Mount Agou
Mount Agou
4.5
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4.5
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freedman121
New York48 contributions
Dec 2014 • Solo
Mt. Agou is quite small (under 1000m in elevation) but is Togo's tallest mountain by a few meters. The mountain is quite accessible off the main highway from Lomé to Kpalimé, about 15 minutes before hitting the town of Kpalimé on the right side. You have to pay at the entrance to get permission to summit either by car or by foot and at the top there will be guards who will give you a small tour and show you the remnants of the French and German armies that used to be in control. If you go in the dry season everything will be hazy from so high up, but if the day is clear you can see over the Ghanaian border from the summit. The trail through the woods is pretty well defined (though without markers of any kind) and passes through two mountain villages. If you're not sure the best way to keep going up just ask any of the people there and they can point you the way to the summit. This hike takes about 3 hours to ascend; from there you can call a taxi to come pick you up or hike down on your own. Make sure to bring plenty of food and water with you from town!
Written 14 March 2015
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.
TMR1004
Valley Forge, PA392 contributions
Feb 2019 • Solo
1. Introduction
At 986 meters (3,234 ft.) Mt. Agou is not a huge mountain, but it is the highest in Togo and in the Atakora Moutains which range from Ghana to Benin. Mt. Agou is a monadnock, an isolated mountain that rises abruptly from relatively flat terrain. It is a beautiful, relatively short hike that is appropriate for anyone in reasonable condition. There are good views from the summit, but the highlight for me was the trail itself. It had a wonderful duality of natural beauty and cultural charm. I had trouble getting good information about this climb before doing it, so I thought I would write this review with the hope that it might make it easier for others to enjoy this adventure.
2. Trailhead
The “official” trailhead is about a 2 hour drive from Lome on the road toward Kpalime. About 15 km before reaching Kpalime, there is a road on your right with a sign indicating that it leads to Mt. Agou. The “official” trailhead is about 1 km up this road on your left-hand side and is called Akumawa. There are park officials here. This being said, the road goes all the way to the summit – so people who do not wish to climb the entire 3 miles (one way) to the summit, can opt to drive higher and start at any of the multiple places where the “trail” crosses the road.
3. Information Sources
1) Explore Togo – They are a tour company located in Lome, but offer many different trips in both Togo and Benin, including the hike of Mt. Agou. They have an excellent website. Contact Riza at tour@exploretogo.com.
2) Passi Wogodo – This is the person/service that I used to coordinate everything. He did an excellent job for me providing transport from Lome and arranged my climbs of Mt. Agou and Mt. Kloto. His contact info is:
Email: wogodopascal@gmail.com
Phone: +228 9055 8403
I highly recommend both Explore Togo and Passi.
4. Level of difficulty
Again, this trail is appropriate for anyone in reasonable condition, because you have the option of driving part way up the mountain if you believe the 3 mile (one way), 2,000 vt. ft. ascent is a little more than you would like to do. If you are using a guide and have any doubts about where you should start, I would recommend talking with them and deciding what is best for you.
5. Best time of year
This trail can be climbed year round. October through January are the driest, hottest months. The rainy season is July and August, but the temperatures are cooler.
6. Options
Literally, this trail can be anywhere from a 15 minute to a 3 hour one way climb to the summit. Options for the length and duration of your climb are numerous. In addition to starting at Akumawa, you could start at any of the 5 locations where the trail crosses the road or anywhere in between. You may also arrange to just ascend the mountain and descend by car.
7. Guides
Guides are available by either arranging them in advance through a tour company like Explore Togo, or Passi, or they can be hired when you reach Akumawa. Guides are not mandatory, but although the trail is easy to follow in places, there are many places where the trail divides, and without a guide, I would have had no idea which way to go. The cost of a guide is only about $20 US and I felt it was money well spent. In addition, you must pay an entrance fee to climb the mountain. This can also be done in Akumawa. The cost is about $10 US. Without your receipt for this, you will not be permitted to cross the final checkpoint before the summit.
8. Trail distances
3 miles (one way) to the top using the trail from Akumawa.
5 miles (one way) to the top just using the road from Akumawa.
9. Elevations
Trail head (at Akumawa) 1,184 ft.
Summit 3,234 ft.
10. Vertical Elevations
You will climb 2,050 vt. ft. to the summit. There are no ups and downs on this trail. You are always walking uphill.
11. Trail description
The trail is about 75% on a single track dirt trail and about 25% on the paved road. It is forested the entire way, but there are certain sections (especially on the road) where there can be a lot of sun exposure. Sections of the dirt trail are steep, but most of the walking on the road is on a gradual incline. You will walk through 2 small villages and numerous coffee/cocoa farms. The summit was occupied by both the Germans and the French and some of the fortifications still remain.
