The Loana Approach

For us, each trip is the accomplishment of a dream. To that end, it is only made possible by matching the traveler’s wishes. That is why we have opted for custom-made travel that places the participant at the heart of the plan. It’s the client who dreams of the voyage and our experts take care to make it come true. In order to better satisfy our clients, we organize trips that take on a small number of travelers (maximum 5) because our philosophy is to make each trip an occasion for great moments of cultural sharing with a personalized interaction.

However, LOANA TRAVEL is equipped with the necessary logistics to also provide for larger groups. For example, a group of six or seven friends, or a family who decides to do the tour together. All of our itineraries are conceived based on ideas originating from our specialists with the sole aim of offering the traveler genuine moments of happiness at very competitive prices.

Known as the birthplace of Voodoo, Bénin is a great hub of spirituality and ancestral practices anchored in the daily life of each citizen. Every day the sound of gongs and sacred drums makes the adepts’ heart beat in reminding them that they belong to this ancestral tradition. The ecological and touristic variety of this country along with the human warmth extended by these communities make Bénin a dream destination.

Bénin is a country that can be visited at any time of the year. But LOANA TRAVEL puts its experience to work in helping travelers choose the ideal moment for taking full advantage of their time there. From October to April most of the ethno-cultural festivities take place in Bénin. All the ceremonies of initiation, purification, circumcision as well as the annual Vodoun religious festivals are held in that time period. Pendjari National Park is also open during that time, which lends a great range of possibilities for the traveler to choose from.

Concerned with planning original travel excursions, the LOANATRAVEL team offers moments of escape among small ethnic groups who are often unknown to the world at large. These are instances of close contact off the beaten path to connect with exceptional village communities that are few and far between these days.

Such is the result of the perpetual research undertaken by our team of guides in each of the destinations that we propose to our travelers. Enchanting our clients with the originality and authenticity of our excursions remains our goal at LOANATRAVEL.

BUCOLIC TOUR AMONG AUTHENTIC ETHNIC GROUPS

The LOANATRAVEL experts have combed through the most distant corners of each of our destinations to bring out the specific ethnological features likely to interest the traveler. Programs of immersion in the day to day life of the extraordinary men and women who struggle to preserve their customs as passed down to them by their ancestors are planned for the pleasure of our travelers.

Passing time with these communities, sharing their routines, understanding their outlook, provides travelers the originality and authenticity they seek in choosing to trust us.

Africa’s cultural life has always been the object of much speculation, to the point where certain travelers wonder if there still exists an Africa that is culturally authentic. LOANATRAVEL has resolved the question by organizing thematic voyages that follow the guidelines of originality and authenticity. LOANATRAVEL listens to the real actors and historians who have been a part of Africa’s cultural evolution, and to the visual artists who are so full of talent.

We accompany our travelers to cultural evenings and exhibitions organized by connoisseurs of African art. Introducing you to a chief from the Vodoun pantheon, attending a purification or scarification ritual, observing a Bokonon (soothsayer) in his routine with his patients are some of the things that our travelers can experience.

One of the characteristics of Africa in general is its ethnic and cultural diversity. Our mission at LOANATRAVEL has always consisted of searching out, for our clients, the special features of each ethnic group in our destinations. This research lends a particular originality to our programs and makes us experts in the subject.

A DAY OF HORSEBACK RIDING

The horse has always been associated with important events that marked the life of certain communities in Africa. So it’s fully in keeping that the LOANA TRAVEL team makes use of horses to offer some of its travelers who love riding such a means of transport toward unexpected horizons. It’s a matter of carving out one day from the visit exclusively devoted to horseback riding. To achieve this, we have made arrangements with accredited riding stables in various regions. The goal is not just to enjoy great encounters and exchanges but also to surprise you by the diversity of the rich ecosystem. To be able to do that on horseback makes the experience all the more fun and attractive.

LOANA BEACH HOLIDAYS IN GHANA

One of the loveliest attractions in Ghana is without a doubt its sunny beaches which are still little known to travelers. LOANA TRAVEL offers you the opportunity to enjoy the natural beauty of these beaches in spending a dream vacation there far from the crowds seen along other beaches in other places. Nautical activities such as underwater diving and fishing excursions, as well as bird-watching excursions, make your stay a great time for relaxation and disconnecting.

The Fulani, commonly called Peul, are among the last nomadic people in West Africa. The uniqueness of their way of life, the color of their skin marked by tattoos and scarification, and many other distinctive traits nourish all sorts of speculation about their origins. They are a people in perpetual displacement in search of pasture for their livestock. LOANATRAVEL offers its travelers the possibility to go meet these atypical people.

• The Guèlèdé (dance with masks in Bénin, UNESCO heritage site)
• The Dipo Festival (initiation festival in Ghana)
• Circumcision among the Yom people (northern Bénin)
• The purification festival among the Komian people in Ghana
• The Evala wrestling (initiation) festival among the Kabye people of northern Togo
• The annual Vodoun religious festival in Bénin