Overland Togo Travel

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West Africa > Togo Currency to display:

Visiting Togo[edit]

Togo is a fantastic little country nestled in the heart of West Africa. Cheaper and cleaner than surrounding countries, many people list it as a favourite.

Entering Togo with a Car or Motorbike[edit]

Correct as of: March 2017

Travel Visa for Togo[edit]

Togo is one of the few countries you can get the visa at the border, no worries. Price is CFA10,000.00 XOF for one week, and can extended out to a month in Lomé for free very easily. You can't get more than the week at the border.

Required Paperwork[edit]

(no copies are required)

Process at border[edit]

  • Get yourself stamped in at immigration.
  • Go to Duane to get a temporary import for the vehicle. Using the vehicle registration the officer will write out a Passavant, valid for one month.
  • If you have a Carnet de Passage, you don't need the Passavant.

Cost of entry[edit]

The Passavant officially costs CFA5,000.00 XOF, entry will be free with a Carnet de Passage

Permitted length of stay[edit]

One month

Extension of stay[edit]

Unknown

Storing a vehicle and temporarily leaving the country[edit]

Describe if/how a vehicle can be stored, and for how long.
Also mention if the owner / temporary importer can leave the country while the vehicle is in storage.

Exiting with a vehicle[edit]

  • Hand in your Passavant to Duane.
  • Get yourself stamped out at immigration.

All should be free, do not pay for this.

Driving in Togo[edit]

Recommended books for Overlanding in Togo[edit]

Overland Travel Essentials: West Africa: Myths, Miscon...
Overland Travel Essentials: West Africa: Myths, Miscon...
by Dan Grec
From $click on Amazon
Lonely Planet French Phrasebook & Dictionary (lonely P...
Lonely Planet French Phrasebook & Dictionary (lonely P...
by Lonely Planet
From $3.74 on Amazon
Work Less To Live Your Dreams: A Practical Guide To Sa...
Work Less To Live Your Dreams: A Practical Guide To Sa...
by Dan Grec
From $click on Amazon
Overlanders' Handbook: Worldwide Route And Planning Gu...
Overlanders' Handbook: Worldwide Route And Planning Gu...
by Chris Scott
From $22.49 on Amazon
Adventure Motorcycling Handbook: A Route & Planning Gu...
Adventure Motorcycling Handbook: A Route & Planning Gu...
by Chris Scott
From $click on Amazon
Notebook: Fun Spot America Carousel Orlando Fl , Journ...
Notebook: Fun Spot America Carousel Orlando Fl , Journ...
by SpotUsV Notebook
From $9.95 on Amazon

Travel insurance for Togo[edit]

World Nomads offer the most flexible Travel Insurance at the best prices for multi-country / multi-year trips. You can buy, extend and claim online, even after you've left home.

Vehicle insurance requirements[edit]

Liability insurance is required, police might ask to see it.
If you travel through more west African countries get a 'Carte Brun' which is valid in most west African countries at no extra cost.

Cost of vehicle insurance[edit]

Expect to pay CFA10,000.00 XOF to CFA20,000.00 XOF per vehicle per month, depending on engine size and vehicle age (newer costs more)

Where to purchase vehicle insurance[edit]

Unknown within Togo

Driving license[edit]

Anything from your home country will be accepted.

Driving side of road[edit]

Right.
RHD vehicles are allowed but ensure you have correct paperwork, because it’s a good chance for bribery.

Mandatory items in vehicle[edit]

You need two safety triangles, first aid kit, and fire extinguisher.

Roads[edit]

General Road quality[edit]

Main highways are good pavement, without potholes, especially those recently built.
Minor dirt roads are not so bad by West African standards.
Always watch out for potholes on sealed roads - they can be HUGE, and hitting them fast will be very, very bad. Roads and traffic in Lomé are sane and sensible.

Road signs[edit]

Distances to the next major town are usually shown on the side of highways, and big intersections sometimes have signs.

Toll roads[edit]

Tolls are sporadically on the main North-South highway, and sometimes small ones. The cost is usually CFA300.00 XOF. The new sections of the North-South highway are very good quality and worth paying for.

Bribery in Togo[edit]

Bribery can happen, so keep your wits about you. Be polite, and don’t pay. See the bribery tips page for general advice.

