Togo - West Africa - page 985

ease access are often non-existent. While accommodation at many budget hotels is on the ground floor, bathroom access
can be difficult, and doors are not always wide enough for wheelchairs. Such difficulties are only partly counterbalanced
by the fact that West Africans are usually very accommodating and willing to offer whatever assistance they can, as long
as they understand what you need.
As for transport, most taxis in the region are small sedans, and buses are not wheelchair equipped. Minibuses and lar-
ger 4WD vehicles can usually be arranged through car-rental agencies in major towns and cities, although this will be
pricey.
In general, travel and access will probably be easiest in places with relatively good tourism infrastructure, such as
Morocco or some of the coastal areas of Senegal and The Gambia. As far as we are aware, there are no facilities in the
region specifically aimed at blind travellers.
Before setting out for West Africa, travellers with disabilities should consider contacting one of the recommended or-
ganisations that may be able to help with advice and assistance.

Access-able Travel Source ( 303-232 2979; www.access-able.com ; PO Box 1796, Wheatridge, CO, USA) Has lists
of tour operators offering tours for travellers with disabilities.

Royal Association for Disability & Rehabilitation (RADAR; 020-7250 3222; www.radar.org.uk ; 250 City Rd, 12

City Forum, London, UK, EC1V 8AF)

Tourism for All ( 0303-303 0146; www.tourismforall.org.uk ; UK) Advice for disabled and less-mobile senior trav-

ellers.

Visas
This section contains general information about visas. See also the country chapters for specific information about each
country.
The general rule for West Africa is to get your visas before leaving home. They are rarely issued at land borders and
only occasionally at airports. Also, if you're flying from outside Africa, many airlines won't let you on board without a
visa.
Visa agencies are worth considering if you need visas to several countries before you leave or if there's no relevant
embassy in your country. For longer trips or more flexibility, it's possible to obtain most of your visas in the region as
you go, although this requires some advance planning and careful checking of the location of embassies for the coun-
tries in question - most West African countries have insufficient resources to maintain expensive embassies in many
countries.
Visa fees average between US$20 and US$50, with prices depending on where you apply, your nationality and wheth-
er you're asking for multiple- or single-entry visas. Always check the visa's validity length and its start date when decid-
ing where to make your application. When applying for a visa, you may have to show proof that you intend to leave the
country (eg an air ticket) or that you have enough funds to support yourself during your visit.
Most visa applications require between two and four identical passport photos, either black and white or colour. Inex-
pensive photo shops are found throughout the region, and rural areas sometimes have a village photographer who can do
the job for you.

Visa des Pays de l'Entente
The Visa des Pays de l'Entente is a multi-country visa that covers travel in Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Niger
and Togo. If you've never heard of it, don't be surprised - it's so poorly publicised that most travellers never learn of its
existence. Implementation of this relatively new visa is also still patchy, which significantly diminishes its appeal - the
relevant authorities in Benin were, at the time of research, only issuing the visa to residents of Benin. In remote border