Tuesday 18th January – Casablanca – Laayoune

Morning

• Breakfast at the hotel and check-out
• Begin exploring Morocco’s most progressive and culturally diverse city with your first stop at the Medina – the old town that was left untouched by the French with narrow alleyways lined with stores and homes where locals have lived for hundreds of years.
• Visit the United Nations Square – the square was first constructed in 1908 after the French bombardment and invasion of Casablanca and previously named the “Square of France”
• Explore through Habous district – also known as the New Medina, this area is packed with street markets where locals bargain for fabrics, clothes, and local snacks such as almond pastries, stuffed dates or the incredible Makouda – deepfried potato balls dipped dipped into spicy harissa sauce.

Afternoon

• Lunch in town at a local restaurant known for great couscous based dishes
• Visit Hassan II Mosque – the largest mosque outside of the Middle East with tallest minaret in the world
• Stop by the Boulevard de la Corniche – what was once the famous and glorious thriving nightlife of the city along the ocean, now remains a quirky part of town with plastic surgeries and odd shops.
• Dinner nearby at a local restaurant
• Head to the airport and board our 7:45pm flight to Laayoune in Western Sahara – the largest city of the disputed territory of Western Sahara
• Overnight at Hotel Rimal in Laayoune

Wednesday 19th January – Laayoune

Morning

• Breakfast at hotel and head to the busiest souk in Western Sahara
• Visit the Grand Mosque – one of the most important landmarks in the city and apparently designed under the guidance of Spanish dictator Francisco Franco. The mosque is a simple yet very peaceful symbol of the city situated in the central square and surrounded by palm trees
• Stop by the Laayoune Craft Centre – a bazaar offering the most authentic traditional souvenirs

Afternoon

• Lunch at a local restaurant for your chance to try camel meat
• Explore the Spanish Cathedral – in 1940 Spain designated Laayoun as the capital of the Spanish Sahara and this Cathedral is the best relic leftover from colonial times. On previous YPT trips we have had the chance to meet one of the three catholic priests in charge of all of Morocco and Western Sahara. They are quite eager to share their experience being a priest in a country where the majority of the population are Muslim.
• Head out of town to the dunes for late afternoon mint tea and sand based activities
• On the way back into town we’ll stop for dinner on the way back at a truck stop offering surprisingly incredible fare and enormous delicious portions of local dishes
• Visit a bar at Hotel Al Massira and overnight at Hotel Rimal

Thursday 20th January – Laayoune – Dakhla

Morning

• Breakfast at hotel and hit the road for Dakhla city – a disputed territory currently administered by Morocco
• On the way stopping at the rural town of Boujdour to visit a lighthouse built by the Portuguese during the 18th century
• Explore Boujdour Port – an fascinating scene of hundreds of fishing boats with thousands of fishermen

Afternoon

• Lunch of fresh fried fish
• Stopping at one of our favourite hidden sites to take a dip into the Atlantic Ocean
• Early evening arrival into Dakhla city
• Dinner at Villa Dakhla and overnight at the Hotel Imperial Playa

Friday 21st January – Dakhla

Morning

• Breakfast at hotel and a brief tour of Dakhla
• Depart the city and head out for the dune blanche – a place that must be seen to be believed. This enormous sand dune perched in the middle of a lagoon is a hotspot for flamingos.
• Visit the natural hot underground springs – here you can take a jet shower from a high pressure hose. The experience could be described as half massage, half waterboarding. The 38 degree Celsius sulphur water is said to contain various health benefits

Afternoon

• Lunch at a local traditional seafood restaurant by the beach where they serve a delicious mixed seafood tajine as well as enormous fish (good for six people). You can also order fresh oysters (extra 0.5 EUR per oyster)
• Stop by the Ostrich farm where you can prove your bravery by letting an ostrich pinch your hand
• Head back to the hotel in Dakhla to freshen up
• Dinner and night out in town – our last easy-to-find drinks at one of the restaurants on the main strip
• Overnight in the Hotel Imperial Playa

Saturday 22nd January – Dakhla – Nouadhibou

• Breakfast at hotel
• Begin our drive to the border of Morocco – here we’ll exit Morocco and end up in the ‘5 kilometres no man’s land’. While the rest of Western Sahara is claimed by Morocco, this particular area of land is indisputably Sahrawi where many thieves selling stolen cars, gun smugglers, refugees and other interesting folk hangout.
• Cross into Mauritania – the moment you cross into Mauritania you’re entering a whole new world. There is visa on arrival service which may take some time to process – you must bring small denominations of Euros to pay for your visa in exact cash. 55 euros.

