Musicians | Joli

Celebrate the soundtrack of West Africa | Joli

Musicians in Ghana | Joli

Elmina Castle in Ghana | Shutterstock

Musicians of Ghana | Joli

Akwasidae Festival in Kumasi Ghana | Joli

The Door of No Return in Ouidah, Benin | Shutterstock

Voodoo dolls in a market in Togo | Shutterstock

Ghanaian dancers | Joli

The Soundtrack of West Africa: Music, Rituals & Celebrationwith Stuart Davis

16 Days from

$6290 USD

Trip Code: SDGB

View dates to Book Essential Information

Extra trip options & supplements

*Prices listed are per person

Single supplement

$1000 USD

Duration

16 Days

Activities

Festivals
Music and Singing
Cultural Immersion

Accommodation

16 day trip
15 nights hotel

Meals

8 Dinners
13 Lunches
15 Breakfasts

Difficulty Grading

2 / 10

Adventure touring

Carbon Footprint

34kg of CO₂-e PP per day

(514kg of CO₂-e PP entire trip)

Trip highlights

Escorted by Choir Master, Stuart Davis whose passion, expertise and joy for singing turns each day into an inspiring and memorable experience. Together we'll create a musical gift we can offer our hosts along the way which enriches our experience and makes it a genuine 2 way cultural exchange.
Join a gospel church service, traditional drumming workshop, and experience highlife and palm wine music
Experience the Akwasidae Festival in Kumasi, with a dazzling spectacle of chiefs, dancers and drums
Witness the Vodun Festival in Ouidah, the spiritual tradition we know as “voodoo,” where rituals honour supernatural forces in colour, drums and chants
Trace the history of the slave trade from the “Door of No Return” in Elmina’s to walking the Slave Route in Porto-Novo.
Visit the on water village of Ganvie, and visit instrument-makers in Avranko crafting drums from raffia palm

Overview

This journey takes you deep into the heart of West Africa, where music is the very fabric of life. Guided by Stuart Davis, we’ll not only listen but join in - singing, drumming and sharing music as it is lived across Ghana, Togo and Benin. Most days begin with a group singing session led by Stuart – not only an uplifting way to connect within the group, but a chance to create something we can share with our hosts along the way, enriching the journey as a genuine cultural exchange.

We begin in Accra, Ghana’s vibrant capital, before travelling along the coast to Elmina, where the stark white walls of St George’s Castle bear witness to the painful history of the slave trade. We also walk through the sobering ‘Door of No Return’, and begin to see how music has long been both cultural expression and a form of resistance. Inland in Kumasi, the seat of the Ashanti Kingdom, we witness the dazzling Akwasidae Festival and join the harmonies of a gospel congregation to celebrate the New Year.

We experience music woven into daily work with the Nglo fishing community, where call-and-response singing drives the rhythm as heavy nets are pulled ashore. At Davedi, we explore pineapple fields and palm plantations, learning how palm oil, gin and the lightly fermented, slightly fizzy palm wine are made.

We spend time in the riverside village of Atsiekpoe, where they share crafts such as basket weaving, and termite clay building, before we join in song with students and teachers of the Nunya Academy, a school dedicated to developing youth talent.

In Togo, we stroll through Lomé’s lively markets and arts scene, and in Benin journey to the stilt village of Ganvié, where life is lived entirely on water. In Porto-Novo, we meet artisans who still craft instruments from raffia palm, and gather in Ouidah for one of the world’s most powerful cultural experiences – the annual Vodun (voodoo) Festival.

This is a rare chance to hear, feel and share in the soundtrack of West Africa.

Itinerary

Expand all | Collapse all

Welcome to Ghana, the gateway to West Africa and the starting point of our musical journey. On arrival in Accra you’ll be met at the airport and transferred to our hotel, with time to rest before our welcome dinner. Our hotel is located at the start of Oxford Street in Osu, an area with trendy eateries, clubs and local chop bars. Accra is a city where tradition meets modernity: vibrant neighbourhoods lined with food stalls selling jollof rice, grilled tilapia and fried plantains sit alongside colonial-era architecture, busy boulevards and contemporary art spaces. At dinner this evening we’ll gather as a group for the first time, as Stuart sets the scene for the days ahead – a journey through Ghana, Togo and Benin where music is a way of life. Overnight: Urbano Hotel, Accra

