Dear Nairalanders, I need your candid advice and contributions here. I am planning a trip to BENIN REPUBLIC, TOGO, & GHANA and more if time permits. I plan to visit these countries with 2 weeks starting 1st of January 2013.
I haven't been to any of these places before. First, how much do you think I'll need? I have a budget of 100, 000 naira. Do you think it'll be ok? I plan on roadtrip cos I want to see everything as the bus pass through each town.
Next, I need a comprehensive list of places I can visit (note: I don't club. I love outdoor) so tell me where I can see beautiful things.
Finally, if anybody or group will like to join me I'll be so thrilled!!! I know if may not be fun travelling alone as a young lady but it's just something that's long overdue and this is what will make me happy!
Please give your advice and contributions.

sounds fishy but i guess an armed robber wouldnt be scared.

while letting people into ur group try screening them thoroughly cos u are a female many people will show interest. Would have joined but cant finance such now.

tpia1: sounds fishy but i guess an armed robber wouldnt be scared.

Honestly, I don't get what mean. Please come out plain. Are you saying I'll be robbed or that am an armed robber?
I intend to travel light; a backpack with 2 clothes, I'll buy any other thing I need on the way. I'm not gonna dress fancy either; just jeans and shirts.
Please Tpia1 tell me something!

I meant an armed robber wouldnt be scared to take up your offer, or of you either, for that matter.

They won't even notice me.!

wow ! Dextra can't believe am seeing this. I was just about to open a thread like this on advice about travel options.

I actual had a plan to do UK/Dubai with my gf early next year but as fate will have it, we broke up some days ago.

So am actually throwing that out of the window. I just don't think I can bear going through the trip considering it was conceived with two people in mind, so right now am looking for alternatives.

I'll really like to know more about your plans.



P.S. 1 - I actually had sometimes in february in mind but that's no issue, if interesting enough, I can always replan.

p.S. 2 - 100K for 2 weeks ? R u sure that's not going to be enough. I did a trip within Nigeria (to the North east) for business and spent a little more than a week. My expenditure then was somewhat above 70k. How do you intend to go thru Ghana, togo e.t.c for two weeks on 100k ?

P.S. 3 Have you got other willing participants thus far ?

P.S. 4 . . . . lastly I am not a robber as feared by some peeps on this thread been on NL for close to 5/6 years now

REALLY TRAVELLING WITHOUT KNOWING SOMEONE THERE WILL BE A WHOLE LOT OF MONEY WASTING.EVEN ME MYSELF WANYS TO TRAVEL ROUND WESTAFRICA BUT I NEED TO GET MONEY TO RENT HOTELS IN EACH PLACE I GO TO COS WITOUT THAT YOU MIGHT BE STUCKED

Well let me just hint u, on a budget level. A good average hotel, say 2-3 star in Benin republic say 2-3k depends on area, cotonou, port novo area say 3-5k.
In Ghana, book 4-6k above, except if u want luxury ooo. Hotels of dat range are of same or higher standard of dat price range in naija too.

Don't know of togo.

Food is super cheap in Benin, and they won't cheat you. A highend food in most big restaurants go for 400-500 per plate, such food worth 2k here. That's for my kinda food oo, jollof rice, big friend fish, plantain, coslow (spelling), green bean (dey like it there), green leaves( dey like it too). Dey cook nice spag too, dos French colonies sabi spag wella, goes for 200-300 for standard plate. Naija foods plenty wella sef, if you can speak Yoruba then you have no issue with french, 7 out of 10 people speak and understand Yoruba, 5 out of 10 sabi pidgin small.


Ghana; u can find Mr Biggs if u want eatery tins, but plenty naija foods too. There bread n omelette are nice, kenke wit octopus or fish nice too. There jollof rice usually has too much tomatoe paste though. Budget 3-5 cedi for good.

Dunno about togo.

To save money and enjoy more adventure go by bus, either with buses like ABC to cotonou via seme route ( to avoid to beninois(spelling) custom extortion n harrasement if you don't know their tricks or follow idi-iroko route then get a bus to cotonou that's hassle free. They only ask for your ID and yellow card at worse, and ppurpose of entering no troubles over there.

I hope this helps, dis is based on my experience.

@sunboy... am planning to be in ghana second week in January. please i need info on hotels i can stay. am going with my gf and am planning to stay 3 nights. thanks

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@Dextra I'm also planning for the holiday trip to Ghana between 30th/1st to January 9th will like to go only with land borders at sango idiroko preferable viewing the seens naturally on the road etc i enjoy must and cheaper also than abc or luxurious buses.. Cos we will spend just about 1500 cefa(N500 naira) from nigeria idiroko border to cotonou and depending with transportation abt 700 or 1000 cefa to Togo and from there to ghana is 4000 cefa so that's affordable and we can get cheap hotels ard for 1k to 3k and Bigger hotels from 5k to 10k

Just came back from my Trip peeps.

Though I enjoyed the opportunity to explore new places but the trip was not as interesting as I thought and heck, the border crossing can be one major headache. (Though if you have the intention to purchase stuffs then you might appreciate things better

If the goal is just to relax for the holiday (and not just explore) then the obudus, tinapa and calabar might just be better options.
hope am not a kill joy . . . . . .

If you've never been there however, its worth giving it a try !

Hey Dextra, were you able to do this trip in the end?