Afternoon

• Transfer to Nouadhibou city, the country’s second largest city and economic capital and lunch on arrival
• Head to the Atlantic ocean at Cape Blanc – a peninsula that is shared between Mauritania and Western Sahara. It was this exact spot where the Spanish expanded their fishing presence from the Canary islands onto the African coast. This is where the biggest ship graveyard used to be located until it was broken down into pieces and the steel sold by Chinese companies in recent years. It is also possible to spot the Mediterranean monk seal colony here.
• Visit the new ship graveyard of Nouadhibou
• Dinner at Ice NBC, a family restaurant with a wide menu of delicious local dishes. For those who fancy a well deserved ice cold beer it is possible to visit the Chinese restaurant next door for the only establishment that openly serves beers.
• Overnight at Hotel Al Jezira

Sunday 23rd January – Nouadhibou – Choum

Morning

• Breakfast at hotel
• Head to the Port of Nouadhibou that was first controlled by the Portuguese, then the Dutch and finally by the French. Many local fish markets to explore.

Afternoon

• Lunch at a local restaurant in town
• Prepare for Mauritania Mineral Train – we’ll stop at local shops and stores to ensure the group is stocked up on plenty of water, fruits, sandwiches and snacks
• Tour Highlight – Board the world famous Mauritania Mineral Train – this is the longest and heaviest train in the world. You’ll be sitting inside open top cars so please ensure you have prepared a blanket, warm clothing and goggles to protect yourself from the sand. Train will depart around 4:00pm to 6:00pm.

Monday 24th January – Choum – Chinguetti

Morning

• Arrive at the town of Choum approximately at 3:00am and spend the rest of the late evening/early morning resting in an igloo tent
• Wake up in the morning and enjoy a cooked breakfast by camp fire
• Begin exploring the Adrar Region of Mauritania
• Visit Azoughi oasis and village for a tea stop and experiencing how locals live

Afternoon

• Lunchtime at hotel Mer et Desert. You’ll most likely meet the owner, a French woman who has left everything behind to become member of the community. She knows a lot about the social issues of local tribes and is a wonderful source of information.
• Drive to the UNESCO world heritage site of Chinguetti – a holy city of Islam. You’ll visit the library and other historical monuments and landmarks including the much loved Friday Mosque of Chinguetti, the national symbol of Mauritania.
• Evening sunset watched from the huge sand dunes of Chinguetti
• Dinner and overnight at Hotel Eden – a traditional stone guesthouse

Tuesday 25th January – Chinguetti – Ouadane

Morning

• Breakfast at hotel
• Begin 80km drive through pure desert and sand dunes: on the way stopping in Tanounichert for a tea stop with the locals – once upon a time it was an important stop of the trans-caravan routes of the Sahara. In YPT, we nicknamed Ouadane the Pompei of Mauritania for its sprawling city in ruins which is sure to amaze you. It was here that products of sub-Saharan Africa were traded with those of the Maghreb. The Portuguese arrived in 1487 and transformed the city into a local centre of cultural, economic and scientific advancement.

