Natitingou

Natitingou sits in a valley in the Atacora and is the base for everything in Benin's northwest: Pendjari National Park to the north, the Batammariba country of Koutammakou to the west, and the hills around. A regional museum in the town covers the peoples of the Atacora, their architecture and their practices. The town itself is a market and administrative centre with the hills rising on both sides.

History

The town was founded by the Waama, and by popular etymology its name comes from Nantibatingou, from the Waama root nanto, to crush, since the people here were known for growing sorghum. Local animists hold that spirits live in the mountains on either side and in the evening make sounds like the stones women use to crush grain, so grain is not crushed in the evening, and European missionaries visited the town in the 19th and early 20th centuries (Wikipedia, Natitingou).

What to look for

• The regional museum - the collection on the peoples of the Atacora.
• The valley setting - the town between the ridges of the range.
• The market - the trading centre for the surrounding hill country.
• The base position - the departure point for Pendjari and Koutammakou.

When to go

November to February is the cool dry season and the park season. The rains from May close the park. March and April are extremely hot.

Before you go

The museum keeps irregular hours and has been closed for periods. The town is workaday with limited facilities. Roads out to the villages are rough.

Nearby

Tanougou Falls are north, and the Taneka villages are east.

Key facts