Afadzato South Snake Village

The Zimmaziwo Snake Zoo and Herbal Medicine Centre, widely known as the Snake Village, sits at Liati Soba in the Afadzato South District of the Volta Region, in the hills of Mount Afadja (Afadjato). The district assembly lists it among its tourism sites under the categories of community tourism, nature and wildlife reserve, and it is described as a quiet, serene place surrounded by tall trees.

The site is closely identified with its manager, Gado Safiu, who has run it since 1996 and has spent roughly three decades working with snakes. His involvement began in 1982, when he caught snakes for a foreigner who then trained him in herpetology, including snake behaviour, safe handling, egg harvesting, venom extraction and the traditional uses of snake bones. He is also a herbal practitioner, a skill he traces to lessons from his grandparents in Benin.

What visitors encounter has changed over time. A 2022 report described 22 snakes of different species on site, including the African ball python, black, yellow and white mambas, vipers and cobras. Earlier reporting noted that the village had once housed more than 15 types of snakes, and that a 1.7 metre python escaped in 2015 because of poor conditions. At the time of that report, ball pythons and vipers were being kept, with efforts under way to add more snakes. Visits are described as intimate and instructive rather than caged: under supervision, visitors can observe and, if willing, touch, hold and have certain snakes draped around their necks.

Gado Safiu has said he established the place partly to break the myth of enmity between snakes and humans, and that snakes are not dangerous if treated well. The sanctuary has become a popular stop for schoolchildren during holidays and for foreign visitors wanting to learn about snakes, and it has been described as having potential to become a snake farm and anti-snake venom research centre. He has appealed to investors for better cages for public viewing and a rest place for visitors.

Practical planning details are limited. No direct contact for the snake village itself was found. The district authority working to develop the site is the Afadzato South District Assembly, P.O. Box 645, Ve-Golokuati, digital address VF-0000-6173, phone (+233) 55 906 5154, email [email protected]. Opening hours, entry fees and current animal numbers are not confirmed here, so visitors should treat those as unknown and confirm before travelling.