Koutammakou
Koutammakou
4.5
About
Koutammakou is home to the Batammariba of Togo, a tribe known for its remarkable mud tower-houses.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
4.5
45 reviews
Excellent
27
Very good
15
Average
3
Poor
0
Terrible
0
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Ricarda S
1 contribution
Mar 2024 • Solo
It is definitely worth staying here for a few days and immersing yourself in the village life of the local population. In the dry season, you can witness how the traditional earthen castles are rebuilt or repaired, you can take part in the production of shea butter, soy cheese or millet beer, collect honey with the locals or go termite hunting. It is all very worthwhile - if you have a good guide. I can highly recommend Norbert: +228 70 45 86 10 (WhatsApp). Accommodation is available in Kanté and Nadoba, Norbert will help you with booking.
Written March 26, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
BeatriceItaliana
Italy880 contributions
Jan 2012 • Friends
This is a very interesting place. It is very poor area but the costructions are fantastic and original. It's better ask for the chief of the village: say hello and introduce yourself before photographing. You pay a ticket to enter but I think that they don't take money for this. However you will visit and photograph their houses and their lifes...so use maximum sensitivity! It's better to take a guide. If you carry clothes, pens and other material leave them to the village chief.
Written January 15, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Titi_Dokubo
Lagos, Nigeria332 contributions
Aug 2016 • Friends
It is amazing the things you see and learn once you set foot to travel! Coming in from Kande, you would have to pay 2500CFA.
The site is amazing and the structures make you wonder.
However, the people need clothings. Anyone going there can be nice enough to go with clothings for children of various ages, you can also go with food, writing materials, and be sure to patronise the kids in the wares they sell.
The site is amazing and the structures make you wonder.
However, the people need clothings. Anyone going there can be nice enough to go with clothings for children of various ages, you can also go with food, writing materials, and be sure to patronise the kids in the wares they sell.
Written August 27, 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
born2travelit
Cesena, Italy17,171 contributions
Mar 2014 • Friends
we had a such great time visiting this village. u can have a glance of how some african tribes live... it's amazing experience and you will feel like in another dimension and time. very recommended
Written March 15, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
hopesprings12345
London, UK316 contributions
Mar 2013 • Friends
This UNESCO World Heritage is definitely worth a visit if you're in the North of Togo. A guide is definitely needed, both to negotiate the villagers and for you to get the best out of the experience. It wasn't cheap but definitely interesting to see one of Togo's few tourist 'hotspots.'
The only thing that let the visit down was the hoards of villagers who crowded round us, trying to sell us things, and when that failed, begging for money. It was quite an uncomfortable position to be in, though it's clear that they have a real need for some basic essentials. My advice: take some bars of soap with you for the women, some pens and sweets for the children. These small things make a real difference and will help ensure that you're not quite so harassed.
The only thing that let the visit down was the hoards of villagers who crowded round us, trying to sell us things, and when that failed, begging for money. It was quite an uncomfortable position to be in, though it's clear that they have a real need for some basic essentials. My advice: take some bars of soap with you for the women, some pens and sweets for the children. These small things make a real difference and will help ensure that you're not quite so harassed.
Written May 15, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
StefaniaVera
Rome, Italy28 contributions
Dec 2012 • Solo
People living here are very friendly, especially David, the son of the master of the village. He showed me and my guide how they live. I actually went there in August 2011 and I enjoyed spending some hours with the whole family. They also advised of a nearby park with animals, so we took a photo safari!
Written November 5, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
nomade123
San Francisco, CA192 contributions
Mar 2018 • Solo
Well, first you need to go to Kara and spend the night there from Lome. Then you have to find a way to get to Koutammakou. I rented a whole taxi for the day for 20,000 CFA, a pretty good price and a very nice driver. You then go about 75 kilometers to the entrance of the site. There you pay CFA 1,500 plus CFA 10,000 for a guide that comes into your car. If you come with a motorbike, I am not sure what you do. It was Wednesday, market day, fortunately for me. I got the most expensive tour and the guide showed me the Unesco house that looks like a Tata house and we went inside another house where people actually live. Then we went to see the sacred baobab and someone else took me around there. They volunteered to do a dance in this village and ask CFA 20,000. I declined. Also you have to pay to take pictures of people. Then I had a discussion with the guide as I wanted to go to the market another 15 km or so. He was not very happy about it, but we finally went as the driver was on my side. We went to the market, it was very interesting as it is close to the border and people come to barter their wears for other things. The guide was mostly interested in drinking the local beer. Then we went back. The only explanation I got was when I asked questions. When we got back to the entrance it was closed so I could not complain. I was very disappointed with the guide, his name is Michel and he speaks English and French. So I was not sorry I went as the houses were beautiful and all of them different in some way contrary to what the guide said that they were all the same so no reason to stop again. I think that the people responsible for the visits of this site should pick their guide much better. It is aa disgrace that you go all the way there, spend all that money to be with a guide who does not care and just want to whole thing to be over.
