Lake Nokoué, from the Calavi landing
Ganvié, from Cotonou.
The Tofinu lake village, built on stilts in the middle of Lake Nokoué. You arrive by boat, and you understand at once why it is there.
The distance
20 km from Cotonou, 30 minutes by road, then the boat of driving.
When to go
All year, preferably in the morning. In the rainy season the lake rises and the village is even more striking.
Where it is
Lake Nokoué, from the Calavi landing
What you see at Ganvié
Ganvié was founded by the Tofinu to escape the raids of the kingdom of Dahomey: the warriors could not enter the water. Centuries later the village still lives on the lake — stilt houses, a floating market traded canoe to canoe, fish pens marked out with branches. The crossing from the Abomey-Calavi landing takes about thirty minutes by motorised canoe, and that is already half the visit.
- The crossing of Lake Nokoué by canoe
- The floating market, early in the morning
- The stilt houses and the village school
- The acadjas, the lake's fish pens
In practice
The market is early: leaving Cotonou around seven changes the visit. The landing is at Abomey-Calavi, about thirty minutes by road. Hat, water, sunscreen: there is no shade on the lake. Always ask before photographing people — it is a village, not a set.
Where to sleep between trips
Keep your home in Cotonou and travel out from it: cheaper than a hotel at every stop, and you come back to your own place each night.
Common questions
- How long does a visit to Ganvié take?
- Allow half a day from Cotonou: thirty minutes by road to Calavi, about thirty minutes by canoe each way, one to two hours in the village, and the return.
- Is it suitable for children?
- Yes, the canoe is stable and the crossing short. Ask for life jackets at the landing, and keep small children seated during the crossing.
We arrange the trip
Driver, timings, a guide on site: tell us the date and we handle the rest.
+229 01 67 60 80 60
Photograph : Dr. Ondřej Havelka (cestovatel) · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0