Meals: D

Before we begin our exploration of Accra, we enjoy the first of our regular morning rehearsals with Stuart, a fantastic way to start the day together in song. These sessions bring our group together and are intended to be relaxed and enjoyable, no matter each persons experience. Our day continues with a walking tour of Jamestown and Ussher Town, neighbourhoods that date back to the 17th century and remain home to the Ga fishing community. With our local guide we stroll through narrow alleys, pausing at the Jamestown Lighthouse for harbour views and the remnants of tunnels once linked to the slave trade. We also step inside the colourful Brazil House, built by Afro-Brazilian returnees in the 19th century, now a small museum and cultural centre. The Ga people are also renowned for their carpentry, in particular their extraordinary figurative coffins, designed to reflect the life of the deceased, shaped like a fish, a beer bottle, even a mini-bus. In the afternoon we visit the National Museum, where our guide begins to unfold the story of Ghana and West Africa, a story deeply entwined with music. From ancient drums once used in ritual communication to the golden age of highlife and the rise of Afrobeat, music here has always been both cultural expression and a form of resistance. Highlife music, born in Ghana in the early 20th century, blends African rhythms with jazz, swing and brass instruments that became the soundtrack of independence movements. We’ll round out the day by seeking out a live highlife performance. Overnight: Urbano Hotel, Accra

Meals: B,L

We leave Accra this morning and follow the Atlantic coastline westward, where palms line the shore and fishing villages punctuate the drive. By afternoon we reach Elmina, one of West Africa’s oldest European settlements and still a thriving coastal town. Our visit begins with St George’s Castle, the UNESCO World Heritage-listed fortress first built by the Portuguese in 1482. Its dungeons tell sobering stories of the trans-Atlantic slave trade. Walking through its chambers and standing at the “Door of No Return” is an unforgettable reminder of the resilience of those who passed through here. From the castle we continue on foot through Elmina town itself with it's atmospheric narrow streets and brightly painted fishing boats are drawn up on the beach. Throughout Ghana, New Year’s Eve is marked by “cross over” church services, a powerful tradition of music, prayer and community. Tonight, we’ll have the option to join a local congregation for this moving celebration, offering an authentic and unique welcome to the New Year. Drive 4 hours Overnight: Golden Hill Parker, Elmina

Meals: B,L,D

We explore the living musical traditions of Elmina. We’ll join an Anglo fishing community to experience music woven into daily work. Here, as fishermen pull in their nets, call and response singing creates a rhythm and energy that helps synchronise the heavy labour. On Elmina’s beach, we gather for a drumming workshop. Local percussionists introduce us to the traditional rhythms of Ghana, explaining how drums have long been used as a language of communication and celebration. Drumming together is about listening, responding, and finding a shared pulse, just as communities here have done for centuries. The afternoon is free to relax, wander Elmina’s streets at your own pace, or simply sit by the Atlantic ocean and let the sounds of the coast sink in. Overnight: Golden Hill Parker, Elmina

Meals: B,L,D

Today we leave the coast behind and head inland towards Kumasi, the vibrant heart of the Ashanti Kingdom. Founded in the late 17th century, the Ashanti people, one of the most powerful and influential ethnic groups in Ghana. Known for its colourful markets, crafts, and royal history, Kumasi remains the cultural centre of Ghana. We visit the Cultural Centre, a lively hub where artisans carve wood, weave kente cloth, and shape brass into intricate designs. It’s a chance to see Ashanti traditions up close and to understand how art, music and storytelling are interwoven in daily life. Enroute, we visit the village of the people of the Bamboo Orchestra, a unique ensemble whose instruments are crafted entirely from bamboo and sound deeply rooted in the palm-wine music tradition, They will give us a performance. Drive 5 hours Overnight: Ikes Village, Kumasi

Meals: B,L

This morning we join the Sunday service at a gospel church for an unforgettable experience of Ghanaian worship. The moment the service begins, the building erupts in music – a full band, powerful harmonies, clapping hands and joyous call-and-response singing. Singing here is uplifting, unifying, and a true celebration of community and spirit. After we attend the Akwasidae Festival, a traditional Ashanti celebration held every six weeks in Kumasi. The festival honours ancestors and the Ashanti King, the Asantehene, who presides in regal splendour beneath a ceremonial umbrella. The air is alive with drumming, horns and song as chiefs, dancers and community groups arrive in colourful kente cloth, each procession adding to the pageantry. Overnight: Ikes Village, Kumasi

