Ghana Discovery

Fly direct from your chosen airport to Accra, Ghana’s vibrant capital. The city lies on the Gold Coast of Western Africa, a former British colony named for its plentiful gold reserves. You’ll be greeted by your local guide, who will accompany you for the entire trip. Board the comfy vehicle you’ll be travelling the country in and head straight to your hotel for the night, the 3-star La Villa Boutique. Settle in and enjoy dinner at the hotel.
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After breakfast, take a guided tour of Accra. You’ll pass Black Star Gate and the Independence Monument, then continue to Independence Square, where official ceremonies and parades are held.

Next, continue to the National Museum to browse ethnographic displays about West African culture, then visit Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park, where Ghana’s founder is laid to rest. You’ll also learn more about the country’s famed burial traditions with a stop at Fantasy Coffins, where expert craftsmen carve elaborate coffins tailored to the occupants’ interests.

Your last stop in the capital is one of its top restaurants, Buka, for lunch before driving north towards Akosombo (2 hours) , where you’ll stay by the Volta River at the 4-star Royal Senchi Hotel for two nights. Take a serene sunset river cruise to glimpse colourful birds and fishermen hauling in the day’s catch.
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This morning, set off for Wli Falls in Agumatsa Wildlife Sanctuary; believed to be the highest waterfall in West Africa, nestled in a picturesque location, the surrounding flora and fauna create an idyllic setting. Take a relaxed walk through the forest to the 80-metre-tall waterfall and marks the Ghana-Togo border. Along the way, you’ll spot colonies of straw-coloured fruit bats on nearby cliffs. Cool off with a swim before heading to a local restaurant for lunch.

Spend the afternoon at Tafi Atome Monkey Sanctuary and Cultural Village, where you’ll meet locals who’ve been protecting a population of endangered mona and patas monkeys for over 200 years. Take a guided walk through the forest to observe the primates, who residents believe to be sacred messengers from the gods.

Afterwards, make a final stop at the community of Tafi Abuife where you’ll watch residents weaving distinctive Ewe-style Kente fabrics, which differ from the Ashanti variety due to their figurative motifs. Uncover the history and cultural significance behind the different designs. Finally, head back to the hotel for dinner and a relaxed evening.
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Today, head north towards Kumasi (7 hours) at the Ashanti region, Ghana’s cultural heart. You’ll travel through the dramatic Akuapem Hills and stop at the Aburi Botanical Gardens, which were founded by the British in 1890. Wander the peaceful gardens to admire a variety of indigenous and exotic flora, stopping to take in sweeping views of the surrounding landscape.

Enjoy lunch in the city of Koforidua before continuing to Kumasi, Ghana’s second-largest city, where you will spend the next two nights at the 4-star Lancaster Hotel.
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This morning, discover the remains of the Ashanti empire with a trip to the UNESCO-listed Asante Traditional Buildings. There are 10 active shrines made from bamboo, timber, mud and thatched roofs. On the walls, you’ll notice intricate carvings featuring geometric designs and ancient Adinkra symbols. Visit the shrine where Nana Yaa Asantewaa, a fierce female warrior who led the war against the British in 1901, used to pray before going to battle.

Next, you’ll visit the Adanwomasi Village to meet families who make a living weaving ornate Kente fabrics. Continue to nearby Ntunso, where you’ll watch residents carve symbols from calabash shells to print on Adinkra cloth, using Badie tree-bark dye. This tradition dates back over 400 years and most Ashanti’s still wear Adinkra cloth for funerals and festivals. You’ll get a chance to make your own strip of Adinkra before lunch. The last stop of the day is Manhyia Palace, built by the British in 1925 but later used by Ashanti kings; afterwards, return to your hotel for a free evening.
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Rise early this morning for the drive northwest to Mole National Park (8 hours), Ghana’s largest protected area and the best place for spotting a host of wildlife, including a huge population of elephants. Have lunch en-route and stop at the ancient Sudanese-style mud-and-stick mosque, Larabanga, which is thought to be the oldest in West Africa, dating back to 1421. The World Monuments Fund has listed the mosque as one of the 100 most endangered sites.

