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Back to Badou

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Voykit pocket guide · Togo

Badou

Go for 1–2 nights if you want a quiet hill-town base for Akloa Falls and cocoa-country walks; skip if you have fewer than 10 days in Togo.

Badou is a small market town in the Akposso mountains, 230 km north of Lomé, surrounded by cocoa and coffee plantations. Its main draw is the 100-m Akloa Falls, reached by a 40-min hike through forest and farms. The town itself has a slow, agricultural rhythm and a handful of basic hotels. Most travellers use it as a 1–2 night stop between Kpalimé and the Ghana border (10 km away) or as a quiet alternative to Kpalimé.

LoméAnéhoKaraKpaliméBadou100 kmdots: other places in this guide
Sketch, not to navigate by: shapes follow this guide’s areas and places, not official boundaries. North is up.
Country
Togo
Best months
Nov–Feb (dry, harvest season)
Avoid
Mar–Oct (rainy; trails muddy, falls may be dangerous)
Stay
1–2 nights

Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.

Essentials

Currency
XOF
Money
Currency is the West African CFA franc (XOF), shared with other West African states and pegged to the euro (655.957 per euro).
Daily spend
Budget XOF 10,000–15,000 excl. bed · Mid XOF 20,000–30,000 excl. bed · High XOF 40,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
SIM and data
Togocom (Yas/Togocel) and Moov Africa sell SIMs with passport registration.
Emergency
Police 117 · Fire 118
Plugs
Types C, E · 220 V · 50 Hz · European two-pin sockets.
Tipping
Maquis: Round up.; Restaurant: 5–10% in tourist places.; Driver day: 2,000–5,000 CFA.; Hiking guide: 2,000–5,000 CFA.
Water
Not safe from the tap. Bottled water everywhere.
Toilets
Western toilets in hotels and restaurants; carry tissue.

What things cost

ItemPrice
Moto-taxi ride in townXOF 500–1,000
Shared taxi to KpaliméXOF 2,500–3,500
Simple meal (rice, sauce, fish)XOF 1,500–2,500
Bottle of water (1.5 L)XOF 500–800
Beer (local, 65 cl)XOF 800–1,200

Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.

Get in

By air

LFW · Lomé–Tokoin International Airport
About 3.5–4 h by car/taxi; no public transport direct

Typical fares

Moto-taxi to Akloa Falls (return)
about XOF 2,000 (check)
Shared taxi Badou → Kpalimé
about XOF 3,000 (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card

Get around

Badou is walkable. For Akloa Falls, hire a moto-taxi (about 10 min) or walk from town (about 1 h). A guide is not essential but locals will offer; agree a price first.

See and do

Known for

  • Akloa Falls (Cascade d’Akloa)
  • Cocoa and coffee country
  • Ovazu harvest festival (December)
  • Proximity to the Ghana border

Day trips

WhereHowTime
Akloa FallsMoto-taxi from Badou (10 min) then 40-min hikeAbout 1.5 h return
KpaliméShared taxi or bush taxi, about 1.5–2 hAbout 2 h
Ghana border (Hohoe area)Moto-taxi or shared taxi, about 20 minAbout 30 min

Sleep

Town centre (Route Principale)
Auberge la Victoire and Hôtel Abuta are on or near the main road; walking distance to market and transport stops.

Phrase card

EnglishSay or show
HelloBonjourbohn-zhoor
Thank youMercimair-see
How much?Combien ?kom-byen
Too expensiveC’est trop chersay tro shair
Where is the waterfall?Où est la cascade ?oo ay la kaskad

Etiquette, safety and scams

Etiquette

  • Greeting: Handshake, 'bonjour', ask after family; avoid: Business before greetings
  • Hands: Right hand for everything; avoid: Left-hand money
  • Shrines: Follow the guide and pay agreed fees; avoid: Unasked photos
  • Elders and chiefs: Greet first; bring a small gift when visiting a village chief; avoid: Sitting before being invited

Scams and watch-outs

  • Akloa Falls trail can be slippery after rain; do not go during or just after heavy rain.
  • Community access fee at the falls: carry small CFA notes.
  • No ATMs in Badou: withdraw cash in Atakpamé or Kpalimé.
  • The Ghana border is close but formalities can be slow; check latest crossing rules.

Badou is generally safe, but roads are poorly lit at night. Carry a torch. The main risk is muddy trails after rain.

One and two days

No timed day plan for Badou yet. Suggested stay: 1–2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.

  • Akloa Falls (Cascade d’Akloa)
  • Cocoa and coffee country
  • Ovazu harvest festival (December)
  • Proximity to the Ghana border

Sources

Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.

Pocket card

Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.

Badou

À cette adresse, s’il vous plaît

To this address, please

My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)

French is the official language; Ewe is also spoken.

Voykit · checked 2026-09

Printed from Voykit (/badou). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.