Meals: B,L

Leaving on the busy Kumasi highway, we travel southeast with the scenery shifting as we approach the lush Volta region with it's farmland, forested hills and roadside stalls brim with pineapples, bananas, cassava and plantains. We pause at Cedi Beads, where artisans keep alive the Krobo tradition of bead-making. Here, recycled glass is ground, moulded, fired and polished into vibrant designs, each bead carrying cultural significance and often used in ceremonies. By late afternoon we reach Akisombo and settle into our riverside lodge on the Volta River where boats drift by and green hillsides rise behind the bank. Drive 5.5 hours Overnight: Afrikiko Riverfront Resort, Akisombo

Meals: B,L,D

We continue to Keta, an area long known for its music and storytelling traditions. Along the way we stop at Atsiekpoe, a riverbank community we have an ongoing partnership with. Tourism here has supported grassroots projects including health centre and solar-powered drinking water, helping the village thrive. Life in Atsiekpoe revolves around the river. With a local guide, we stroll through the village to meet the chief and residents and learn about traditional building techniques, including houses made with termite clay and thatched roofing. Families continue to practise age-old crafts such as basket weaving, shrimp traps and blacksmithing, and local women will demonstrate how to wrap hair and wear cloth for ceremonies. The community has a strong tradition of democratic governance under its elders, and music and rhythm are woven into daily life. As guests we are welcomed warmly, with the chance to sit with the chief and hear about local customs. This authentic encounter offers a rare and intimate glimpse into Ewe culture before we continue to Keta. Drive 5 hours Overnight: Aborigine Beach Resort, Keta

Meals: B,L,D

Today we spend time in a beautiful rural area of southern Ghana, dotted with small Ewe villages. Our focus is on youth and music, we visit a primary and lower secondary school that was founded with a passion for developing musical talent. We hope to arrange a singing session together with the teachers and students. This region is also closely associated with Voodoo, a tradition often misunderstood outside West Africa. Here, Voodoo is deeply connected to drumming and dance, with rhythms that underpin ceremonies and community life. Learning about these practices will give us insight into our days ahead in Benin and the Vodun festival. We combine our stay in Keta at the beach with meeting the fisherman and learning about their musical rhythms linked to the sea and working their boat and nets. Drive 3 hours roundtrip Overnight: Aborigine Beach Resort, Keta

Meals: B,L,D

We cross into Benin, reaching Ouidah, a historic town with a powerful dual identity -once a major port of the trans-Atlantic slave trade, and the spiritual centre of Vodun (voodoo). As the annual Vodun Festival approaches, the atmosphere builds: shrines adorned with offerings and drummers rehearsing in courtyards. We take part in pre-festival activities, gaining insight into rituals that connect ancestors, spirits, music and dance in ways both sacred and celebratory. We combine our stay in Ouidah with visiting the Route des Esclaves – the Slave Route – where monuments and memorials mark the path once walked by thousands of enslaved Africans to the ships waiting on the coast. It is a sobering but essential journey in our understanding this country’s past. We also explore Ouidahs sacred sites, beginning with the Python Temple, where dozens of live pythons are revered as earthly manifestations of the Vodun spirit Dangbé. Nearby lies the Sacred Forest, where towering trees shelter shrines and statues of Vodun deities. *the activities around the festival days may change to allow for the best experiences. Drive: 3 hours plus border crossings Overnight: MGA Hotel, Ouidah

Meals: B,L,D

Today we immerse ourselves in one of West Africa’s most extraordinary cultural celebrations, the annual Vodun Festival, held each January in Ouidah. Vodun (known internationally as “voodoo”) originated here in Benin and is still practised by millions, blending ancestral worship, music, dance and ritual. The day involves processions along Ouidah’s streets: costumed devotees, priests and priestesses, and dancers in vivid dress carrying offerings to shrines. At the heart of the festival are the Egungun masquerades, towering figures draped in layers of brightly coloured cloth who whirl and spin as the crowd sings and drums. Each mask represents an ancestral spirit, and their movements are believed to bring blessings, protection and guidance. The Vodun Festival is a vivid reminder of how music and ritual are inseparable here. Overnight: MGA Hotel, Ouidah

