This national park is sometimes referred to as W Niger National Park which gets its name from the meandering waters of the Niger River that forms a W shape as seen from many the satellite images.

The W Benin National park is part of the vast WAP Complex that includes Arli National Park (Burkina Faso) and Pendjari National Park in Benin. it was proclaimed a national park in August 1954  and is listed a UNESCO World Heritage Site besides being recognized and an Important Bird Area  IBA in Benin.

Wildlife

The park is home to several species of wildlife such as baboons, buffalo, African elephants, West African giraffe, leopard, lion, roan antelope, kob, oribi, tantalus monkey, Hippo, cheetah, caracal, aardvark, painted hunting dog (endangered), warthog, serval and other mammals

As an important birding area in Benin, W national park boasts an estimate of 300 different birds manily water birds like lesser kestrel, pallid harrier, African, swallow tailed kite, European white stork, African fish eagle, Pel’s fishing owl, Senegal Eremomela, Common Rock Thrush, white throated greenbul, Grey tit flycatcher and many others

This Benin National park is found in the north western border of Benin with Burkina Faso. It thus shares an eco-system with Arli National Park on the other side of the border in Burkina Faso which is only a section of the greater WAP complex (W of Niger National Park-Arli and Pendjari National Parks), a large protected area in Western Africa.  The park gets its name from the meandering river Pendjari that crosses through the park.

More than 2755 square kilometers are covered by this Benin Park. The landscape is largely made of rocky cliffs with sparsely wooded areas. The valleys have fertile soils that boost lush savannah and several species of trees and plants.

The Pendjari river is a major player in the park’s eco-system attracting several birds and herds of wild animals especially during the hot summer months. The banks of the river are filled with dense forests, savannah grasslands and thickets.

Wildlife

This park attracts several herds of western Africa savannah game freely crossing from Burkina Faso. Notable species in the park include the rare Northwest African cheetah which is only found in this park and W National Park. Other animals found in Pendjari National park include the west African lions, leopard, side stripped jackal, African civet, spotted hyena, Sudanese buffalo, hippos, elephants, western hartebeests, olive baboon, red duiker, reedbuck, bush buck, oribi, kob, roan, waterbuck, warthog and the endangered painted hunting dog among others. Game hunting is a major adventure in Pendjari Benin National park only done under strict rules and authorization

More than 300 species of water birds and forest woodland endemics’ are found in this park. These include the lesser kestrel, pallid harrier, African, swallow tailed kite, European white stork, African fish eagle, Pel’s fishing owl, Senegal Eremomela, Common Rock Thrush, white throated greenbul, Grey tit flycatcher and many others. Special birding programs and conservation plans are handled at the Park with more than 110 species introduced into the bird habitat.

Travel

The park can be visited all through the year although the best time to visit is during the summer months of December to May. The rest of the year is rainy season often characterized by heavy rains and slippery roads and trucks within the park

Benin is actually a small country but promising to reward on Benin holiday tours through foreign travel and holidays in Benin as well as adventure enthusiasts.  There are many ways to experience Benin holiday tours for example camel riding, outdoor camping, cruises on Niger river, experiencing the thrill of Benin cultural festival and touring each of the different national parks and nature reserves.

Tourist attractions on Benin Holidays

In Port Novo, also known to be the capital of Benin are lots of sights of Portuguese colonial era, ethnographic museum, the royal palace of King Toffa and museum, vibrant markets and good nightlife. Cotonou is the largest Benin City with the international airport, the old Cotonou Cathedral and the central mosque.

Grand Popo is a popular beach resort town located west of Benin, good for Benin beach holidays and adventures. Remember to visit the charming fishing village of Ganvie, take a trip on the lagoon using a dug out canoe and try fishing too. Abomey town is the former capital of Dahomey Kingdom and most of its building and life pay tribute to this great kingdom. The royal palaces here are a world heritage site worth visiting

In the northern part of Benin, there are two national major nature conservancies that form the base of Benin Tourism, safari tours and travel. Benin is surrounded in the northeast by the Niger River and still collaborates with the bigger Airli-W-Singou complex to have conservancies that enclose the national of the Niger River that conforms to a W shaped series of bends.

The area is taken to be the most vital conservation region in West Africa along with the two crucial parks of Benin such as Pendjari National park in addition to W national park, these parks settle so many wildlife species although the birdlife specie is the most common because of the coast of Benin along with the sandy beaches that easily attract the species.

Culture is very vital in this country with different languages along with ethnic groups as it is in West Africa. The difference in these cultures has made the country a beautiful place to stay with a diversity of music, dance and art. Besides the traditional, they have hip hop, reggae as well as local folks that remind people of the ancient times.

Culturally, Benin remains extraordinarily diverse, with the population divided unevenly between a Christian majority and a Muslim minority, overlaid by an intermingling of traditional worship and custom. The latter is defined mainly by the organized animist/monotheistic religion of Vodun, a precursor to Voodoo, thought to have been exported to the Caribbean by the slave trade from this particular region of West Africa.

When to Visit Benin

It is not easy to schedule Benin holiday tours but it worth the try. Benin has equatorial climate, temperatures and humidity vary in the south and north. The southern part of the country usually enjoys the tropical climate of the West African coast where as the northern part receives nothing because the area is a Sahel, dry and an arid area.