Afternoon

• Explore the streets and see the buildings that once glorified the country as a whole and then move on to the new part of town where we’ll be sure to mingle with the locals.
• Traditional dinner and overnight in the Hotel Vasque

Wednesday 26th January – Ouadane – Atar

Morning

• Breakfast at hotel
• Depart for Tergit Oasis – Mauritania’s most picturesque location.
• On the way stopping at Agrour – here’s your chance to see pre-historic paintings left there 5000 years ago as well as incredible lava formation
• Visit the Mheirith Oasis – an incredibly picturesque place where Mauritanian like to come and relax during the date season
• Continue onwards to the White Valley – a dune-filled fault line with many small settlements and palm groves. The Guelb Aouelloul crater is 3.1 million-old impact crater approximately 40 km across and can be observed from space. Breathtaking scenery.

Afternoon

• Home-cooked lunch in Terjit Oasis followed by a short trek (approx 30 minutes) to the source of the oasis, here, the scenery will remind you of Jurassic Park.
• Drive through the stunning Tivoujar Pass and arrive early evening in Atar
• Overnight and dinner in the Hotel Des Caravanes

Thursday 27th January – Atar – Nouakchott

Morning

• An early rise for breakfast and the long drive to the Mauritanian capital city of Nouakchott

Afternoon

• On the way stopping for lunch at San Francisco Café for a hearty meal and access to WiFi after a few days of deprivation.
• Arrive in time to catch the lively Atlantic fish market. Every evening hundreds of fishermen bring in the day’s catch on their distinct sea canoes recognized by their colourful hand-painted hulls. The catch is then brought by donkey cart to the city’s markets
• Visit the National Museum where artefacts of the history of Mauritania and its ancient cities are exposed – this will allow you to have a quite recap of what we’ve seen in the last days.
• Visit the local craft market where locals specialise in camel wool rugs
• Driving tour of the massive embassies of the main players of the region – USA, China, France, and Russia.
• Quick photo stop by the Great Mosque of Nouakchott – funded by Saudi Arabia and built in 1982.
• Head to the beach for some great people watching. This is where local Nouakchottois come to escape the city and cool off.
• Farewell dinner at a local restaurant and try our luck at getting inside a Chinese owned restaurant for a cold beer
• Overnight in Nouakchott

Friday 28th January – Nouakchott – Group C

Morning

Afternoon

• Head out for lunch in town and go over pre-tour details
• Visit the Monument to Independence – a tribute to Togo’s independence from France on April 27 1960
• Explore Africa’s largest fetish market – here you’ll be receiving your first lesson in Voodoo. Locals visit this market to purchase animal carcasses and charms to obtain favours from the spirits
• During your exploration of Lomé it is possible to see the Ghana border from the capital
• Pass markets and sample famous local snacks such as pâte and fufu with a wide range of sauces
• Lomé is situated by the beach and packed with nice bars and spots to mingle with the locals, we take up this opportunity and enjoy the nightlife
• Overnight at Hotel Le Galion

Friday 11^th February – Lomé – Avévé

Morning

• Breakfast at hotel and begin making our way out of the capital and deep into the jungle of Togo along the border of Benin (2 hours drive)
• Along the drive you’ll stop by Agbodrafo’s secret slave house – after slavery was outlawed, Togolese slavers continued their business by operating from a house with hidden passages leading to cells where they would keep their captives.

Afternoon

• Lunch at a delicious pork barbeque joint named ‘’Moins cher’’.
• Arrive in Aveve – a town dedicated to the Palm industry. Led by the villagers, you’ll see how the women of the town collect and gather the palm, produce palm oil, and other uses they have for the leftovers.
• As you explore the town you’ll pass different voodoo guardians, totems and sacrificial altars.
• Visit a Sodabi refinery – a type of liquor made from distilled palm wine
• Board a palm tree carved into a boat for a short yet rather thrilling ride around town
• Visit the Tanti-Ayoko’s drinking hole for refreshments – this is the best spot to try a different variety of Sodabi, and other non-alcoholic refreshments with the locals.
• Begin our trek into the jungle to explore the voodoo tree. This humongous tree allegedly grants people with jobs and promotions. It is rumoured that presidents from other countries visit the tree under the cover of darkness to pray for their re-elections.
• Dinner is arranged by the villagers at our hotel – it’s apart of their culture to invite us for a dance party where they’ll show you local moves to their distinct music
• Overnight at Hotel Akpedze

Saturday 12^th February – Avévé – Kpalimé

Morning

• Breakfast at the hotel and begin our drive to the other side of the country to reach Kpalimé (4 hours) passing Lomé for lunch and plenty of stops along the way for rests or photos.