12. Water along trail
There is no water along the trail. Carry what you need. 1 liter was sufficient for me to the summit.
13. What to bring
Good walking shoes
Sun protection - lotion, hat with brim, sunglasses. Also consider a long sleeved, light weight shirt.
Raincoat
Water + snacks
14. Time estimates
This is always a hard thing to say and depends on your level of fitness, weather conditions, pack weight, how often you have to take breaks, pictures, etc. This being said, from Akumawa, the average hiker takes 2-3 hours to reach the summit via the trail route.
15. Conclusion
The views from the summit down into the villages and towards the frontier with Ghana were beautiful. But for me, the highlight of this experience was the trail itself. Walking on single track trails through the woods. Walking through the villages and along the road and seeing people going about their everyday activities. It was a wonderful immersion into the mountain life of rural Togo. I hope that you enjoy it as much as I did. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me.
At 986 meters (3,234 ft.) Mt. Agou is not a huge mountain, but it is the highest in Togo and in the Atakora Moutains which range from Ghana to Benin. Mt. Agou is a monadnock, an isolated mountain that rises abruptly from relatively flat terrain. It is a beautiful, relatively short hike that is appropriate for anyone in reasonable condition. There are good views from the summit, but the highlight for me was the trail itself. It had a wonderful duality of natural beauty and cultural charm. I had trouble getting good information about this climb before doing it, so I thought I would write this review with the hope that it might make it easier for others to enjoy this adventure.
2. Trailhead
The “official” trailhead is about a 2 hour drive from Lome on the road toward Kpalime. About 15 km before reaching Kpalime, there is a road on your right with a sign indicating that it leads to Mt. Agou. The “official” trailhead is about 1 km up this road on your left-hand side and is called Akumawa. There are park officials here. This being said, the road goes all the way to the summit – so people who do not wish to climb the entire 3 miles (one way) to the summit, can opt to drive higher and start at any of the multiple places where the “trail” crosses the road.
3. Information Sources
1) Explore Togo – They are a tour company located in Lome, but offer many different trips in both Togo and Benin, including the hike of Mt. Agou. They have an excellent website. Contact Riza at tour@exploretogo.com.
2) Passi Wogodo – This is the person/service that I used to coordinate everything. He did an excellent job for me providing transport from Lome and arranged my climbs of Mt. Agou and Mt. Kloto. His contact info is:
Email: wogodopascal@gmail.com
Phone: +228 9055 8403
I highly recommend both Explore Togo and Passi.
4. Level of difficulty
Again, this trail is appropriate for anyone in reasonable condition, because you have the option of driving part way up the mountain if you believe the 3 mile (one way), 2,000 vt. ft. ascent is a little more than you would like to do. If you are using a guide and have any doubts about where you should start, I would recommend talking with them and deciding what is best for you.
5. Best time of year
This trail can be climbed year round. October through January are the driest, hottest months. The rainy season is July and August, but the temperatures are cooler.
6. Options
Literally, this trail can be anywhere from a 15 minute to a 3 hour one way climb to the summit. Options for the length and duration of your climb are numerous. In addition to starting at Akumawa, you could start at any of the 5 locations where the trail crosses the road or anywhere in between. You may also arrange to just ascend the mountain and descend by car.
7. Guides
Guides are available by either arranging them in advance through a tour company like Explore Togo, or Passi, or they can be hired when you reach Akumawa. Guides are not mandatory, but although the trail is easy to follow in places, there are many places where the trail divides, and without a guide, I would have had no idea which way to go. The cost of a guide is only about $20 US and I felt it was money well spent. In addition, you must pay an entrance fee to climb the mountain. This can also be done in Akumawa. The cost is about $10 US. Without your receipt for this, you will not be permitted to cross the final checkpoint before the summit.
8. Trail distances
3 miles (one way) to the top using the trail from Akumawa.
5 miles (one way) to the top just using the road from Akumawa.
9. Elevations
Trail head (at Akumawa) 1,184 ft.
Summit 3,234 ft.
10. Vertical Elevations
You will climb 2,050 vt. ft. to the summit. There are no ups and downs on this trail. You are always walking uphill.
11. Trail description
The trail is about 75% on a single track dirt trail and about 25% on the paved road. It is forested the entire way, but there are certain sections (especially on the road) where there can be a lot of sun exposure. Sections of the dirt trail are steep, but most of the walking on the road is on a gradual incline. You will walk through 2 small villages and numerous coffee/cocoa farms. The summit was occupied by both the Germans and the French and some of the fortifications still remain.
12. Water along trail
There is no water along the trail. Carry what you need. 1 liter was sufficient for me to the summit.
13. What to bring
Good walking shoes
Sun protection - lotion, hat with brim, sunglasses. Also consider a long sleeved, light weight shirt.
