Places to Visit in Notse, Plateaux, Togo, West Africa, Africa
Notse is a town belonging to the Plateaux Region of Togo, located between 6°57′ N latitude and 1°10′ E longitude. It functions as the seat of Haho Prefecture, is located around 95 km north of the national capital, Lome. Notse is the pineapple capital of Togo. It is believed that, Notse was founded by the Ewe people around 1600. Notse is a point where two major Togolese highways intersect, one from the capital Lome (N5) and another from Kpalime (N6). Notse is also surrounded by many nature reserves, Forêt d’ Amakpave and Forêt de Nuatja Sud to the south and Forêt de Haho Baloue to the west.
How to get Notse?
Lomé-Tokoin Airport is the closest airport to Notse, located around 95 km south from the midpoint of Notse. This airport is well served many national and international airlines with scheduled flights from Casablanca, Brussels, Cotonou, Ouagadougou, Paris, Monrovia, N’Djamena, Niamey and Ouagadougou.
If visitors booked private transfer prior reaching airport would be ideal for comfort and convenient airport travel. One can also wait until the arrival of buses for inexpensive airport travel. The local transportation of Notse is catered by minibuses and rental vehicles like cars and bike.
Culture, Food and Shopping in Notse:
It is essential of knowing the local culture before travelling any city or town, then mingling with local people will be easier and tour can be enjoyed in a best manner. Togbui-Agni (harvest festival) and Agbogbo-Za (festival of Ewe people) are the major festivals of Notse, taking place on the 2nd Saturday of August and 1st Thursday of September respectively. Notse also houses many colorful shops and restaurants.
Things to do in Notse:
- Visiting nearby historical sites
- Village tours
- Shopping
Places to see in Notse:
The remains of the kingdom Ewe:
Notse was the site of the stronghold of the Ewe people, who founded Notse originally. The ruined royal house in Notse was constructed by the king Agokoli in the early 17th century. It can be explored best with the aid of locals.
Forêt d’ Amakpave:
The Forêt d’ Amakpave is located to the south of Notse, can be reached by rental car as it is located along the road connecting Notse to Lome. It is a dense forest formed by a range of indigenous and exotic tree species. It is advised visitors to take a guided tour for easier exploration of the park.
Togo National Museum:
The Togo National Museum is located in the capital city, Lome, around 95 km south of Notse. It is a perfect place to get an overview of Togo’s ethnography and culture. The museum exhibits a large collection of artifacts, handicraft works, traditional costumes and photographs.
Lomé Grand Market:
Situated around 95 km from Notse, Lomé Grand Market is one of recommended tourist attractions to visit in Togo. The market has three floors, with an array of traditional specialties like travel bags, red peppers, traditional medicines and handicraft products. It is worth a visit.
List of other places of interest in and around Notse includes:
- Lake Togo
- Fazao Mafakassa National Park
- Abdoulaye Faunal Reserve
- Village Artisanal in Lome
- Le Mandingue Jazz Club in Lome
- Koutammakou
- Kéran National Park
- Palais du Congrès in Lome
- University of Lomé
- Musee International du Golfe de Guinee in Lome
- La Madingue in Lome
Best time to visit Notse:
The best and most preferred time to visit Notse is from November to February, when the city receives no rainfalls and remains dry and pleasant.
Accommodation options in Notse:
Hotels in Notse are limited in number, for more well facilitated options, visitors can consider Atakpame’s hotels that are not too far from Notse, around 65 km. Here are some nice hotels in Notse:
- Hotel Cradle
- Hotel Lucia
- Hotel Ephphatha