Itinerary
- Day 1
Accra
You'll arrive in Accra whenever works best for you today. If you're flying into Kotoka International Airport, the drive to city centre takes about 30 minutes. No structured activities are scheduled, so this is your time to settle in and get your bearings. If you land early enough, walk around and check out Accra's busy streets with their traders, food stalls and music. Tomorrow morning brings the welcome meeting, so tonight's all about getting comfortable in the city.
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Urbano Hotel Osu), Hotel (Urbano Hotel Osu (or similar))
Optional Activities
- Walk through Accra's bustling streets exploring traders, food stalls and music
Landmarks Kotoka International Airport - Day 2
Akosombo
After breakfast and your welcome meeting, you'll explore Accra's cultural side starting with the Fantasy Coffins, then move through Black Star Gate, Independence Square, Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park and the National Museum. Following lunch, you'll head toward the Volta River and Akosombo Dam, timing it to arrive before the sun goes down. Check into your riverside hotel, and later that evening take a cruise to see the dam and watch for local birdlife on the water.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- Accommodation
- Lodge (Afrikiko River Front Resort), Lodge (Afrikiko River Front Resort (or similar))
Included Activities
- Visit Fantasy Coffins - traditional Ghanaian coffin designs
- Visit Black Star Gate and Independence Square
- Visit Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park and museum
- Visit National Museum featuring West African items and sculpture garden
- Evening cruise on Volta River to view Akosombo Dam and birdlife
Landmarks Black Star Gate Independence Square Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park National Museum Akosombo Dam Volta River - Day 3
Kumasi
There's an optional birdwatching opportunity before breakfast if you're interested. Then travel into the Akuapem hills to visit Aburi Botanical Gardens, where you'll see exotic plants and wildlife. Stop at Aburi craft village to watch traditional craftspeople working on drums and sculptures. After lunch in Koforidua, you'll explore UNESCO-recognized Ashanti traditional buildings before arriving in Kumasi for dinner.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Lunch in Koforidua), Dinner
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Lancaster Kumasi City), Hotel (Lancaster Kumasi City (or similar))
Included Activities
- Visit Aburi Botanical Gardens - exotic flora, rare butterflies and birds
- Visit Aburi craft village - watch traditional drum and sculpture carving
- Visit Ashanti traditional buildings - UNESCO World Heritage Site with ten active shrines featuring Adinkra symbols
Optional Activities
- Early morning birdwatching along the river before breakfast
Landmarks Aburi Botanical Gardens Aburi craft village Ashanti traditional buildings - Day 4
Kumasi
In Kumasi, you'll see how ancient traditions blend with modern life. Start by visiting Adanwomasie village to watch Kente cloth weaving on looms that are centuries old, then head to Ntunso village to learn about Adinkra symbols and make your own cloth design. Grab lunch at a local restaurant, then tour the Manhyia Palace Museum to understand more about Ashanti history. Spend the afternoon walking through Kejetia market, which is reportedly West Africa's largest outdoor market. If you want, check out the local nightlife scene in the evening.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Lunch at Jofel local restaurant), Dinner
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Lancaster Kumasi City), Hotel (Lancaster Kumasi City (or similar))
Included Activities
- Visit Adanwomasie village - birthplace of Kente cloth, see traditional weavers and looms
- Visit Ntunso village - learn about Adinkra symbols, make your own Adinkra cloth using natural dyes
- Lunch at Jofel local restaurant
- Tour Manhyia Palace Museum - history of Asantehene King and Asante Empire
- Explore Kejetia market - West Africa's largest outdoor market
Optional Activities
- Evening local nightlife and music in Kumasi
Landmarks Adanwomasie village Ntunso village Manhyia Palace Museum Kejetia market Adum - Day 5
Kumasi to Mole National Park
Start early with breakfast before your long driving day, roughly 10 hours with stops. On the way north to Mole National Park, stop at Boabeng-Fiema Monkey Sanctuary where a local guide will explain the Colobus and Mona monkeys and their sacred and ecological importance. Lunch happens in Kintampo, then you'll arrive at Mole just before sunset. Your lodge sits on a 250-metre high escarpment overlooking the park and elephants at the watering hole. An optional night safari is available if you want to explore.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Lunch in Kintampo), Dinner
- Accommodation
- Lodge (Mole Motel), Lodge (Mole Motel (or similar))
Included Activities
- Visit Boabeng-Fiema Monkey Sanctuary - meet local guide, learn about Colobus and Mona monkeys, see approximately 600 monkeys
Optional Activities
