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Travel Guide - Ghana
GLORIOUS GHANA
WELCOME TO THIS SPECIAL GHANA TRAVEL GUIDE, A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE GHANA TOURISM AUTHORITY AND SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS MAGAZINE.
Located only a few degrees north of the Equator on the Gulf of Guinea, nowhere has a better claim to being “the center of the Earth” than Ghana. First gaining independence in 1957, the country is a wonderland of coastal savannahs and tropical rainforests. Those journeying here will find a jam-packed tourism destination, with a rich variety of cultural activities and nature-based adventures.
The Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) holds responsibility for the regulation of tourism in Ghana, including licensing, researching, marketing promoting, and developing tourism facilities and services within the country. After March last year, our industry was massively impacted by the fall in demand for both international and domestic tourism. In response, we launched several campaigns, including our “Ghana Guru” online information platform, designed to keep people informed about our country. As Ghana was forced to shut down, we continued to do the needful to sustain the interest of people to travel. As part of our “Stay Home and Know Ghana” campaign, we made videos of our attractions available online to boost morale, inspire hope, and keep tourism alive online, if not in person. Then again during the Christmas period, we then held our “See, Snap, and Wait” program, which included a photo competition, encouraging travel to the country side but careful respect the necessary COVID-19 safety protocols.
In Ghana, we’re particularly mindful of the value of sustainable tourism. The examples of Mole National Park in the North and the Tafi-Atome Monkey Sanctuary in the Volta Region demonstrates the country’s commitment to protect the flora and fauna. It’s a concept that we continue to develop across all work, on a national basis, as we hope to improve Ghana’s status to become a leading green destination.
In the same vein, it’s vital that our work benefits the local people who manage our attractions, and for whom tourism represents a way of life. Environmental conservation is a major concern for us. The Ghanaian cultural heritage is our major product that defines our uniqueness and we will continue to preserve this heritage that make us Ghanaian and share these values with our international tourist. We also pride ourselves on providing education, facilitating awareness at the level of our local communities, reminding people of what we need to do to conserve the environment and preserve our cultural values to continue to be authentic.
In April, we were proud to collaborate with the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Arts to organize a stakeholder consultative workshop, with the objective of developing effective and efficient short-term strategies to promote domestic tourism. Between 2021 and 2022, we’re expecting approximately 700,000 people to visit Ghana. We’re looking forward to bringing together our shareholders, media, traditional authorities and NGOs to join the campaign to make it a fantastic experience for tourists and locals alike.
Spencer Doku, Manager, Research Monitoring and Evaluation, Ghana Tourism Authority
Visit ghana.travel for up-to-date information.
WHERE TO START YOUR EXPERIENCE
GHANA KEY FACTS
Capital: Accra
Population: 31,822,474 Language(s): Akan, English Currency: Ghanaian cedi
Time zone: GMT Dialling code: +233 Major resort areas: Accra. Kakum National Park. Mole National Park. Kumasi. Busua Beach. Nzulezu Ghana. St. George’s Castle. Lake Volta. Tourist season: November - March Annual visitors: 1.13m (2019) Annual tourism earnings: 3,312 Billion US$ (2019) Avg. temperature: 86 °F (day), 75 °F (night) Highest point: Afadjato. 885 m
KEY ATTRACTIONS
Aburi Botanical Gardens
Ankasa Conservation Area
Artists Alliance Gallery
Beach
Black Star Gate
Cocoa Research Institute
Epam Forest Reserve
Fort Apollonia
Market
Manhyia Palace Museum
Mount Afadjato
National park
Nightlife
Nzulezo Stilt Village
Tafi-Atome
Volta Region
KEY REGIONS
Northern
Central
Western
Eastern
Wa Bolgatanga
Tamale
Enchi
Newtown Sunyani
Kumasi
Koforidua Ho
Sekondi Cape Coast ACCRA
GULF OF GUINEA
WHATTO DO IN...
NORTH GHANA
WALK AMONG THE WILDLIFE AT MOLE NATIONAL PARK
It’ll take a domestic flight or a roughly two-day drive to reach Ghana’s largest national park. The reward, however, is well worth it. Located in Larabanga, the phenomenal Mole National Park is more than 4500-square kilometers in size. The park is home to a vast array of wildlife, from wild pigs, to apes, antelope, buffalos, and an impressive roster of bird species. An absence of natural predators on-site allows visitors the unique opportunity of experiencing safaris on foot, with parties typically beginning at 6am or 4pm, each in the company of an experienced wildlife ranger. If you’re visiting in the dry season (Nov-April), you might even catch a herd of elephants bathing at the park’s watering hole!