Raincoat
Water + snacks
14. Time estimates
This is always a hard thing to say and depends on your level of fitness, weather conditions, pack weight, how often you have to take breaks, pictures, etc. This being said, from Akumawa, the average hiker takes 2-3 hours to reach the summit via the trail route.
15. Conclusion
The views from the summit down into the villages and towards the frontier with Ghana were beautiful. But for me, the highlight of this experience was the trail itself. Walking on single track trails through the woods. Walking through the villages and along the road and seeing people going about their everyday activities. It was a wonderful immersion into the mountain life of rural Togo. I hope that you enjoy it as much as I did. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me.
Written 13 March 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.
VuAfrik
Togo18 contributions
Aug 2016 • Friends
"Travel with VuAfrik"
Kpalime owes his fame to her green natural frame and to the numerous artists and the artisans who work on it. It is a town with human dimension which is rather welcoming and animated. Surrounded with mountains formerly very woody, it offers even today, in certain places, a surprising natural frame. Mountains Agou and Kloto in the Plateau Region of Danyi, until Badou, the vegetation remained luxuriant in spite of the agrarian pressure. The roads of rides cross cultures of yams, palm plantations, banana plantation and fields of coffee and cocoa. The region also possesses very beautiful waterfalls such as those of Tomegbe, Wome, Ykpa, Aklowa or Amegape. Kpalime is also considered as her craft.
Kpalime owes his fame to her green natural frame and to the numerous artists and the artisans who work on it. It is a town with human dimension which is rather welcoming and animated. Surrounded with mountains formerly very woody, it offers even today, in certain places, a surprising natural frame. Mountains Agou and Kloto in the Plateau Region of Danyi, until Badou, the vegetation remained luxuriant in spite of the agrarian pressure. The roads of rides cross cultures of yams, palm plantations, banana plantation and fields of coffee and cocoa. The region also possesses very beautiful waterfalls such as those of Tomegbe, Wome, Ykpa, Aklowa or Amegape. Kpalime is also considered as her craft.
Written 16 January 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.
Raizman31
Budapest, Hungary77 contributions
Sept 2016 • Solo
Make sure first you pat the authorization of 5000CFA before you step on the trail. I am not sure if I took it from its begining , however, it go through several villages, in between the houses , people are very friendly and happily indicate the trail to the pic, as many trails are going in between the houses. The trail is mostly well paves with local stones or stairs. Once you reach the pic, which is a military/police base you will be asked to have the authorization, you better have it to avoid any problems. You can go to Kpalime and then get a car to the intersection with the road that come from the mountain or if you come from Lome you just tell the driver the place you want him too stop
Written 11 September 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.
ted84_12
London11 contributions
Mar 2018 • Solo
Things may have changed since the last reviews, so beware. There is still the requirement to buy a ticket at 5,000 CFA at at the base and I took a local guide on recommendation (10,000 CFA) but it became clear that the soldiers at the top require an authorisation by the prefecture to allow access to the summit. They have clamped down recently. Same deal with access to the Kpalime cascade, where there is a new military roadblock requiring prefecture authorisation before access to Wome village (that one possible on the spot for an extra 2,500 CFA). They're not encouraging tourism. Mont Agou is pretty enough but 15,000 CFA to do only part of it over 2h doesn't check out. Also note that the self-guided path described in the LP from Nyogbo is apparently ill advised now as it is outside the 5,000 CFA ticket zone and therefore you're very compromised if stopped en route. Heard rumours that the enhanced military presence may be scaled back soon but no evidence. Bit of a shame.
Written 31 March 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.
JamesFFC
Maidenhead, UK611 contributions
Feb 2019 • Friends
Located a short drive from Kpalime is Togo's tallest mountain (Mount Agou). The road down to Agou from Kpalime was very well kept. When you arrive at the foot of the mountain you are met by a small hut and a man selling tickets. It is 5000CFA per person (unless you are a Togolese national and then it is 2000CFA). You are given a receipt + a pink authorisation card to give to the man at the top. He did ask for some ID when we got there but my UK driving licence did suffice for this.
After passing this, we started the drive up the mountain. Again, the road is very well kept and you pass numerous villages where the kids sing their favourite yovo song.
The scenery down the sides of the mountain is great in places so it is worth stopping on the way up as the view at the top was too foggy to see anything. There is some nice vegetation on the route as well as some butterflies and birds to see.
When you get to the top the guard came up-to us. He puts on, somewhat bizarrely, the Togolese national anthem for all arrivals and then you show him the card you were presented with at the bottom. The guard was extremely friendly and took us around the summit. There isn't a whole load to do at the top except see the Togocel and Moov telephone towers and the control room. There are a couple of small plinth like structures built by the French and Germans but that really is it. There is no option for water/refreshments at the top so make sure you bring your own food/drink!