Written April 19, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Esther F
Vestal, NY90 contributions
Jun 2018 • Friends
This site is worth the trip and the money. We paid 10,000 Franks for the vehicle and 1500 per person. We also tipped our guide and those we took photos of. Our guide was very friendly and knowledgeable. There are no English speaking people there - the tour is in French. We went to various homes and a village - people live in the homes you tour. They request money to have their photos taken and they sell trinkets at every stop. Bring small bills as they may not be able to make change. The Baobab tree is fascinating and fun - we fit four people inside the tree! Please note, this site may not be suitable for small children as there is nudity and fetish worship that may scare kids. We saw evidence of a recent animal sacrifice present.
Written June 27, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Djesika D
Heerlen, The Netherlands174 contributions
Aug 2016 • Friends
After sleeping near one of the touristic houses for the night ( in a tent) and having near heart attacks from the thunder we visited the koutammakou houses.
We first hiked up the mountain so we had an amazing view of the landscape. There was also a cave there which you could enter if you liked. After that we visited the great big tree which you can enter inside.
After that we walked through the village and got a guided tour inside one of the houses. After being some souvenirs, the villagers did a (kind of) typical dance and asked for money. This kind of put us in a awkward position seeing as no one had asked us for money in togo before. We had been invited to lots of dances by the locals and this kind of felt weird.
All in all it was a nice experience, it is each to their own how they handle the begging children. Personally I think we can support their community by buying their souvenirs, but not just giving money like you're father Christmas...
We first hiked up the mountain so we had an amazing view of the landscape. There was also a cave there which you could enter if you liked. After that we visited the great big tree which you can enter inside.
After that we walked through the village and got a guided tour inside one of the houses. After being some souvenirs, the villagers did a (kind of) typical dance and asked for money. This kind of put us in a awkward position seeing as no one had asked us for money in togo before. We had been invited to lots of dances by the locals and this kind of felt weird.
All in all it was a nice experience, it is each to their own how they handle the begging children. Personally I think we can support their community by buying their souvenirs, but not just giving money like you're father Christmas...
Written May 4, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
carla t
2 contributions
Jul 2019 • Friends
We went to Kara for the weekend and decided to do a day trip to Koutammakou. We got a taxi that we paid 30 000CFA roundtrip. When we got to the site, we had to pay 1500CFA each and 10 000CFA for the guide. By the way, there are a few english-speaking guides but they are not always there, so I advise calling before your visit if ever you need one. Our guide was very friendly and knowledgeable as he lives himself in a Takienta (the traditional houses there) in another village. It was very nice getting to know the history of the people there and how they live on a daily basis. There were also very nice handmade souvenirs made by the people there (all the money goes to them) that you could buy to encourage them.
There is also a visit of a baobab tree that is very impressive and should not be missed!
**Piece of advice: it is a village that lives in extreme poverty and they seem to lack basic necessities (e.g., soap to wash themselves, clothes, etc.). If you want to contribute, it could be a good idea to bring some school supplies (pens, pencils, notebooks, etc. ) for the children and basic necessities for daily needs. We were not aware that we could bring things to help them and unfortunately we had nothing...
Overall, it was a great experience that should not be missed if you go up in the North!
There is also a visit of a baobab tree that is very impressive and should not be missed!
**Piece of advice: it is a village that lives in extreme poverty and they seem to lack basic necessities (e.g., soap to wash themselves, clothes, etc.). If you want to contribute, it could be a good idea to bring some school supplies (pens, pencils, notebooks, etc. ) for the children and basic necessities for daily needs. We were not aware that we could bring things to help them and unfortunately we had nothing...
Overall, it was a great experience that should not be missed if you go up in the North!
Written July 14, 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Ciao, vorrei capire se arrivando con i mezzi pubblici fino a kara, lì è possibile poi organizzarsi con una guida ed una macchina per visitare i vari villaggi ed assistere ad una loro danza? Grazie
Written September 3, 2019
Tour operator per visitare il paese
Written August 13, 2018
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