Ghana Odyssey: Accra, Elmina, Assin Manso & More

Upon arrival at Accra's Kokota International Airport, you will be met by Goway's local representative and transferred to your hotel. The remainder of the day is at your leisure.

After breakfast at your hotel, your guide will pick you up for your sightseeing tour of Accra, the capital of Ghana. This city has a blend of colonial and modern architecture that summarizes the history of this capital city. Travel through the administrative and economic districts of Accra. See the Artiste Alliance Gallery, the W.E.B. Du Bois Center for Pan African Culture, Nkrumah Park and the Independence/Black Star Square. Learn about important events in Ghana's history and the country's first president who helped lead Ghana to independence. Next, continue your tour to The National Museum of Ghana. It is the largest and oldest of the six museums under the administration of the Ghana Museums and Monuments Board. The museum building was opened on 5th March, 1957 as part of Ghana's independence celebrations. End the day's tour at the Arts Center, where you have the opportunity to sharpen your bargaining skills shopping for goods from Ghana and West Africa in an open-air market. On display, you will see fabrics of different materials, designs, colors and textures to purchase from. Your day completes with drop off at your hotel.

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. Here you can choose between either a 2 km nature walk through this forest to discover the wide variety of exotic floral species and the medicinal values they offer or a walk on the canopy walkway.

After a lunch stop, 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. Here, you will learn about the relationship between the western slave traders and the African tribes that made the trans-Atlantic slave trade possible. It is an opportunity to be up and close with history - to stand in the dark and stuffy dungeons, imagining the experience and conditions that millions of Africans endured. This castle also houses the West African Historical Museum established by the Smithsonian Institute in collaboration with the Ghanaian Government in 1994.

After an 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. Here you will witness the darkness the local people were forced to endure before being sent on a long and perilous passage across the Atlantic. To see the truth of these conditions in person is a powerful reminder of the inhumanity of the slave trade. From the castle, you'll also have a gorgeous view of the colourful harbour 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 breakfast, this morning, check out of your hotel and depart on your drive through the forest zone as you head towards Assin Manso. 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. Afterwards, depart back to Accra.

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.

After lunch a stop for lunch (own account), It's time for a visit to cedi beads factory and market. Beads play a very important role in the life and culture of the Krobo people of Ghana. Beads are used to mark family status, special occasions, and the important rite of passage of girls into puberty, called the Dipo. Participants will be shown around the factory and observe the making of beads in the traditional manner. The beads come in every imaginable color, shape, and size and are made from recycled glass, beer and wine bottles, as well as broken windows. They are pounded and crushed with a mortar and pestle and then poured into molds and heated individually in ovens. These ovens are made from termite soils, which are able to withstand high temperatures. After sizzling in a special oven for about 45 minutes, the beads are smoothed while still warm. A cassava stick is put in the center of the bead while it melts into shape. The beads are cooled and hand polished with sand and water and then strung. Participants will even have the opportunity to make their own beads to take home! Afterwards, return to Accra overnight.

Enjoy a delicious breakfast at the hotel before departing to the Nkyinkyim Museum, one of Ghana's largest outdoor museums. The word Nkyinkyim comes from the Akan Adinkra symbol for "twisted," the Nkyinkyim stool. The museum depicts the story of the African slave trade by using exquisitely sculpted objects that tell the tale of the numerous ups and downs in African history. The Nkyinkyim Museum aids in promoting African heritage and Africanism. There are several exquisitely sculpted life-dash heads, 1500 of which are made of concrete and 3000 of which are made of terracotta (clay). These works of art reflect several emotions that, among others, shock, anguish, and fear, convey the past experience of African slaves. The artwork on the museum's Ancestral reverence grounds pays tribute to the memories of the deceased slaves who endured unfair treatment at the hands of the colonial owners.

This evening, head out with your group for a special farewell dinner (transport included).

Enjoy breakfast at your hotel with time at leisure until your departure transfer to the airport in time for your onward flight.