Whether you are a first time visitor to Ghana or you are returning for a repeat trip, there are plenty of things to see and to do in this country. Over 1,000,000 tourists visit Ghana each year, and the year round tropical climate makes the region a popular destination for wildlife and nature enthusiasts. Find out which attractions you won’t want to miss on your next trip to Ghana.
1. Kejetia Market
Located in the center of Kumasi, the Kejetia Market is often referred to as the largest open-air market in West Africa. This destination is not a major tourist attraction, so shopkeepers are often pleasantly surprised to see visitors. You can also go with a guide who can help you find obscure goods and provide tips on bargaining.
This amazing shopping hub includes over 11,000 stalls and 40,000 workers. Almost everything you want to buy at the market can be found at Kumasi Central Market. Kejetiya’s market ranges from gold jewelry and handmade diamond jewelry from Ashantis, food, Ashanti kente clothing, fabrics and shoes from Printex, spices, grains, and toiletries.
How to get to the Kejetia Market?
You are welcome to take a taxi or get there by tour bus.
2. Cape Coast Castle
The imposing, whitewashed castle found at the heart of Cape Coast is an amazing historical wonder. This castle in Cape Coast, Ghana, once known as the “Gold Coast of West Africa”, was one of approximately 40 “slave castles” that served as prisons and landing points for enslaved people en route to the Americas. Thousands of enslaved Africans from near and far, sometimes hundreds of miles away, were brought to these castles to be sold on slave ships.
The castle also features a museum detailing Ghana’s history, Akan culture, and the slave trade. The Cape Coast Museum, founded in 1970, was refurbished in 1994 with external grants and support from the government of Ghana. Among the exhibits are maps of the routes of the slave trade and examples of the “currency” for which they were sold into slavery – beads, alcohol, and weapons. In addition, there are models of the ship’s hold and auction structures for human trafficking. The museum complex includes a conference hall, library, art and craft studio, bookstore and gift shop, car park, and Museum of the history of the building.
Moreover, this amazing historical edifice offers a tour of the castle dungeons, and death row has been developed. This place is worth a visit to remind us of the corners of the globe that were involved in the slave trade and that there are many more such corners to this day.
How to get to the Cape Coast Castle in Ghana?
Cape Coast can be reached by car or bus from Accra, the capital of Ghana. Travel time is likely to be three to four hours.
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3. Kakum National Park
If you are interested in the wildlife of Ghana, the Kakum National Park is a great place to check out. This pocket of rainforest features endangered forest elephants, 300 species of bird, the colobus monkey, and about 600 butterfly species. The park’s center has a restaurant, holiday bungalows, a campsite, and a wildlife education center.
A unique attraction of the reserve is the Komfo Boateng shrine – a round rock near Aboabo, approximately 100 meters in diameter. In addition, the park has a long series of suspension bridges, known as the Kakum Canopy Walkway, located at treetop level to provide access to the forest. This trail is unique on the entire African continent. At the height of 40 m, visitors can get as close as possible to plants and animals that are inaccessible to view from another point.
How to get to Kakum National Park?
The reserve is located near the small village of Abrafo, and it is easily accessible by taxi from the city center, as well as with the help of sightseeing buses. But there are no stops near the park, so you need to take care of the way back in advance.
4. The Kumasi Voodoo Experience
If you are interested in a unique experience when visiting Ghana, consider an exciting tour of the world of voodoo in Kumasi. Here you can discover the rituals and ceremonies that underpin much of traditional West African life.
Visit a voodoo shrine and meet with local priests who explain age-old spells, rituals, dances, and other practices. You will also watch a voodoo dance completed with ritualistic chants and costumed dancers. All this creates an amazing atmosphere and immerses you completely in the culture of West Africa.
5. Boabeng-Fiema Monkey Sanctuary
For generations, the inhabitants of the villages of Boabeng and Fiema considered the local monkeys to be sacred and forbidden to harm them. Two neighboring communities have created a forest reserve.
This small community-protected forest is the best place in the country to protect and get a close-up encounter with two different monkey species, such as, the black silky colobus and brown mona, and the Lowe’s mona monkey, which are an enchanting sight. Both species are held sacred by the area’s local villagers.
