Tourist site — UNESCO
Togo's only UNESCO World Heritage site, about 1.5 hours' drive north of Kara.
About fifty kilometers north of Kara, past the town of Kandé, lies Koutammakou: a living cultural landscape inscribed since 2004 on the UNESCO World Heritage List. It is home to the Batammariba people ("those who shape the earth"), famous for their takienta, extraordinary multi-level mud tower-houses that serve as homes, granaries and small family fortresses all at once.
A detour through Koutammakou is a promise of an authentic encounter with architecture unique in the world and a way of life that has stayed true to its traditions. Our front-desk team will be happy to help you organize your excursion from the hotel.
Tourist site
The beating heart of the city of Kara, just minutes from the hotel.
A central landmark of the city of Kara, Place de la Victoire is a must-visit to feel the pulse of the city: lively traffic, surrounding shops and local life to observe. It's an excellent starting point to explore downtown on foot before heading to the main market or the surrounding neighborhoods.
Tourist site
Colors, crafts and local produce in the heart of the city.
Kara's main market is a must for anyone wanting to soak up the local atmosphere: colorful fabric stalls, crafts, spices, fresh fruit and vegetables, basketry... An ideal sensory experience to bring back an authentic souvenir of your stay, just minutes from the Hôtel de l'Union.
Tourist site — Nature
Togo's largest national park, between mountains, forests and savannas.
On the border of the Kara and Centrale regions, Fazao-Malfakassa National Park spans roughly 192,000 hectares of mountains, forests and savannas. Visitors can spot elephants, buffalo, antelope and exceptional birdlife along hiking trails and safari circuits led by local guides. A great nature excursion to plan during your stay in Kara.
Traditional festival
The most spectacular rite of passage in the Kabyè region, every year in July in Kara.
Evala is the biggest popular festival in the Kabyè region and one of Togo's major cultural events. Every year, starting the second week of July, young men of the Kozah prefecture aged 18 to 20 (the Kondona) compete in traditional wrestling in the arenas of Kara and the surrounding villages. It is a genuine rite of passage: after a long period of physical and psychological preparation, this contest marks their symbolic entry into manhood.
Around the wrestling matches, the whole city comes alive: cultural evenings, concerts, traditional songs and dances, storytelling nights... A week of unique festivities to experience at least once, while staying comfortably at the Hôtel de l'Union, right next to the action.
Traditional festival
The female counterpart of Evala, celebrated right after it throughout the Kabyè region.
Akpéma is the initiation rite for young Kabyè women around 18 years old, traditionally celebrated right after Evala. Guided by initiated women, the young women receive teachings on the values and responsibilities of adult life, before being publicly presented to the community, adorned in traditional outfits and ornaments.
The ceremony concludes with a big family and neighborhood celebration called Tchimou: songs, drum dances and tasting of tchoukoutou, the traditional millet beer. Out of respect for custom, filming during the rites themselves is traditionally forbidden; however, the Tchimou festivities in the neighborhoods offer a wonderful opportunity to share in this powerful moment of Kabyè culture.
Book your room at the Hôtel de l'Union and enjoy a comfortable stay while exploring the tourist sites and living the great traditional festivals of the Kabyè region.
Book My Stay