Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
TOP OF CHAPTER
Kpalimé
POP 101,000
Kpalimé is only 120km from Lomé, but feels like another world. Hidden among the fores-
ted hills of the cocoa and coffee region, it offers some of Togo's best scenery and hiking.
It's also a busy place thanks to its proximity to the Ghanaian border and important market
(Tuesday and Saturday), where local farmers sell their products along with the usual bric-
a-brac of plasticware and clothes.
DON'T MISS
HIKING IN THE KPALIMÉ AREA
The heartiest walk is up Togo's highest peak,
Mt Agou
(986m), 20km southeast of Kpalimé. The path climbs
between backyards, through cocoa and coffee plantations and luxuriant forests bristling with life. Small terraced
mountain villages pepper the slopes and provide fabulous views of the area. On a clear day, you can see Lake
Volta in Ghana. The walk takes four hours' return from the village of Nyogbo. The track can be hard to find so
it's best to take a guide. Alternatively, there is a road to the top so you could walk one way and arrange a taxi for
your walk back.
The area around
Mt Klouto
(710m), 12km northwest of Kpalimé, is another walking heaven, with forested
hills, waterfalls and a myriad butterflies. Early morning is the best time to search for them.
It's best to go with a local guide. As well as showing you the way, a good guide will show you cool plants, un-
usual fruit and veg, and fill you up on local culture and history. Contact Adetop (
Click here
), which can arrange
guided butterfly walks and village stays, as well as treks in the area.
Sleeping & Eating
Auberge Vakpo Guest House
GUESTHOUSE
$
( 91 53 17 00, 24 42 56 64;
www.vakpoguesthouse.com
; Kpodzi; r with fan CFA8500-12,000, with air-con
CFA9500-14,500; )
A well-run little number with a quiet location near the Catholic
church, Auberge Vakpo offers neat rooms with good bedding, meticulous bathrooms and a
lovely pleasure garden complete with flower bushes, mural frescoes and sculptures. Meals
are available for CFA3500.
Hôtel Chez Felicia
HOTEL
$
( 90 10 97 77, 22 46 33 49; Rte de Missahoe; r with fan/air-con CFA7000/12,000; )
Off the road to
Klouto, the discreet Hôtel Chez Felicia is an excellent bargain. This low-slung building