How to get to the Boabeng-Fiema Monkey Sanctuary in Ghana?
You can get there by your own car. Otherwise, taking a bus to Nkoranza, from where you can order a minibus or motorcycle taxi to the entrance to the nature reserve in Fiem, is the most suitable way.
6. Nzulezu Stilted Village
Unique in all of Ghana – Nzulezu is located near the coast in the far west of Ghana, close to the Ivory Coast border. This village was built on stilts over a lagoon. Seated on stilts, this community lies in the middle of the Amansuri wetlands, which is rich in birds and other wildlife. It is essentially one long pier. The locals call it Main Street. On one side of the “street” are residential areas, while on the other side of the street are businesses, a school, a community center, and other commercial businesses.
There are also some amazing activities to do in Nzulezu, Ghana. For example, enjoying evening drumming and dancing from a local cultural band will help you immerse yourself in the fantastic local atmosphere. Taking a guided beach tour in the evening between October and August to see endangered sea turtles nesting or hatchlings is an excellent idea. In addition, you are welcome to visit Apollonia Fort at Beyin, one of the smallest of Ghana’s many historic coastal forts.
This amazing village is best visited during the rainy season when the area’s water levels are high. The village is most easily visited via the waterfront village of Beyin via dugout canoe.
7. Ghanaian Festivals
If you really want to learn about the culture of Ghana, consider attending a Ghanaian festival. These festivals feature feasting, dancing, and drumming.
Such festivals are held to affirm its tribal values, remember its ancestors, and to prepare for another year. Each part of Ghana has its own annual folklore festivals, which present to the audience the many traditional rituals of the tribes inhabiting the region.
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8. Mole National Park
The Mole National Park is one of the country’s largest and best-equipped game reserves. It is located in the northwestern part of Ghana. The most convenient way to get to the park is from the city of Labarange. The reserve includes pastures, savannahs, and coastal ecological systems. The rivers Mole and Lovi flow through its territory. During the long dry season, they dry up and become small drinking lakes.
Visitors can easily see elephants and antelope like waterbuck, roan, and bushbuck. Spotted hyenas and lions are also found in the park, although they are more elusive. A tour guide in the park must always accompany visitors, but you can explore in a four-wheel drive vehicle or on foot.
You can take a jeep safari along the park’s roads, where you will have the opportunity to get up close to representatives of the wild fauna. In addition, the reserve has a hotel with a pool on a cliff, which overlooks the savannah and where you can watch the elephants going to the watering hole.
How to get to the Male National Park in Ghana?
The park is located 145 km southeast of the nearest large city of Tamale. The best way to get there is by bus, by car with a local driver or a van.
9. Accra
Ghana’s capital city of Accra is one of the most popular cities in the country. This is an industrial and cultural center. Its amazing architecture combined traditional, colonial, and modern cultures, giving its appearance an amazing flavor. A variety of historical and cultural attractions, colorful African people, rich and unusual traditions, as well as comfortable beaches attract tourists from all over the world.
The complex history of Accra, which is rooted in the Middle Ages, the culture and traditions of the ancient tribes, and the location left their mark on the city. Visitors can see Ghanaian art at the National Museum, or you can get to know the area by traveling around Independence Square. The Center for National Culture is a great place to shop until you drop, and kente cloth and other crafts are plentiful in this area.
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10. Busua
If you are looking for a beach adventure during your trip to Ghana, consider the coastal village of Busua. Busua is a fishing and beach resort village in the Western Ahanta District of the Western Region of Ghana. In fact, the beaches run for about nine miles west to Cape Three Points, and they are lined with isolated and rustic resorts.
It boasts various hotel rooms, a long sandy beach that is clean and safe for swimming and other water sports, and fascinating seafood restaurants. Busua is considered one of the safest places on the Atlantic seashore for water sports. In addition, there is even a “Black Star Surf Club” on the beach.
Despite the numerous activities and attractions available in this country, Ghana is only the 108th out of 139 countries noted as favorite tourism destinations. Visit Ghana today and tell your friends about the fabulous sites available in this beautiful country. Have you ever visited Ghana?