Ghana
Culture & Wildlife of Ghana
7 nights from £3,725 pp
Includes: Flights, transfers, accommodation and guiding.
Overview
With a tropical climate, welcoming people and unusual biodiversity, Ghana makes for an enjoyable country to explore. Immerse yourself in local culture and look for rare Upper Guinea forest species.
Natural history lovers will find Ghana an absolute treat: over 760 bird species are found here, along with more than 950 butterfly species.
With a tailor made holiday to Ghana, you’ll have the chance to look for rare West African forest wildlife, including alluring mammals such as near mythical black-bellied pangolins; unusual anomalures (large, nocturnal, flying squirrels), potto and the bizarre hammer-headed bat. Ghana is home to a wealth of wonderful birds, perhaps most notable of which is the iconic white-necked picathartes. ,
Upper Guinea rainforest biodiversity aside, you can enjoy immersing with Ashanti culture and exploring the country’s poignant history during guided excursions to sites such as Cape Coast and Elmina Castles. Marvel at the fantasy coffins and Nzulezu Stilt Village; take a boat cruise on the Volta River. Food here offers delicious traditional cuisine and there are opportunities to relax on the tropical beaches of the Atlantic coast.
Ghana is one of the few West African countries where the idea of protecting forests hit home early enough to set up a network of Protected Areas, including some national parks and forest reserves. The country therefore still retains some decent tracts of habitat, though many are degraded. Travel to Ghana must be taken with an open mind.
- Ghana is an English speaking country, with daily, direct flights from London (flight time 6.5 hrs)
- Currency is Ghanaian Cedi
- Average temperatures 23c – 32c
- Best time to visit January to March and October to December
- Visas & Yellow Fever vaccinations required
“Ghana is a destination for the intrepid African traveller, rich in cultural heritage with abundant birdlife, stunning landscapes & the opportunity to get involved in community tourism. At Bonkro, guests can visit the cacao farm, meet a traditional healer, learn to cook delicious traditional food and look for rare wildlife in the forest. All proceeds directly benefit the local community.”
This Ghana Cultural, Wildlife & Coast itinerary is run by our specialist ‘alternative Africa’ suppliers and offers a perfect introduction to this wonderful country. Learn about significant cultural and historically significant sites, search for the fascinating wildlife of the Upper Guinea Forests and experience the Ghanaian coast.
You’ll be travelling around the country with your experienced, private, professional guides, who have expert knowledge when it comes to culture, history and wildlife (including mammals, birds and butterflies) of all the locations you’ll be exploring.
It is also important that your journey through Ghana is responsibly operated and that it does contribute directly to admirable local initiatives. To date, the exemplary local agent has constructed two schools in different locations, offering creche, kindergarten and primary school education to more than 400 children who previously had no access to education. Your visit will also benefit habitat and wildlife conservation as our representatives have founded an eco-tourism project protecting tracts of Upper Guinea rainforest and its resident wildlife.
- Day 1: Fly to Accra from London Heathrow. You will be met on arrival and taken to your hotel. Accra 2 nights
- Day 2: After breakfast, set off with your private guide and driver in your private four-wheel drive vehicle for a tour of Accra including historical sights and the National Cultural Centre & National Museum. Visit Ghana’s largest outdoor arts and crafts market, where you’ll see vendors selling traditional crafts from all over West Africa. In the afternoon, head to the “Fantasy Coffins” of Teshie Nungua. Funeral and burial ceremonies in Ghana are solemn occasions. But after burial, celebrations follow. You can see all manner of coffin designs – from cars, cocoa pods, cigarette packets and airplanes to crocodiles, shoes, bottles of beer and boats!
- Day 3: After breakfast, depart for Cape Coast – where on arrival, you visit Cape Coast Castle, which has been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Drive to Kakum National Park, with its world-famous rainforest canopy walkway, enjoying a Cocoa and Palm Wine experience en-route. Kakum National Park is a beautiful, tropical Upper Guinea rainforest and the canopy walkway is sure to be a highlight. The walkway consists of seven bridges, attached to seven emerging trees which are 40 meters above the rainforest floor. Take a deep breath as you walk on the suspended bridges. You’ll be able to marvel at the panoramic views across the rainforest. After a wonderful day, continue to Elmina to check into your hotel, have dinner and relax. Elmina 1 night
- Day 4: After breakfast, depart to Ankasa Reserve, visiting Nzulezu Stilt Village en-route. On Lake Tadane in Jomoro District, Nzulezu is a unique lacustrine settlement where everyday life is adapted to the watery conditions. All activities pertaining to normal life chores such as the pounding of fufu (a traditional meal) schooling, worship and burial are conducted on the lake. Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant and on arrival at Ankasa Reserve, check in to your lodge for dinner. Ankasa 2 nights
- Day 5: After breakfast, enjoy guided morning and evening wildlife tours of Ankasa Reserve and Nini Suhien National Park. Ankasa Reserve and Nini Suhien National Park cover 509km² of continuous, Upper Guinea humid evergreen rainforest. While there are some rainforest mammals present, they tend to be skittish – as is the case in much of West Africa. Birds and butterflies abound. The lodge has a fleet of sturdy land-rovers with which guests are taken deep into the rainforest, to seek diurnal as well as nocturnally active wildlife. Night walks and drives are an integral part of the Ankasa experience – with the help of your dedicated guide and a local ranger, you may see unusual mammals here such as Potto; Demidoff’s galago; the bizarre Hammer-headed bat and Pel’s anomalure. The combined vocalisations of a group of male Hammer-headed bats at their lek site, with a pair of Nkulengu rails kicking off simultaneously – and a million frogs and invertebrates, created a fascinating soundscape deep in Ankasa’s rainforest at night.
- Day 6: After breakfast, depart for Elmina, where you visit the local fishing market and walk the short distance to visit the boat builders. Almost all the boats used by this vibrant fishing community are traditional wooden boats. Visit the castle of St. George, the oldest extant colonial building in sub-Saharan Africa, dating back to 1482. In the afternoon, head to your hotel for some rest and relaxation time. If liked, you can see some live music tonight. Elmina 2 nights
- Day 7: Enjoy the day relaxing at your seaside hotel, where you can chill at the beach or by the pool. Choice of accommodation.
- Day 8: Relaxing morning then depart for Accra after lunch. In the afternoon, you may have time for some shopping and sightseeing. Enjoy dinner at a locally owned restaurant, serving a selection of traditional and international dishes, before you transfer to the airport for a late evening flight to the UK.
This is just one example of an itinerary to Ghana. We can create an alternative itinerary focusing on the rare mammals, birds and butterflies of the region. Contact me for a bespoke journey to Ghana.
A few impressions…
“Thanks for all your help arranging what turned out to be an absolutely fantastic trip to Congo & CAR. Sightings included Western Lowland Gorilla families emerging out of the forest and the most amazing spectacle of thousands of African Green Pigeons and African Grey Parrots performing the ‘bird dance’.
Using an agent was well worth it for financial security and safety in West and Central Africa and this bespoke service gave me certainty that there would actually be someone waiting for me when I stepped off the plane!“
Andrew Sneddon
Let us begin the journey that will create memories to last a lifetime.