Afternoon

• Once arricing into Kpalimé – you’ll visit the craft school where students are learning to sculpt, weave and paint.
• Treak the jungle of Kpalimé – our local guide will introduce to you the strange plants and trees that grow in this jungle and the multiple uses locals have for them. Along your trek you’ll also see buildings dating back from the German colonial times as well as local villages up the hill.
• Dinner is prepared for you in Kouma Kunda – a village on top of the mountain chain.
• Overnight at Auberge Villageoise

Sunday 13^th February – Kpalimé – Kara

Morning

• Breakfast at hotel and head further north of Togo (4 hours)
• Along the drive we’ll stop to visit a bat forest where thousands of bats can be summoned by making sounds. You’ll be able to get great shots as they start flying around in massive flocks.

Afternoon

• Stopping for local lunch along the way
• Visit the Bafilo weavers – specialists of a very interesting technique of weaving.
• Stop by the Death Rock of Aledjo – an interesting rock formation.
• Arrive in Kara – known as the second capital of Togo. It is the hometown of Gnassinbé Eyadema – the strongman of Togo, who led the country from 1967 until his death in 2005. He was succeeded by his son who is still in power today. You’ll visit the North Korean like statue which was erected in his honour and explore the presidential palace.
• Dinner in Kara where our hotel has very nice options.
• Overnight in Hotel La Douceur

Monday 14^th February – Kara – Somba Country

Morning

• Breakfast at hotel and head to the neighbouring villages for a trek amongst intriguing vegetation and villages. During your trek you’ll witness some of the local trade, the most impressive being the blacksmiths which use stones instead of hammers and anvils.

Afternoon

• Lunch at a local millet beer bar.
• Head to Tamberma country where you will start spotting the Tata-Sombas – the impressive UNESCO mud houses which act like fortresses to protect herders and their livestock.
• Exit Togo and cross into Benin – don’t expect much formalities here! The Togo border is manned by one old man sitting on a bench and the Benin border has zero staff.
• Since there are no immigration officers at Benin, we will need to visit the nearest police station to get stamped into the country.
• Explore around the first Beninois village and visit the local community
• Visit Tata-somba – along with full explanations of how these wonders are built and their functions.
• Dinner on top of a Tata-somba and bunker down for an evening under the stars.

Tuesday 15^th February – Somba Country –Natitingou – Taneka – Dassa

Morning

• Breakfast and begin making our way south
• Your morning will be dedicated to an introduction of the Taneka people.
• Visit the Regional Museum of Natitingou where you will be introduced to the culture of the multiple tribes populating the north of Togo and Benin.
• Visit the Cultural Bank of the Taneka which has also been converted to a museum – packed with artefacts of the Taneka and you will be given multiple explanations about their lifestyle, war skills and magic.
• Visit the Taneka headquarters of Taneka-Beri – explore sacred spirit houses and trial grounds and meet dignitaries of the tribe. These dignitaries are guardians of the tradition and still dress in animal skins.

Afternoon

• Lunch in town before starting our 6 hour long drive to Dassa with breaks and refreshments along the way
• Dassa is most famous in the region for its fourth king. The fourth king came from Nigeria with his people in his later days. He was 155 years old when he forced himself to die. Locals say his magic was so strong that he couldn’t die even when he wanted to). He then transformed into a human-headed snake. The princes and kings of Dassa to this day climb up the hill where the fourth king transcended this world for numerous rituals.
• Arrive at an eco farm where fresh food is grown and cultivated for your meal this evening
• Overnight at Eco-Farm Maktub

Wednesday 16^th February – Dassa – Abomey

Morning

• Breakfast at the eco farm
• Visit the Cathedral of Dassa – A stone was brought from Notre-Dame-de-Lourdes in France. The cathedral receives believers from all around West Africa.
• Drive to Abomey
• Along the journey you’ll stop by the underground warrior shelters of Bohican – The warriors of the Dahomey Kingdom, the fiercest in the region, would hide in impressive man-made caves to prowl on unsuspecting locals and turn them into slaves.