GET YOUR GROOVE ON IN TAMALE
Reveling in its newfound status as the hub of Ghana’s thriving music scene, Tamale is the capital city of the country’s Northern
Region, and the fastest-growing in West Africa. Expect pre-show street parties, carnivals, and concerts that fuse traditional Dagbon sounds with the latest contemporary twists! Or, if music isn’t your thing, try the delights of Ghanaian cuisine at the National Culture Centre, including Tuo Zaafi and Tubaani Koko, or head to the Jungle Bar’s elegant balcony for a taste of the popular Pito beer, brewed from millet, or the spicy local drink zoomkoom. For a more historical experience, visit one of Tamale’s many unique mosques, or pop to the Zongo Leather Factory.
Also in North Ghana: • Take in Ghana’s Islamic history at the 13th Century Larabanga Mosque. • Visit protected Sacred Groves such as
Jaagbo in the Tolon-Kumbungu district. CENTRAL GHANA
CROSS THE CANOPY IN KAKUM NATIONAL PARK
More than 350-square kilometers of undisturbed rainforest is waiting to be discovered in Kakum National Park. Having officially opened in 1994, Kakum is famous for its canopy walkway, formed of seven individual bridges and reaching heights of approximately 30 meters above the forest floor! Visitors are encouraged to arrive early in order to maximize their chances of spotting some of the park’s unique wildlife, which includes the endangered Diana monkey, forest elephants, and the Frazer-eagle owl, while trained guides are available to explain cultural, economic, and medicinal values of the park’s fauna. After a hard-day’s exploring, take a much-needed break at the park’s small Rainforest Café, which offers fresh produce sourced from local farmers.
Also in Central Ghana: • Pay your tributes at the Assin Manso
Ancestral Slave River Park. • Get some eco-education at the
International Stingless Bee Centre.
Experience stately elegance and exceptional service
Landmark hotel in midtown Obuasi, the Cofkans has set the standard for lavish rooms and suites, exquisite dining and 5-star events. Experience stately elegance and exceptional service at the famous Cofkans.
info@cofkanshotelgh.com cofkanshotelgh.com
BOYBOISON Elite
Lodge
Get the best out of your vacation
Boyboison Elite Lodge is located in Takoradi, Ghana. It is located in close proximity to major transport roads and offers free WiFi to guests.
The lodge offers rooms that are tastefully decorated with modern furniture and fittings. All the rooms are self-contained each having a fresh bedding, air conditioning system, telephone, work table and chairs, TVs, and refrigerator.
The lodge features a bar which serves an array of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. Breakfast is served at a surcharge.
Laundry/dry cleaning service are available at a fee. Airport pickup services are also available upon request. The premises are guarded by security personnel. Onsite parking is available.
Boyboison Elite Lodge is 20 minutes to the Takoradi harbor, 15 minutes to Takoradi Airport, STC Bus terminal and Essipong Sports Stadium.
EAST GHANA
SEE THE MONKEYS AT TAFI-ATOME
Protection of Mona Monkeys in the village of Tafi-Atome has been ongoing for over 200 years, with locals believing them to be messengers to the gods. In 1996, the village started to put more work into protecting the monkey’s tropical rainforest habitats and began offering tours. The Sanctuary is a remarkable success story, with the forest’s monkey population now thriving alongside a variety of bird and insect-life. Despite the monkeys being entirely wild, you can expect to get up close and personal! Stay at the sanctuary’s 6-room guest house where a community cook serves meals and refreshments.
TAKE A GUIDED TOUR AT THE COCOA RESEARCH INSTITUTE
The Eastern Region is the birthplace of Ghana’s famous cocoa industry, with the country’s first cocoa farm was founded at Mampong, Akwapim. The Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana (CRIG) is happy to educate visitors about the processes involved in experimental cocoa production and the products themselves. There is also a guesthouse available with a clubhouse bar, tennis court, and indoor games available.
