Ganvie Stilt Village
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Port
Cotonou, Benin
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Activity Level
Moderate Activity
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Excursion Type
All
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Wheelchair Accessible
No
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Starting At (prices in USD)
$320
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Minimum Age
Information Not Currently Available
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Duration
Approximately 6 Hours
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Meals Included
Meals included
Explore the amazing village of Ganvie by motorized boat.
Ganvie Stilt Village was settled by Tofinu Africans who escaped to the middle of Lake Nokwe when they were pursued by the slave procurers of the Fon tribe. It is located just a few miles north of Cotonou.
Today, this Tofinu settlement in the middle of the lake has grown into a bustling town of more than 30,000 residents. They live in bamboo huts built on stilts. Instead of livestock and chickens, they farm fish in pens made of reeds and palm fronds. Instead of walking or biking to a neighbor's house, they row dugout canoes. This is why visitors call it the Venice of Africa.
Meet a cultural troupe, who welcome you to the village. You'll see the people of Ganvie carrying out their daily routine. Vendors pile high with wares their dugout canoes and transact commerce with one another and with you directly from the water.
Shop at the floating market and take a relaxing canoe ride on the waterways of this 500-year-old village.
Drive back to Cotonou for lunch at a local restaurant, and then return to the ship. Time permitting, you will head to the handcraft marketfirst, a place to shop for unique gifts and souvenirs.
Please note:
This tour is not wheelchair accessible. Your feet may get wet when boarding the canoe. Life jackets are provided and must be worn before boarding the canoe. Not advisable for guests with mobility limitations. Tour requires walking to board the coach and includes about 50 steps, uneven surfaces and boarding a motorized boat without assistance. There are narrow wooden planks to walk in the village.