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: Boris Medatinssa

portrait of Boris Medatinssa

Boris Medatinssa is our main guide for Togo, Benin and the Volta Region in Ghana. He was born in 1980 in the small town Ouidah in Southern Benin and he lived for many years in the capital Cotonou. He has been living in Ghana since 2003, where he studied marketing. He gained his first experience in tourism while working for an international student exchange organization. He liked it so much that he decided to keep tourism as his main focus.

Boris' social and positive attitude, his ability to speak French, English and local languages, and his understanding of African traditions and beliefs, especially voodoo, makes him an excellent guide for (combined) tours to Benin. Besides guiding activities, he is also responsible for back-office work for Jolinaiko.

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

Natan is also an official guide and member of the Tour Guide Association. He has very good administrative and organizational skills and is mainly involved with Jolinaiko Eco tours as a consultant. His expertise is guiding group tours and he is excellent in his speeches about Ghana.

portrait of James

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 of Souleman

Meet your driver: Souleman

If you ask Apollo about his example in terms of tourism he will talk about the Francophone tour operators who organise real adventure tours from the West African coast to the Saharan countries. Souleman gained a lot of travel experience working for many different tour operators in Togo. He is a very trustful driver who knows all places throughout the West African region. His Toyota Van has a laissez-passer which enables him to cross all West African borders and this makes him the best driver for our multiple-country tours through the region.

portrait of Evans

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.

portrait of Francis

Meet your driver: Francis Gisidu

Francis Gisidu is a great help to Jolinaiko Eco Tours. Although he is computer hardware technician by profession, he also rents out his Opel Astra for tour and travel purposes. Everybody who prefers a comfortable Sedan car (with air-conditioning) will be linked with Francis. After doing so many tours with us, he has become more or less a tour guide. 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.

“ 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.