamé). The walk to the waterfall takes about 45 minutes. Access is not always easy, especially in the rainy season, and the walk is somewhat strenuous, given the slope. The show, on the other hand, is at the rendez-vous at the edge of the waterfall. Return to Kpalimé through the villages of Amegapé, Dzobégan, Danyi (visit of the Benedictine monastery) and Adéta.

Also known as the green waterfall, the Gbaledze waterfall at Kpene Tsavié is one of Togo's must-see waterfalls. You can swim and picnic in the shade of the trees. Access is via a path through lush greenery. You have to climb a little to reach the second, deeper basin, which impresses with its powerful waterfall. You can visit a cave along the way. The village offers a pleasant place to relax and unwind.

The place is known to shelter impressive swarms of bats, between September and May. The spectacle fascinates at the end of the day, when the bats, hung on the trees, fly in mass in the sky, in a big hubbub. However, we regret the tourist side of the site, with guides hitting the tree trunks to scare them and satisfy the visitors. Beautiful walks are also possible in the heart of this green valley.

Near the border of Benin, the Mono valley offers a very beautiful biodiversity. You can see many hippos, especially in the big pit near Tokpli. Many villages are nestled on the banks of the river, among palm plantations, fields of cassava, rice and corn. It is possible to take a nice pirogue ride from Avevé (about 30 km north of Aného) down to Adamé. You will have to negotiate with the smugglers at the Togo/Benin border.

In Togo, natural mangroves are located along the Gbaga Channel in the extreme southeast of the country and in places along the Mono River. The Gbaga Channel is a natural communication between the Mono River to the east and the lagoon system consisting of the Aného lagoons and Lake Togo to the west. The traveler arriving from Lomé to Aného in front of the offices of the Lakes prefecture goes to the Togolese mangroves by turning right towards Aklakou. The mangrove forest is a paradise for living beings. Its pools are full of important populations of hippos, Nile crocodiles, ducks, anhingas, different species of herons, kingfishers and a myriad of fish that can be easily observed. We also meet a rare species of turtle. The mangrove presents by its diversity of ecosystem a multitude of landscapes: the ponds with water lilies, water lettuce, water hyacinths which, when they are in flower, expose a multitude of white, beige, pink, yellow, purple corollas... forming an impressive multicolored layer on the surface of the water. The ponds with cattails, the articulated stumps, the meadows and the savannahs are as many landscapes to admire. Also the mangrove forests with thousands of stilt roots offer a picturesque view. Artificial mangrove plantations, some of which are accessible only by dugout canoe, are spectacular in their extent and complete this lush natural vegetation of mangroves.

The sacred pit is a deep depression that has been transformed into a small lake fed by the Kouloungona River. It is a sacred place inhabited by the spirits. During the rainy season, it offers a striking spectacle when the waterspouts gush from all sides. To appreciate the view at its best, you have to go down below. Possibility of fishing, swimming and bivouac. You can even reach the pit by kayak from Nano. The green natural setting is the perfect place for a picnic with family or friends.

This sacred forest extends over nearly 9 hectares around Mount Atilakoutse, which is one of the largest peaks in Togo. Measured in 2021, it would dethrone even Mount Agou, with its 1,020 m. Classified in 1939, the forest is composed of robust trees, such as mahogany and iroko. Many sacrifices are made there by the animists. Forest supervisor and farmer, Asafo will be able to guide you in this luxuriant forest that he knows like the back of his hand!

Highest point of Togo (986 m). It can be reached on foot through byways. The stroll crosses very pretty villages perched on the mountain. The viewpoints are superb. You can start from the bottom from Agou or go down the mountain from the small village of Kebo Dzigbe. To reach the top, you will have to stop at the TV antenna and ask the guards for permission. Visitors are accompanied to a magnificent viewpoint, which allows, on a clear day, to see Lake Volta in neighboring Ghana.

Adjacent to the Mono River, the natural border between Togo and Benin, the Akissa forest covers an area of nearly 1,300 hectares. It is known for its sacred character, which dates back to the 13th century when the Xwla, emigrants from Tado, fleeing fratricidal conflicts, took refuge in the Ada forest. This people identified a sanctuary area, called Akissa. Today, the forest is still a sanctuary and retains all its mysticism. It is governed by Voodoo priests who have inherited a traditional system of conservation, consisting of rules and prohibitions that must be respected. Thus, every five days, the forest is forbidden to the public. This day is called Gratumbé. In addition to its sacred role, the forest contains a rich biodiversity, some species of which are not yet listed. It is known for its many plant species used in traditional medicine and is home to, among others, bushpigs, harnessed guibs and sitatungas. Akissa Forest is an integral part of the Mono Transboundary Biosphere Reserve recognized by UNESCO in 2017 for its biodiversity and ecosystem services. This area concentrates a set of unique habitats for the region where rivers, lakes, swamps, savannahs, gallery forests, mangroves and beaches mix. It is quite complicated to visit this forest because of its sacred character. You can go through the chief of the village or through the association Arifad, which manages this place, or 1001 Pistes.

Classified since 1951, this sacred forest is the last natural forest of the Togolese coast. It is located in the southwest of Lake Togo and extends over 45 hectares on the edge of the floodplain of the Zio mouth in Lake Togo. It is home to two species of monkeys (the vervet tantalus and the cercopithecus mone), monitor lizards, squirrels, a myriad of butterflies and nearly a hundred species of birds. The Observatory of Fauna, Flora and Protected Areas of Togo (OFFAP) organizes nature walks to appreciate its rich biodiversity.