Benin has two seasons thus wet and dry and the worst months are April, July, September to October. The hottest months are between February and April of which the temperatures tend to rise to 40 C. The Harmattan winds are between December and March and this is the best time to visit Benin

Benin Tours and Travel tips

Benin is such a great Africa safari and tour destination that is trying to boost its tourism industry so as to be recognized by other Countries. You can make Benin Holidays as add-ons to safari and holidays in either Senegal, to Togo or for Nigeria holidays.

There are plenty of Benin city hotels in almost every town with luxury five star hotels from Cotonou Benin hotels and others in Porto Novo.

Remember that Benin is with Malaria zone thus the need to pack your Malaria treatment, drugs and prescriptions. Good safari clothing is a must with trousers and long sleeved shirts, a camera, binocular, a pair of good walking shoes and anything you may need on the real Benin African safari

Benin is a small West Africa country bordering Niger, Togo, Burkina Faso and Nigeria. Benin is vibrant country with tourist attractions such as the town of Cotonou, national parks, ruins and so much more. Many tourists visit this place to enjoy the natural beauty of the landscapes. The lush grasslands and lagoons of this place are awe inspiring. The exotic architecture as well as wild life parks is worth paying a visit.

Porto Novo is the capital city and the second largest Benin city after Cotonou with busy roads, markets and modern buildings. Visit the old museum Musee Ethnographique, the royal palce of King Toffa museum and savor its unbelievable night life

Flights to Cotonou  Benin

Cadjehoun International Airport (COO) is suited in Cotonou the largest city in Benin in West Africa, in 2007 it carried about 300,000 passengers and since then its only international airport in the country. It is a surely busy airport handling close to 50 international flights per week

Cadjehoun offers favorable services and it’s the only inter-continental flight from Air France to Paris. It has a complete network of national as well as Pan-African flights that link Benin with the rest of the continent.  Some of the regular fliers to Cotonou Benin include Aero Airways, Arik Air and Air Nigeria

Besides that, there are other important routes such as Kenya Airways from Nairobi, Virgin Nigeria from Lagos, Air Senegal flights from Dakar, Air Lviore from Abidjan along with Inter air South Africa from Johannesburg.

The domestic flights to Benin connect through Lagos Nigeria wit at least two daily flight schedules with Aero flights. There are around 21 domestic flights into and out of Benin City.

Airlines or Fliers to Benin

Avirex Gabon has 3 daily flights to Cotonou Benin from Libreville and other 2 in flights from Lome. Cameroon Airlines connects to Lagos Nigeria and then into Cotonou Benin. Benin Golf connects Cotonou to Malabo via two daily flights. Other flights to Benin Cotonou are with Afriqiyah Airways, from Casablanca using Royal Air Maroc, Air France from Paris and many others. Cheap flights to Benin are available just in case you book your Cotonou Benin flights in advance.

Hotels in Benin

Benin as a destination is a great country with beautiful hotels and resorts that will make your holiday or vacation the most memorable. Depending on what you want, Benin has inns, lodges and guest houses for all people of different classes.Benin is located in the Western Africa on the north coast of the Gulf of Guinea, and for those who may want to have a vacation around the coast, the accommodation is in plenty and at times the choice may be yours to choose where to sleep in hotel, lodge or camp. Besides the coast, there are several Benin hotels and accommodations in the western region and all the vital cities have luxurious hotels that will make your stay wonderful.

Hotels in Cotonou Benin

Cotonou is the capital of Benin and has a number of luxury five star Benin city hotels and other overnight options.

Benin Marina hotel

Located with the city Cotonou has air conditioned rooms, 24 hour room service, telephone services, en-suite bathrooms, digital satellite television, safety deposits at the front desk, private terrace bungalows, sea side view suites, restaurants, bar, conference facilities, swimming pool, and spacious lounge. Reservations and prior booking is very important for stay at Marina Benin Hotel

Hotel du Lac Cotonou Benin

This is another recommended Benin City hotel located in Cotonou with four star rating on the shores of Lake Nokoue. The hotel has 58 air-conditioned rooms, luxurious studios, en-suite bathrooms, satellite television and telephone. Enjoy the gourmet restaurant preparing delightful inter-continental cuisines, swimming pool, terrace and the boat trips on the lake.

Hotel du Port Cotonou Benin

Find the luxurious warm rooms, internet café, and restaurant with international cuisine dishes, Olympic size swimming pool, gift shops, health club, conference facilities, salon and so much more. The night life on the hotel is quite unique; enjoy the sounds of Cuban music (slasa, chachacha, meringue) and the night club.

Other hotels in Benin city of Cotonou include; Dichotel Benin hotel, hotel Ibis Contonou, Hotel Vickinfel Benin, Hotel Noveotel Orisha Cotonou Benin.

Porto Novo Benin hotels include Dona Hotel Porto Novo, hotel Ayelawadje and Hotel Bimyns. From Grand Popo check out Auberge de Grand Popo Hotel still standing in ancient colonial buildings with terrace bar, 12 en-suite rooms, lush backyards, wooden balcony, 2 bungalows with thatched roofing, restaurant overlooking the beach and so much more.

Other Benin hotels are found in suburb cities of Dassa Zoume, Abomey, Parakou and Kandi. There are also safari lodges from the different Benin national park for example Chute de Koudou in Parc National du W.

For all Hotels in Benin, it is important that you get in touch with a Benin travel and tour operator or online Benin Hotels website for reservations and hotel reviews. Benin safari and tour packages are the best way to book Benin hotel as hotels and accommodation are part of the safari packages. Find the cheapest and affordable deals online.