Few tourists venture this far north, but for those who have the time and stamina, there is a fascinating reward: the villages of the Somba and Beninese tribes. These traditional warriors and hunters live in the most beautiful part of the country—if your car or taxi isn't bouncing too roughly for you to enjoy the scenery, you'll see waterfalls, gorges, valleys, cliffs and stands of the bulbous baobab tree.
We suggest going from Parakou and stopping in the villages of the Tata Sombas and in
Taneka Koko. The former are traditional villages where the Somba people have built two-storied huts for centuries. (Animals sleep on the lower level, while their owners sleep upstairs.) The dwellings, made of red mud bricks, look like miniature thatched-roof castles with round towers at the corners. Taneka Koko, built on a stony hill, is a beautiful Beninese village that hasn't changed outwardly for centuries. The Sombas didn't seem particularly friendly on our last trip: Be polite, don't attempt to take anyone's photo and don't plan on experiencing any major cultural interchange.
210 mi/340 km north of Abomey.