- Night safari in Mole National Park with spotlight
Landmarks Boabeng-Fiema Monkey Sanctuary Mole National Park - Day 6
Mole National Park
Get an early start to beat the heat. This morning you'll track African elephants and other wildlife with an armed guide around the watering holes, looking for olive baboons, patas monkeys, kob, bushbuck, waterbuck and potentially crocodiles, hartebeest, roan antelope, hyena and buffalo. The park has over 350 bird species. Return to the lodge for lunch and some downtime. Later, take an afternoon game drive that includes a stop at the ancient Larabanga Mosque, built 600 years ago from mud, cow dung, honey and sticks.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- Accommodation
- Lodge (Mole Motel), Lodge (Mole Motel (or similar))
Included Activities
- Morning game drive tracking African elephants and wildlife around watering holes with armed guide
- Afternoon game drive through Mole National Park
- Visit ancient Larabanga Mosque - 600-year-old traditional Sudanese style mosque
Landmarks Mole National Park Larabanga Mosque - Day 7
Mognori
This is your chance to maximize game driving opportunities in West Africa's best game park, with good odds of spotting African bush elephants. In the afternoon, drive about 30 minutes to Mognori village on the park edge for a walking tour with local villagers. These guides were formerly displaced from park lands. You'll learn about shea butter production and the village's eco-tourism project supporting conservation. Visit active local shrines and take a traditional dugout canoe down the Mole River while spotting birdlife.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- Accommodation
- Lodge (Mole Motel), Lodge (Mole Motel (or similar))
Included Activities
- Morning game drive in Mole National Park
- Walking tour of Mognori village with local guide
- Learn about shea butter production
- Visit local shrines
- Traditional dugout canoe experience on Mole River to spot birdlife
Landmarks Mognori village Mole River - Day 8
Mole National Park to Kumasi
After an early breakfast, begin your long drive back south to Kumasi. En route, visit Kintampo Waterfalls where a fast-flowing cascade feeds a small swimming pool. If you want to cool off, try Ghana's most powerful 'power shower' from the waterfall itself. Arrive back in Kumasi and check into your hotel.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Lancaster Kumasi City), Hotel (Lancaster Kumasi City (or similar))
Included Activities
- Visit Kintampo Waterfalls
Optional Activities
- Swim or experience the waterfall shower at Kintampo Waterfalls
Landmarks Kintampo Waterfalls - Day 9
Kumasi to Bonkro and Breku Villages
Travel to the remote farming villages of Bonkro and Breku where you'll stay with a local community. Arrive in time for lunch prepared by the village chef. Visit the Kuapa Kokoo Cooperative, a Fairtrade cocoa farmer organization that supplies Divine chocolate. Learn how cocoa is harvested and how cocoa pods become soap and other products. Choose your afternoon activity: cycling, cooking lessons, helping prepare dinner, or rainforest hiking to find the endangered White-necked Rockfowl. Dinner happens around an open bonfire with local stories, music and community interaction.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Lunch prepared in the village by local chef), Dinner (Traditional meal around open bonfire with local stories, music and community interaction)
- Accommodation
- Guesthouse (Picathartes Guesthouse), Guesthouse (Picathartes Guesthouse (or similar))
Included Activities
- Visit Kuapa Kokoo Cooperative - Fairtrade cocoa farmer organization
- Learn entire cocoa harvesting process
- Evening meal around open bonfire with local community
Optional Activities
- Cycling around surrounding hamlets and villages
- Cooking lessons with village chef
- Help prepare dinner
- Search for endangered White-necked Rockfowl (Yellow-headed Picathartes) in Upper Guinea rainforest
Landmarks Bonkro village Breku village Upper Guinea rainforest - Day 10
Bonkro and Breku to Cape Coast/Brenu Akyinim
Wake up slowly and ease into your morning surrounded by village life. After breakfast, say goodbye to your hosts and head to Cape Coast, traveling through Elmina, historically named for the gold once found in Ghana. Arrive in Brenu Akyinim on the coast early in the afternoon and check in. Your afternoon is free to relax on the beach or kayak in the shallow lagoon with single or double kayaks. In the evening, a traditional Ghanaian drumming and dance troupe performs on the beach, explaining the stories and meanings behind popular performances and letting you try drumming yourself.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (Traditional Ghanaian drumming and dance performance dinner on the beach overlooking the Gold Coast)
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Brenu Beach Resort), Hotel (Brenu Beach Resort (or similar))
Included Activities
- Traditional Ghanaian drumming and dance performance on the beach
Optional Activities
- Beach relaxation
- Kayaking in shallow lagoon - single or double kayaks available
