Your questions about visiting West Africa, answered

Tours start from $975 per person for the 4-day Abuja tour. Multi-country trips start from $1,054 for 3 days and $2,450 for 9 days across Nigeria, Benin, Togo and Ghana, and a 13-day five-country tour starts from $4,950. Flights, visas, insurance, lunch, dinner and tips are not included. Message Confidence on WhatsApp for a quote for your group.

Message Confidence on WhatsApp or use the contact form with your dates, group size and what you want to see. You will get a tailored plan and a quote, usually within 24 hours. A deposit secures your travel date and the balance is due before departure; ask for the details when you get your quote.

Most tours include airport transfers, a professional guide, private transportation, hotel accommodation and daily breakfast. International flights, visa fees, travel insurance, lunch and dinner, personal expenses and tips are not included. Check the 'what's included' list on each tour page, as a few tours differ.

Yes. Published itineraries can be adjusted to your interests, pace and dates, and fully custom trips are a specialty. Tell Confidence what you want on WhatsApp and he will rework the plan with a new quote.

Messages are usually answered within 24 hours. Business hours are Monday to Saturday, 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM West Africa Time. WhatsApp is the fastest route, and you can call for urgent questions.

Yes, in most places. Always ask before photographing people, and avoid photographing government buildings, security personnel and military sites. Your guide will tell you where photography is welcome or needs permission.

Light, breathable clothing suits the climate, and modest dress is respectful in markets, villages and religious sites. Bring a hat, sunscreen and comfortable walking shoes, and a light rain layer in the wet season.

Lagos can be visited safely, but it is a large, fast-moving city and official advisories for Nigeria are cautious, so read your own government's current advice first. Most visitor problems are petty theft and traffic. Pre-arranged transport, avoiding night travel and going with a local guide reduce the risks a lot.

You do not strictly need one, but most first-time visitors find a local guide makes the trip easier and safer. A guide handles transport and timing around traffic, tells you where to go and when, and opens access to places and people that are hard to reach alone.

Yes, first-time visitors are a specialty. Confidence has guided travelers from more than 40 countries and personally hosts each trip from arrival to departure. Message him your dates and interests for a tailored plan.

Yes. The 9-day private tour covers Nigeria, Benin, Togo and Ghana, and your guide crosses every border with you, so there is no handoff to a new operator. A shorter 3-day version and a 13-day five-country tour that adds Côte d'Ivoire are also available.

Benin's National Voodoo Festival is held in Ouidah on January 10. The 8-day Voodoo Festival Tour through Togo and Benin is built around it, starting from $1,950 per person. Confirm the current year's arrangements with Confidence before booking flights.

Tours are led by English-speaking guides. The 8-day Voodoo Festival Tour in Togo and Benin also offers French- or Spanish-speaking guides. Ask when you request your quote if you need another language.

The dry season, roughly November to March, is the most comfortable time, with less rain and, in the early months, cooler air from the harmattan winds. December is the busiest month for events and returning visitors, and the heaviest rains fall around June and July.

Confidence Aguiyi is a Lagos native who founded Ucomeafrik Tours in 2009 and is a founding member of the Tour Guides Association of Nigeria (TOGAN). He has personally guided 500+ tours and hosted 1,000+ travelers from more than 40 countries, and holds a 4.9 rating from 868+ TripAdvisor reviews.

Most visitors need a visa for Nigeria, and tourist visas are applied for online through the official Nigerian government e-visa portal. Rules, fees and processing change and depend on your passport, so always confirm on the official portal or with your nearest Nigerian embassy before booking flights. Visa fees are not included in tour prices.

Requirements depend on your nationality and route, but proof of yellow fever vaccination is commonly requested for entry. Talk to a travel health clinic well before you go about recommended vaccines and malaria prevention.