Meals: B,L,D

We leave Ouidah and continue via Benin’s capital of Porto-Novo, to our stay in Cotonou. We meet Avranko’s artisans. Here, picturesque villages, set on the Black River are home to fisherman and and traditions in wood carving, palm wine tapping and instrument-makers who transform raffia palm and other natural materials into drums, rattles and stringed instruments. We combine this visit with a walk through Porto Novo town, the tranquil administrative capital of Benin, where the colonial, Afro-Brasilian, and traditional neighbourhoods all share intriguing and inspiring stories of the past and present. We return to Cotonou where we spend the night. Overnight: La Maison Cotonou

Meals: B,L

Lomé is Togo's capital, with it's mix of French, Ewe and modern West African influences. The city lies along the Atlantic coast, with wide beaches lined with palm trees and markets filled with spices, grilled maize and smoked fish, and colourful fabrics, beads and carved masks. En route we travel by boat to Ganvié, the extraordinary stilt village on Lake Nokoué. Established in the 17th century by the Tofinu people seeking refuge from slave raiders, Ganvié remains home to around 20,000 people who live entirely on the water. Drive 4 hours Overnight: Le Petit Bruxelles, Lome

Meals: B,L

We visit Davedi, a nearby town where we’ll walk through pineapple fields and palm plantations, learning how local families use the palm as cooking oil too gin. We also discover the process of making palm wine, a lightly fermented drink tapped directly from the sap of the palm tree. Slightly sweet and naturally fizzy, it is best enjoyed fresh and is a favourite at social gatherings across West Africa. Later there is free time to soak up Lome's charms, you may wish to explore the Palais de Lomé, a beautifully restored colonial-era building now a contemporary arts and culture centre surrounded by a lush botanical garden, and the Musée International d’Art d’Afrique, home to an exceptional private collection of ceremonial masks and statues. In the evening, Lomé comes alive with music. We can head to 50-50, a buzzing street food area where local musicians create a joyous soundtrack to our final night in Togo. Overnight: Le Petit Bruxelles, Lome

Meals: B

We'll break up our drive to Accra with a stop at the Nkyinkyim Museum, an outdoor museum telling the story of African cultural heritage and Africa's journey of liberation, and exhibits installations of beautiful and inspiring art pieces. Drive 6 hours Overnight: Mahogany Lodge, Accra

Meals: B,L

As we leave, the sounds of Ghana, Togo and Benin stay with us, the sounds of the markets, the drums, gospel choirs and of Vodun ceremonies - the soundtrack of West Africa.

Meals: B

Ready to start your adventure?

View dates to Book

What’s included?

Included

Hosted by choir master Stuart Davis
English speaking local guide
Private air conditioned vehicle transport throughout
15 breakfasts, 13 lunches and 8 dinners
Airport transfers day 1 and 16
Sightseeing, activities and entrance fees as listed in itinerary
Local guides and visits as listed in the itinerary

Not included

International flights
Travel Insurance - compulsory
Visas
Single supplement when booked in your own room
Additional airport transfers (other than Days 1 & 16)
Meals and beverages not listed in the itinerary
Bottled water, aerated and alcoholic beverages
Tips

About your guide

Stuart Davis is a respected figure in Sydney’s choir and community music scene, known for his warmth, depth of musical knowledge and passion for connecting people through song. For over a decade, he’s led singing journeys around the world from Morocco to Cuba, Georgia to Italy, with a deep interest in how music reflects local history, identity and resilience. West Africa holds particular meaning for Stuart. His long-standing interest in the transatlantic slave trade and its enduring cultural impact has led to years of research and creative work. He’s especially moved by how the music of enslaved people evolved into some of the world’s most powerful musical forms: gospel, blues, jazz, rock and roll, Afro-Cuban and Afro-Brazilian music. Stuart has written a musical play exploring these origins, and brings a sense of respect and insight to this journey, all with his infectious energy so expect joyful group singing, spontaneous harmonies, and plenty of fun. At home, Stuart directs three community choirs, performs with his roots band Big Merino, sings in the Heavenly Light Quartet, and works on inclusive music programs like Big Heart Sing (Sydney Opera House) and the NSW Boys’ Vocal Program. Travelling with Stuart means enjoying music in wonderful places, learning about local traditions, and sharing the simple joy of singing with like-minded people.