The journey was, in my opinion, better than the actual destination. It is possible to walk up the mountain as well but I have heard from a few people in Lomé that it isn't really worth it.
After passing this, we started the drive up the mountain. Again, the road is very well kept and you pass numerous villages where the kids sing their favourite yovo song.
The scenery down the sides of the mountain is great in places so it is worth stopping on the way up as the view at the top was too foggy to see anything. There is some nice vegetation on the route as well as some butterflies and birds to see.
When you get to the top the guard came up-to us. He puts on, somewhat bizarrely, the Togolese national anthem for all arrivals and then you show him the card you were presented with at the bottom. The guard was extremely friendly and took us around the summit. There isn't a whole load to do at the top except see the Togocel and Moov telephone towers and the control room. There are a couple of small plinth like structures built by the French and Germans but that really is it. There is no option for water/refreshments at the top so make sure you bring your own food/drink!
The journey was, in my opinion, better than the actual destination. It is possible to walk up the mountain as well but I have heard from a few people in Lomé that it isn't really worth it.
Written 21 February 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.
DanielD525
London, UK1,429 contributions
Jan 2019 • Couples
Going on route from Lome to Kpalime encounters the rugged Mount Agou. So glad we drove up rather than trekking, so we saved ourselves a few hours on a basic mountain view that every country in the world should have. There is an obligatory 5000 cfa per person to be paid in at the start of the main road that leads to the mt. The payment kiosk is very amateur and look like it was constructed on the day of our visit. Didn't see no military asking for money on the ascend as some people have mentioned.
At the very top of the mountain is gated entry where staff welcome you and give you a brief tour of the summit, but you will need to provide your receipt that was purchased at the kiosk. All the telecommunication aerials are located here for its superior height and supplies the whole of Togo. The interesting part here is two memorials stones that are laid to commemorate the French and German individual founders of mt Agou sometime ago. The disappointing thing is no viewing platforms are present to give you a great view of onlooking forestry, villages and other smaller peaks. Instead you have to try force yourself into sharp brambles that still don't give you better views, so basically the infrastructure here is non existent considering it's a big attraction for the country.
The best way of having good views is when travelling up or down the journey, then ask your driver to stop when you can potentially see an opening of nature. Also on the route are very friendly villagers who smile and wave, and lots of cacao and sugar cane on offer too. Definitely not worth the 4 hour ascending trek as the thought of being slightly underwhelmed fits the bill no matter how many times you get out the car...
At the very top of the mountain is gated entry where staff welcome you and give you a brief tour of the summit, but you will need to provide your receipt that was purchased at the kiosk. All the telecommunication aerials are located here for its superior height and supplies the whole of Togo. The interesting part here is two memorials stones that are laid to commemorate the French and German individual founders of mt Agou sometime ago. The disappointing thing is no viewing platforms are present to give you a great view of onlooking forestry, villages and other smaller peaks. Instead you have to try force yourself into sharp brambles that still don't give you better views, so basically the infrastructure here is non existent considering it's a big attraction for the country.
The best way of having good views is when travelling up or down the journey, then ask your driver to stop when you can potentially see an opening of nature. Also on the route are very friendly villagers who smile and wave, and lots of cacao and sugar cane on offer too. Definitely not worth the 4 hour ascending trek as the thought of being slightly underwhelmed fits the bill no matter how many times you get out the car...
Written 5 February 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.
Philippe D
Tienen, Belgium15 contributions
Apr 2018 • Friends
Transport from Lome to mount Agou, 1 car fuel incl, no 4×4 for whole day, we paid 70000cfa. Park entrance 5000cfa. Driver stopped almost on top, so military could not ask money . Road very bad. We walked down trough a few villages. Nice vues
Written 11 April 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.
GoranWembley
United Kingdom4,058 contributions
Dec 2018 • Friends
Mount Agou with its near 1000m peak is the highest mountain in Togo. Beautiful villages, friendly people and a nice short trek. Guide and transpotation arranged by Chez Fanny.
Written 3 July 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.
JL K
Toulouse, France1 contribution
Feb 2024 • Couples
The discovery of Mount Agou remains one of the best memories of our trip to Togo. We had a great guide, Gabriel (+228 91 42 73 80), found through another review on TripAdvisor. He listened to us and gave us very interesting explanations on the flora of Mount Agou, being a botany specialist. The hike took half a day. We had gone up in zems near the highest village. After visiting this village, we went down through the forest. We did not climb to the top of the mountain, following multiple advice which told us that the view was not worth it. In the end, and thanks to Gabriel, it was a very pleasant hike.
Written 31 March 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.
Hi
I am planing to go there next Friday, any other attraction in the area? The cascade? Good place to stay overnight?
Thanks
Eran
Written 5 September 2016
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