Also in East Ghana: • Witness the mythical “Big Tree” at Epam Forest Reserve. • Discover the last surviving silk cotton tree at Aburi Botanical Gardens. SOUTH GHANA
WALK ON WATER AT NZULEZO STILT VILLAGE
Situated on Lake Amasuri in Ghana’s Jomoro District, the small village of Nzulezo is constructed entirely out of wood and raffia. According to oral history, its construction took place approximately 500 years ago, when migrants arrived from a prehistoric city in the Ghana Empire, led by a snail – now immortalized as a totem. Today, the village is home to around 600 people, all of whom share the single walkway that runs down the village’s center. Access is exclusively the by local canoe, so you’re sure to be in for an adventure. Additionally, the surrounding Amasuri Wetland is home to crocodiles, a variety of marine turtles and fish, and monkeys.
KICK BACK AND RELAX AT BUSUA BEACH
This litter-free, sandy beach has local crafts and souvenir shops, food and juice-stands to name a few, resulting in a good mix of locals and visitors. Warm ocean waters are perfect for swimming and a spot of surfing. If you want to stay longer, get your accommodation at the Busua Beach Resort, Busua Inn, or Scorpion Lodge. Just around the corner, an eco-surf lodge is being built by the Ahana Waves Surf School & Camp, where surfing lessons and rentals are readily available.
Also in South Ghana • Pay your respects at the
Wassa Domama rock shrine. • Travel back in time at Fort
Apollonia on the Western coast.
THE SACRED MONKEYS OF TAFIATOME
There’s a special guest to be found in the traditional sacred grove of Tafi-Atome, in the Hohoe District of Ghana’s Volta Region. Mona monkeys, with their distinctive red, brown and white coloring, have enjoyed over 200 years of protection by local villagers, thanks to a belief that they are messengers to the gods and spirits.
That all changed in the 1980s, as the growth of Christianity displaced traditional beliefs in the region. The mona monkey, one of 138 species of Old World monkeys, now has ‘near threatened’ status, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (ICUN). It is a downturn in fortunes brought on by a combination of human activity, including hunting, deforestation, and the loss of the monkeys’ natural habitat.
To stop the slide, in 1996, the village of Tafi-Atome established the Tafi-Atome Monkey Sanctuary and Cultural Village. An eco-tourist attraction under the guidance of the Peace Corps, the Sanctuary allowed villagers to focus on the protection of the forest. Planted as early in 1997, mahogany trees line the edges of the sanctuary to prevent further encroachment of farmland upon the sacred forest.
LIVE LIKE ROYALTY
Move from the ordinary, to royalty.
Ridge Royal Hotel takes you to the ridge of comfort and luxury, in the best style possible. Situated in the historic city of Cape Coast, Ghana, Ridge Royal Hotel boasts a picturesque landscape in a serene environment. It’s richly inviting, and comfortably your own. At Ridge Royal Hotel, we invite you to experience the very best that the hospitality industry in Cape Coast and its surroundings has to offer. We pride ourselves with international hospitality services, with a well-trained and dedicated team guaranteed to make your stay one to remember. We are constantly striving to exceed our guests’ expectations, and will welcome you at any time.
The effort has been a success. Today, the tropical forest in Tafi-Atome thrives with a more than 700-strong mona monkey population, to be found throughout the canopy foraging for fruit, flowers, seeds, and insects, which they carry in their cheek pouches. Guided tours through the forest are readily available, starting off with an absolutely-necessary morning with the monkeys. Despite being entirely wild, expect to get up close and personal, with hand-feedings of bananas. The monkeys are friendly, and enjoy climbing on visitor’s arms and shoulders!
Funds from the Sanctuary are well-invested. Over 1000 residents from Tafi-Atome have benefited from the provision of electricity, while improvements have been made to the local school and clinic. In autumn of 2020, the village was able to make investments in the decoration of a number of existing structures, and complete the construction of a new tourist reception area, washroom, three pavilions, bamboo and wire fencing, and a car park.
For visitors, the Sanctuary is easy to reach, at only a 45-minute drive from Hohoe. Accommodation options include the local 6-room guest house, where a community cook serves traditional meals and refreshments. Nearby, a number of attractions are also worth your time, including the local cemetery and Wli falls, the highest in West Africa. Don’t miss the opportunity to partake in the cultural village tour, with kente weaving or fufu pounding just two of the many activities on offer, all designed to give you a real-life insight into the daily lives of local people! c
VISIT GHANA FOR THE EXPERIENCE
OF A LIFETIME