Checkpoints[edit]

There are many checkpoints and random stops where Police will check all your paperwork. Don't pay.

Traveling with pets[edit]

List the entry requirements and anything else required to travel with a pet.

Gas and Diesel price in Togo[edit]

Last updated: March 2017

Currency and unit to display:

Gasoline Grade Price
Unleaded CFA433.00 XOF per Liter
Diesel CFA435.00 XOF per Liter

Gas and Diesel Availability / Frequency[edit]

All towns have stations, all stations always have gasoline and diesel. Both are also available in small containers on the side of the road. Quality is likely very bad when bought like that.

Gas and Diesel Quality[edit]

Seemed to be no problem with quality.

Safety and Security Considerations[edit]

Driving at night[edit]

Driving at night is not recommended due to hazards on the road, vehicles without lights and extremely bad roads.

Vehicle parking[edit]

Vehicles seem safe enough on the street during the day, secure overnight parking is recommended in the cities.

Special driving considerations[edit]

As in all of West Africa, expect hazards on the road around every turn - animals, children, pot holes and speed bumps!

Security advisories and information[edit]

Camping in Togo[edit]

There are a few campsites in Togo, and a few hotels allow camping. Expect to pay between CFA2,000.00 XOF and CFA5,000.00 XOF per person per night.
Wildcamping is very possible in Togo, especially in rural areas. Try to camp away from villages unless you don't mind lot of attention and lot of demand for ‘Cadeaux’ which means gift. If you do camp in a town, ask the Chief of the village for permission first (he will always say yes).

Camping guide books[edit]

List and link to books specifically for camping.

Drinking water[edit]

Drinking water is generally not considered safe to drink for visitors who are not used to it.

Navigation[edit]

Paper maps[edit]

Reise Know-How are among the best paper maps. Purchase paper maps before arriving in Togo

Ghana, Togo = Gana, Togo
Ghana, Togo = Gana, Togo
by Reise Know-How Verlag
From $10.17 on Amazon
Nonfiction Reading And Writing Workshop Springboard: A...
Nonfiction Reading And Writing Workshop Springboard: A...
by National Geographic Learning
From $14.95 on Amazon
Togo & Benin 1:580,000 Travel Map (international Trave...
Togo & Benin 1:580,000 Travel Map (international Trave...
by ITM Canada
From $10.36 on Amazon
Lonely Planet French Phrasebook & Dictionary
Lonely Planet French Phrasebook & Dictionary
by Lonely Planet, Michael Janes, Jean-Bernard Carille...
From $3.96 on Amazon

GPS Maps of Togo[edit]

  • Garmin Open Street Maps has excellent coverage of all roads - highways and cities.
  • Tracks4Africa is an SD Card for Garmin GPS, and contain Routable turn-by-turn maps with 809,000 kms of roads and over 129,000 points of interest.
Gps Map Of Africa
Gps Map Of Africa
From $click on Amazon

GPS co-ordinates for camping, propane, gas, repairs, etc. in Togo[edit]

  • iOverlander is a website and iPhone application designed by Overlanders, for Overlanders. It contains GPS co-ordinates and reviews for camping, hotels, propane, water, mechanics, borders and much more.

Link to sites that have a list of GPS co-ordinates (or directions) for camping locations (including "wild" campsites), propane filling, gas stations, repair shops, places of interest, etc.

Special Overland Travel interests[edit]

List any special items / places that are popular with Overlanders

Vehicle Maintenance[edit]

Dealers[edit]

4x4s / Trucks

Motorbikes

Local Garages[edit]

[http:/www.ktm-togo.com/Tony Togo] - mechanic in Lomé that specializes in motorbikes (KTM, BMW, etc.) and will work on overland 4x4s too. Tony is from Europe, and his work is up to that standard.

Buy or sell a car or motorbike in Togo[edit]

Buy
Describe how a foreigner can buy a vehicle. List any difficulties or limitations on where the vehicle can be driven.

Sell
Describe how a foreigner can sell a foreign-plated vehicle, or list not possible.'

References[edit]

Links to the source of any information - blogs or discussion forums, etc.


Helpful External links[edit]

Add any helpful external links here.