Transportation
Crossing the Border
Sometimes, smiling and being friendly with the officers on the Nigerian side worked for me as I either didn’t have to pay anything at all or only a fraction of what they had initially asked for. Other times, not so much plus the guys at the Beninese side were not falling for that at all!
Of course, you can escape all of this by taking a ‘luxurious’ bus from Lagos. They manage all the border formalities on your behalf.
Documents Needed
Passport & a yellow card
Money
You can change money once you get to Seme town. At the time of this writing, the exchange rate is N1000 to 1325CFA, which is pretty bad compared to a 1:3 ratio obtained before.
I tried couchsurfing for the first time. This is a service that allows people host travellers in their homes for free or just simply meet up with them. It’s great for budget travellers because, you don’t have to pay for a hotel and it is safe once you’re cautious and put safety measures in place. Mark (who was my host) will be sharing some tips about using this service later on.
Travel Cost Breakdown Lagos to Cotonou Road Trip
Hi Amara,
Google search popped up your blog and now I’ve been one hour in…..sigh….can’t get enough. Really love seeing things through your eyes.
I and my friends are planning a weekend drive to Benin so two questions biko. What’s the likely maximum cost of stamping one’s passport at immigration? Is it possible((and safe) to drive to the Border and pack there for a few nights whilst we hustle the rest of the way with local transport?
Hey Chichi, I’m so happy you found my blog and glad you liked it too. If it’s your first time traveling, you should budget between N5,000 – N6,000 (if you’re not ready to stand your ground, beg/negotiate your way through the border). I’m not sure of where to park your car if you drive. I literally can’t see anywhere in my head.
Gosh!!!!!!!! Your blog is the real deal! Not all the “boujeeness” that Nigerians like to form for a trip. Makes traveling possible for every middle class working person. You dont need to make a million before you make a trip! Thank you sooo much!
🙂 Thank you! That’s the exact message of this blog. Travel can be expensive, but doesn’t always have to be.
Hello Amarachi…this is really nice. I am looking to do a road trip for 5th of september up to ghana. The idea of couchsurfing sounds appealing. Thanks and will be glad for any additional info.
Hello Banks, I have a 3 part series of this trip and of the trip to Ghana (available in the ‘Ghana archives’). They should give you an idea of what to expect and a soft plan for your trip. As for couchsurfing, you need to create a profile on the website/app and look for hosts. You can follow Mark’s advice from this post(https://www.travelwithapen.com/2016/11/jjcs-guide-couchsurfing-like-pro/) to get you all set up.