Landmarks Elmina Cape Coast - Day 11
Brenu Akyinim to Ankasa Reserve
Travel toward Ankasa Reserve, arriving in Beyin for lunch. After eating, experience the beautiful Amasuri wetlands by traditional dugout canoe on your way to Nzulezo Stilt Village, where locals farm despite living over water. Arrive at Ankasa Reserve, over 500 square kilometres of pristine wet evergreen Upper Guinea rainforest and Ghana's finest remaining rainforest habitat. This protects endangered mammals, birds and other wildlife. Check into your lodge on the river banks at the forest boundary. An optional night walk in the forest is available if you're interested.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Lunch in Beyin), Dinner
- Accommodation
- Lodge (Ankasa Reserve Lodge), Lodge (Ankasa Reserve Lodge (or similar))
Included Activities
- Traditional dugout canoe experience through Amasuri wetlands to Nzulezu Stilt Village
Optional Activities
- Night walk inside Ankasa forest
Landmarks Ankasa Reserve Amasuri wetlands Nzulezu Stilt Village - Day 12
Ankasa Reserve
Spend the morning inside the forest with your guide identifying birds and mammals. The main highlight is the Bamboo Cathedral, located roughly 12 kilometres into the forest. Choose between reaching it by mountain bike (meaning an early start) or by 4WD vehicle. Return to the lodge for lunch and some relaxation. The afternoon takes you into a forest community of subsistence farmers living in mud houses. Watch locals making Gari from pounded cassava roots and visit local chop bars. Learn about palm tree tapping for palm wine (around 3% proof) and Akpeteshi distilling (a local hard gin at roughly 70% proof, translated as 'kill me quick'). Evening brings the sounds of nature at the lodge.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
- Accommodation
- Lodge (Ankasa Reserve Lodge), Lodge (Ankasa Reserve Lodge (or similar))
Included Activities
- Morning forest walk with tour leader to identify birds and mammals, including the Bamboo Cathedral (approximately 12 kilometres inside forest)
- Afternoon visit to forest community - see Gari production from cassava roots and visit local chop bars
- Learn about palm wine and Akpeteshi production
Optional Activities
- Mountain bike ride to Bamboo Cathedral (requires earlier start)
- 4WD vehicle to Bamboo Cathedral
Landmarks Bamboo Cathedral Ankasa Reserve - Day 13
Ankasa Reserve to Cape Coast
Say goodbye to your Ankasa hosts and drive eastward to Cape Coast. Visit Cape Coast Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and important historical site. Tour the castle that held more enslaved Africans than any other West African fort, viewing the dungeons and the 'Gate of No Return'. Visit the museum explaining the castle's history and browse the souvenir shop with literature on Ghana's forts and castles. The rest of your afternoon is free to relax by the pool, visit the beach, or explore local coastal villages.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Golden Hill Parker Hotel), Hotel (Golden Hill Parker Hotel (or similar))
Included Activities
- Visit Cape Coast Castle - UNESCO World Heritage Site tour including dungeons and Gate of No Return
- Visit museum explaining castle and Cape Coast history
Optional Activities
- Visit local coastal villages
- Beach relaxation
- Pool relaxation
Landmarks Cape Coast Castle - Day 14
Cape Coast to Elmina
Start early for Kakum National Park and its famous rainforest canopy walkway with seven bridges suspended 40 metres above the forest floor. Experience the views across the rainforest from viewing platforms attached to emerging trees. The park is home to over 40 mammal species including forest elephants, leopards and 6 primate species. Stop by the International Stingless Bee Project to learn about 9 bee species in Ghana, their importance, medicinal qualities and taste stingless bee honey. Walk the canopy bridges and visit the butterfly garden. Return to Elmina with a free afternoon. An optional traditional batik making workshop with Global Mamas lets you learn from local artisans and create your own garment.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch
- Accommodation
- Hotel (Golden Hill Parker Hotel), Hotel (Golden Hill Parker Hotel (or similar))
Included Activities
- Kakum National Park canopy walkway - seven bridges suspended 40 metres above rainforest floor
- International Stingless Bee Project tour - learn about bee species, their eco-system importance, taste honey
Optional Activities
- Traditional batik making workshop with Global Mamas - learn techniques and create personal garment
Landmarks Kakum National Park International Stingless Bee Project - Day 15
Elmina to Accra (Departure)
Take your time this morning swimming or enjoying your final hours at the hotel. Before lunch, freshen up and pack your bags. Then drive four hours back to Accra along the coast. You'll arrive at Kotoka International Airport around 5pm where your tour ends. The earliest your flight can depart is 8pm.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Swimming at hotel
- Enjoy final morning at beach location
Landmarks Kotoka International Airport