Afternoon

• Voodoo tour of Abomey along with a local expert guide in Voodoo – you’ll visit a priest at his home/shrine and witness a voodoo ceremony where all your questions can be answered. You’ll witness the priest making offerings to ancient idols covered in grime.
• Explore the fetish market of Abomey. While the fetish market of Lomé is a great place for an introduction to voodoo and photos, it can be a little bit touristy. The fetish market of Abomey is smaller but is truly the real deal, with locals purchasing live animals for their sacrifices.
• Visit the massive voodoo church, shaped like a chameleon!
• Dinner at restaurant La Palmeraie, where we can treat ourselves to amazing woodfire pizza.
• Overnight in Hotel Le Tennessee

Thursday 17^th February – Abomey Ganvié – Cotonou – Ouidah

Morning

• Breakfast at hotel and begin drive to Abomey-Calavy – located by the suburbs of Cotonou.
• Arrive at Lake Noukoué and board a boat to visit the incredible Ganvié village – a village fully built on stilts and has been nicknamed the Venice of Africa.
• Continue onwards to Cotonou – while Porto-Novo is the capital of Benin and the seat of the National Assembly, Cotonou is truly the seat of power with all the rest of the government and embassies located here.

Afternoon

• Lunch at a local joint best known for pounded igname with curry.
• From the 1970s to the collapse of the Berlin Wall, Cotonou was the place from which General Mathieu Kerekou ran his socialist regime. Multiple artefacts of the socialist times can be spotted around this city.
• Visit the Red Star monument – the monument depicts a man holding a sickle and is the symbol of Cotonou. The monument promotes green socialism, the idea which promoted self-sufficiency through agriculture.
• Visit the Monument du Souvenir. The monument was previously known as the Martyrs’ monument. It was built with the help of North Korean artists from Mansudae Art Studio in Pyongyang. The monument =commemorates the sacrifice of soldiers, aided by none-other than North Korean soldiers, and help push back putsch attempt orchestrated by anti-socialist countries.
• Stop by the Monument to Georgi Dimitrov – the first leader of the Communist International (Comintern) and leader of the Bulgarian Socialist Government.
• Begin drive to Ouidah
• Dinner at Momo’s venture cooking school – provides a handful of local pupils full culinary training for free. You’ll be sampling delicious African-European fusion meals.
• Overnight at Hotel le Dauphin

Friday 18^th February – Ouidah

Morning

• Breakfast at hotel
• Visit the Python Temple – sacred pythons are kept here and venerated. Once a month the pythons are freed and allowed to roam around the town to feed themselves. Those brave enough may access inside the python cell.
• Trek the 4km slave trail of Ouidah – Ouidah was an important hub of the slave trade orchestrated by Europeans colonists and the Dahomey Kingdom. Along your walk you’ll pass numerous stations which slaves were punished and where rituals by the slaver kings were used to ward off revengeful ghosts. The trek will lead us all the way to the beach where the captured Africans of all tribes where pushed onto galleons, never to come back.

Afternoon

• Lunch at Momo’s school and a farewell to the students
• Head to a nearby village where the local trade is salt extraction. You’ll be introduced to the process but also to the different fetishes and guardians of the village.
• Before departing the village, the people arrange a mask ceremony and ritual dances
• Dinner in one of the varied restaurants of Ouidah
• Overnight in Ouidah

Saturday 19^th February – Ouidah – Cotonou

• Breakfast at hotel
• Drive back to Cotonou on a different route along the scenic sea
• Arrive in Cotonou – you may visit more of the city according to your interests.
• Shower and refresh
• Group D members tour concludes with airport drop-off arranged according to your flight details – YPT is also able to arrange post-tour accommodation or advice for flights.