Jolinaiko Eco Tours - Experience West Africa!
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Meet your guides and drivers

portrait of Apollo Panou

Meet your guide: Apollo Panou

Apollo is the director and main engine behind Jolinaiko Eco Tours. He was born in 1973 in a small town in the Eastern Region of Ghana. Due to his father’s profession as a French teacher, Apollo lived in countries throughout West Africa and experienced different cultures. The different cultures he experienced and the languages he learnt are very helpful while travelling.

“One of the biggest advantage is that I learnt English, French, Ewe, Twi, Ga (Ghana), Fon (Benin) and Yuruba (Nigeria), for which I am very grateful. This gave me the opportunity to share my country with everybody who wants to learn about this region.”  

Apollo has his professional qualifications in the area of tourism and is a member of the Ghana Tour Guide Association. He is also and experienced caterer. In the back-office, Apollo is assisted by Cindy Noordermeer, who is the main contact for potential clients and handles all email communication about travel proposals when Apollo is on a tour.

Meet your guide: Isaac Aziawo

portrait of Isaac Aziawo

Isaac is one of our main guides. He is proud of his African culture and this made him decide to engage himself in tourism. After studying Geography at the University of Lome in Togo, he accomplished several tourism courses at the HOTCATT (Hotel, Catering and Tourism) Academy. in Accra. His sociable and pleasant character, his ability to speak English, French and local several languages fluently, and his knowledge of the African traditions and beliefs, make him an excellent guide for all our Ghana, Togo, Benin tours.
A video of Isaac can be found on Youtube.

Meet your driver/guide: Wisdom Akpabli

portrait of Wisdom Akpabli

“No matter what kind of question you ask, you will get an answer”. This is one of the responses we receive from people travelling with Wisdom. He is a professional guide with in-depth understanding of the Ghanaian culture. He accomplished his degree in geography at the University of Legon in Ghana and various tourism courses at HOTCATT. Besides his professionalism, his pleasant and sociable character, he is also a good driver and this makes him one of our main driver-guides.

portrait of Sammy Bans

Meet your guide: Sammy Bans

Sammy Bans was born in a little village near Ho, the capital of the Volta region in Ghana. His father being a teacher, he was raised up in many different places in Ghana. Consequently, he got to know the country and the local languages very well. He has been working as a guide for various agencies since 1991, and finished several courses at HOTCATT (Hotel, Catering and Tourism Academy). He is known for his in-depth knowledge and understanding of Ghanaian culture, local traditions and history, and has a broad network of contacts in Ghanaian society. Sammy is a member of the Ghana Tour Guide Association and they share the same vision on tourism in the country. " Travelling is much more than work; it is more of less a way of life." Sammy is a great guide for all your adventure and culture tours in Ghana.

portrait of Natan

Meet your guide: Natan

When Jolinaiko Eco Tours is organizing group tours, they certainly engage Natan. Natan is an official guide and member of the Tour Guide Association and organizing and guiding group tours is his specialization. He is very well-spoken and his speeches about Ghana are excellent.

portrait of Ben Mensah

Meet your driver: Ben Mensah

Ben once received the nickname “Landrover Budha” and no other name is better chosen. Ben driving the Landrover is a phenomenon throughout Ghana. He is a reliable, confident, courageous and hard working person. He worked as a driver for various tour operators organizing tours from the West African coast to the Saharan countries. He is one of our main drivers and a great benefit to Jolinaiko Eco tours.

portrait of Francis Gisidu

Meet your driver/guide: Francis Gisidu

Francis Gidisu is a great help to Jolinaiko Eco Tours. Although he is computer hardware technician by profession, he has been working as a professional driver for many years, He was one of the first drivers Jolinaiko Eco Tours started to work with. And after all those years of experience, he has become more or less a tour guide as well. Francis and Apollo know each other from secondary school. Francis is a very sociable and enjoyable person to travel around with and a very good driver.

portrait of Abdoulai

Meet your driver: Abdoulai

No destination within the West African Region is too far for Abdoulai. He gained so much experience working as a driver for the main West Africa Travel Specialist in Togo for many years. Besides his excellent driving skills, he is adventurous, trustful and friendly. Having all West African destinations under his thumb makes him our main driver and advisor for multiple country tours.

portrait of Stanley Aggor

Meet your driver/guide: Stanley Aggor

Stanley worked as a driver for a German NGO for more then 15 years. He was based in Ghana but travelled to Benin, Togo and Cote d’Ivoire on a regular base. Working closely together with German and other European nationalities offered him very good inter-cultural skills. His enthusiasm to share his experience and knowledge with others makes him very pleasant company during your tour.

portrait of James Amazu

Meet your driver: James Amazu

James Amuzu is an excellent driver and a great company during your tours. He has been working as a personal driver for the official staff of the Dutch Embassy for more than 10 years, where he got acquainted with the western, and especially Dutch, culture and family life.

James and Apollo are very good friends for many years. Every time James is on leave, he works as a driver for Jolinaiko Eco Tours. Since he goes along with children very well, he is an excellent driver for our specialised tours with parents and children.

portrait ofEvans Ofori

Meet your driver: Evans Ofori

Evans Ofori is one of our responsible and skilled drivers. He joined Jolinaiko Eco Tours early 2008 and in a couple of months, he covered a total distance of more then 10,000 km. Since then, he knows all remote corners of his country Ghana. Evans is a pleasant person to work and travel with; he has been a working as a professional (lorry) driver for many years and he is a qualified mechanic as well.

“ I travelled with Apollo for two weeks throughout Ghana, Togo, and Benin. I had the freedom to go where I wanted, when I wanted, as fast as I wanted, and change plans daily, all with the security of a knowledgeable guide.

Through Apollo's professionalism, excellent conversation, courtesy, open mindedness, tolerance and enthusiasm I was able to learn and live Africa more so than many of my other trips combined. Africa is no longer a distant place on a map, or a show on T.V. but many faces, smiles, songs, smells, colors and friends to me. Travel needs to be experienced in this way.

The world needs more Apollo's to bring us all a little closer together, understand each other better, break barriers and live and breathe a country that is not our own. Thank you for the fantastic memories, daily experiences, conversation, trust, comfort, laughs and friendship.

Can't think of anything I would have changed. ”

Ginny,
Canada. sankofa
“ I just wanted to send off a quick note to let you know how happy I was with my trip to Benin and especially with Boris. I have done a bit of travelling in my time and I have to say that without a doubt, spending time with Boris as my guide was like travelling with one of my best friends. You should be very proud of his professionalism, the way that he represents your company, and most importantly his country and his culture.

Spending a week in Ouidah walking around, talking with Boris and snapping pictures here and there was more than I could have asked for or expected and can only wish that every travelling experience from now on can be like my one to Benin. Thank you again for helping set up my trip and for giving me the opportunity to make a great friend in Africa, Boris. ”

Marc Davidson,
Toronto, Canada.