Ghana In Depth

Akwaaba (Welcome)! Upon arrival at Accra International Airport, you will be met and transferred to your hotel. The remainder of the day is at your leisure to relax and explore on your own.

Accommodation: Lancaster Accra

After breakfast at your hotel, your guide will pick you up for your sightseeing tour of Accra. The capital of Ghana since 1877, has a blend of colonial and modern architecture that summarizes the history of this capital city. Visit the W. E. B. Dubois Centre for Pan African Culture, before heading to Independence/ Black Star Square with its many monuments dedicated to Ghana's independence struggles including the Independence Arch and Black Star Gate. Next, head to Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park, dedicated to prominent Ghanaian President Kwame Nkrumah. End your tour at the Arts Centre where you will have an opportunity to use your bargaining skills to shop from an open-air market for artifacts from Ghana and West Africa before returning to your hotel where the remainder of the day is at your leisure.

After breakfast, check out of your hotel and drive to Kakum National Park, one of West Africa's surviving tropical rain forests. Extending over 360sq km, Kakum is the home to over 40 large mammals and 400 bird species as well as many species of butterflies, flora, and fauna. The most popular attraction is the Canopy walkway, which is made up of seven bridges extending 330m, hanging 30m (100 feet) above the forest floor. Enjoy a 2 km nature walk through this forest to discover the wide variety of exotic floral species and the medicinal values they offer.
Afterward, embark on a tour of the infamous Forts, Castles, and Slave Dungeons of Ghana. History will unfold the story of the slave trade, of which the impact is still felt beyond the shores of Africa today. Visit the Cape Coast Castle, which was built by the Swedes in 1653 and was later taken over by the British. This castle also houses the West African Historical Museum established by the Smithsonian Institute in collaboration with the Ghanaian Government in 1994.

Accommodation: Ridge Royal Hotel

After early morning breakfast, depart the hotel for your visit to the Elmina Castle built by the Portuguese in 1482. Also known as St. George's Castle, Elmina Castle was the first European structure built in Sub - Saharan Africa. The colorful harbor nestled below, full of pirogues preparing to go to the sea offers one of West Africa's greatest photo opportunities.
After a break for lunch (on your own account), this afternoon you embark on a guided walking tour of Elmina, which was the first point of European contact in Sub-Saharan Africa and was once the most cosmopolitan city in Tropical Africa.
What better way to appreciate it than to immerse oneself in its main industry -- fishing! Meet with local fishermen to learn the intricacies of their trade and the challenges they face in their day-to-day work. Next, meet the fishmongers in the village who will demonstrate the various stages of smoking the fish in earthenware ovens. This is a unique way to experience one of Ghana's oldest and most important trades.

After breakfast, depart your hotel and visit the Global Mamas Cultural Workshop. Explore the fragrant and exotic flavors of West African cuisine in Auntie Esi's kitchen. Esi will introduce you to an array of new tastes and flavors as you learn how to create authentic Ghanaian dishes. Using African cooking techniques, during this workshop you will create traditional dishes like fufu, groundnut soup, fried plantain, palava sauce, and red red. After learning the recipes, enjoy eating the feast you've helped to prepare. Afterward, discover the art and beauty of African batik and get a glimpse into the life of a local artisan as you work side-by-side during this four-hour class. Join a Global Mamas' batiker in her workshop to learn the traditional techniques of batik production using wax and dye to create colorful patterns - to make your own one-of-a-kind fabric. Afterward, take your two yards of handiwork home to sew into a finished product that will always have a special place in your home or wardrobe.

After this morning breakfast, check out of your hotel and depart on your drive through the forest zone as you head towards Kumasi, the seat of the Ashanti Empire to explore the legends of the famous Ashanti people, whose legacies are still evident today. En route, stop in the town of Assin Manso, where you will visit the site of "Donkor Nsuo", the former Slave River and market, as well as the final transit point for a large number of enslaved Africans. This is the final resting place for two ancestors whose mortal remains were returned from the USA and Jamaica and re-interred there.
Afterward, continue to Kumasi where you will visit the Manhyia Palace Museum to obtain firsthand information on the legacies of the Ashanti kingdom, with a regal history that dates back to 1700 and is told with relics and artifacts. Enjoy a drive through the city with monuments dedicated to the memory of the great Ashanti people. Your city tour on this day will also include a visit to the famous Kejetia market, the National Cultural Centre which features the Prempeh II Jubilee Museum, and various studios of the brass makers, potters, and batik makers.

Accommodation: Lancaster Kumasi City Hotel

After breakfast, you will be picked up from your hotel for your day's sightseeing. Enjoy visits to three craft villages where you will have the opportunity to see how African crafts are made and to buy directly from the artisans who make them if you are so inclined. First up is Ahwiaa, a village noted for their woodcarvings along with other handicrafts. Next is a visit to Ntonso, the home of Adinkra cloth. Here you can see the Adinkra cloth made from scratch. The Adinkra was originally only worn Ashanti Region for funerals and made primarily in black or brown, however, nowadays it is made in various colors and used throughout Ghana. Our last stop of the day is Bonwire, the Kente weaving village. Here you will be able to see how these colorful fabrics are made. Afterward, return to your hotel where the remainder of the day is at your leisure.

After another delicious breakfast, check out of your hotel and depart to Mole. Enroute, stop at the former slave markets of Kintampo and Assin Bono, enjoying this scenic but haunting drive through the land where the slave trade took place. Along the way, you'll notice the change in climate and terrain, which has a direct bearing on the population of Africans that the slave traders targeted. Visit the Kintampo Waterfalls to experience the cool, invigorating atmosphere created by nature and savor the breath-taking view of the cascading waterfall before continuing your drive to Mole.

Accommodation: Zaina Lodge

After breakfast, your day begins with a visit to the Larabanga Mosque, which is thought to be the oldest mosque in Ghana and West Africa. It is popularly referred to as the 'Mecca of West Africa', because of its rich historical and architectural values. At 8m by 8m, the Larabanga Mosque made it to the World Monuments Fund's List of 100 Most Endangered Sites.
Later in the afternoon, set off with a specialist guide in specially made safari vehicles on an afternoon game drive. You'll spend approx. an hour or so in Mole National Park as you search out the many inhabitants of this area including buffaloes, hyenas, roan antelopes, leopards, elephants, and hartebeest.

After breakfast, depart for an early morning safari before you head back to your hotel for breakfast. Afterward, check out of your hotel and depart to Tamale Airport where you will board your flight to Accra. Upon arrival, you will be met and transferred to your hotel where the remainder of the day is at your leisure.

Accommodation: African Regent Hotel

Enjoy breakfast at your hotel this morning. Depart Accra on a scenic drive to a beautiful village located in the Volta Region. Here you will have the opportunity to pay a courtesy call on the Chief and elders before participating in a traditional naming ceremony, where a Ghanaian name is given to participants and a gift presented as a part of celebrating a new identity as a Ghanaian and member of the local community. Afterward, return to Accra overnight.

Another delicious breakfast at your hotel this morning followed by time at leisure. Later, you are transferred to the airport in time for your onward flight.