Continue to Mole National Park, which spans over 4,800 square kilometres and is named after the river that flows through it. Check into the 4-star Zaina Lodge for two nights, which is set on a 250-metre-high escarpment on the edge of the park, offering panoramic views of the landscape. Settle into your luxury safari-style chalet and head down to the pool, where you can watch elephants bathing at a waterhole and catch the sunset over the Guinea woodland and savannah before dinner.
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Wake early this morning to track elephants on foot, accompanied by an armed guide. Follow tracks through the waterhole-studded savannah to observe the elephants from a safe distance. Mole is home to over 90 mammal species. You are likely to see troops of olive baboon and patas monkey, antelopes regularly come to the watering holes to drink, being cautious of the crocodiles lurking in the muddy waters.

Have lunch by the lodge pool, followed by free time to swim and rest. Refreshed, you’ll spend the afternoon at the village of Mognori on the boundary of the park, where residents will give you a glimpse into daily life. Learn how shea butter is produced, wander the tobacco fields and visit the chief and village healer, who’ll teach you about plant medicine.

Finally, board a dugout canoe for a safari along the Mole River which runs beside the village, spotting some of the park’s 350 bird species, as well as animals grazing along the forest-lined banks. You’ll spend the evening back at the lodge, relaxing under star-filled skies. 
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After breakfast, say goodbye to Mole National Park and head south back to Kumasi (8 hours). You’ll make a couple of stops to break up the journey, the first at Kintampo Waterfalls, which lies on the Pumpum River. Take a walk through the forest to the crashing, tiered falls, then enjoy a refreshing swim in a pool at its base. Afterwards, you’ll enjoy lunch at the nearby Falls Restaurant.

Your next stop is the Boabeng Fiema Monkey Sanctuary, a haven for over 700 colobus and mona monkeys. Villagers from Boebeng and Fiema have been working together to protect the monkeys for centuries; the creatures have god-like status and are honoured with traditional burials. Meet the villagers and learn about their wildlife conservation work, then stroll along forested trails to observe the primates. Finally, head to Lancaster Hotel in Kumasi for the night.
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Spend this morning driving south to the remote Bonkro village (3 hours), where locals farm everything from palm oil to citrus and rubber trees. After lunch, you’ll meet some of the farmers and their families and witness the entire cacao-harvesting process, including how pods are used to make soap.

Afterwards, you can either learn to cook a typical Ghanaian dish like jollof rice, or take a forest walk to spot the endangered picathartes bird, which is protected here by a conservation scheme. This evening after dinner, you’ll join the villagers at an outdoor cinema to watch either an African classic or a Hollywood blockbuster. Finish with an optional night walk to search for nocturnal creatures like the elusive pangolin. Tonight, you’ll stay at Picathartes Guest House in Bonkro in a simple en-suite bungalow.
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This morning, take a leisurely breakfast. Before you leave the village, the time has arrived to give back to nature by planting 3 native tree species with the aim to increase the rainforest in the area. 
Next, drive south to Assin Manso (2 hours) near the Donkor Nsuo River to confront West Africa’s painful slave-trade history. Captives were held at the village after a gruelling march through the forests of northern Ghana, then eventually shipped to the Americas.

Follow in their footsteps as you continue to the coast, where you’ll have an ocean-view lunch before heading to the Cape Coast Castle. This 17th-century UNESCO site was one of the main shipping hubs for enslaved people in West Africa, capable of holding over a thousand captives in its dungeons. Learn about this sobering legacy as you tour the castle and museum, pausing to reflect at the infamous Door of No Return. Finally, check into the 3-star Lemon Beach Resort in Elmina for two nights.
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Start the day with a trip to Elmina’s fishing village, where you’ll meet the locals who build and repair colourful wooden boats that have been used here for centuries. Enjoy lunch at a restaurant overlooking a lake, home to Nile crocodiles, then head to the International Stingless Bee Project. Learn about their importance to the eco-system with a tour of the centre where you’ll see buzzing hives and taste organic honey.

In the afternoon, head to Kakum National Park to explore its rainforest canopy walkways, which wind through pristine Guinea rainforest. Traverse seven bridges suspended 40 metres above the forest floor, admiring sweeping views across the canopy from panoramic platforms. In the evening, soak up the views of the Gold Coast and enjoy dinner accompanied by a performance from a drumming and dance troupe.
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Today your Ghana adventure comes to an end. Spend a relaxing morning at the hotel, then have lunch and check out for your transfer to the airport. If you like, there is an opportunity to stop at Accra’s National Center for Culture, which is Ghana’s biggest arts and crafts market, to pick up some souvenirs. Finally, have dinner before being dropped off at the airport for your homebound flight.
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Arrival home at your chosen airport.