Find your burst of adventure in Ghana’s Volta Region

I visit Volta Region, not only because this is where I hail from, but also because it carries many interesting attractions which growing up as a little boy, I did not have the chance to explore during the vacation opportunities that came about. Today, we are witnessing an emergence of unique food and cultural experiences that pay homage to our heritage and have been upheld for decades, giving visitors to this region a glimpse into an evolving presentation and expression of our cultures and way of life.

By Serlom Sosu

It is awesome experiencing the place, and especially spending time with the older generation as they have a way of enriching your memory bank with distinctively authentic journeys through chronicling history and storytelling. Also, it is important to highlight that the majority of people in the Volta Region in fact live in rural areas and are mostly farmers, sadly with limited access to safe drinking water, healthcare, education or modern farming practices or technology. Tourism however, is carving out new opportunities for the locals, while giving travelers into this part of Ghana an opportunity to explore and discover.

Tourism is evolving as a new industry to Ghanaians across the country, with more citizens thinking through it in the sense of how they can make some form of returns. This reflection has emerged since 2019 was coined “The Year of the Return”; a government led initiative created to attract foreigners to the rich culture, history and opportunities for trade, investment and tourism for guests. Now we are “beyond the return”, and though increased visitation has opened up business across most of the country, for Volta Region, most people domiciled locally are taking on an active role in promoting their businesses, looking for wider opportunities to showcase the region’s offering, and looking at ways that tourism in particular, can help with boosting the economy. To support this notion, government has also started profiling tourism as a socio-economic pillar that can improve the livelihood and infrastructure that benefits the people of Volta Region.

Culture, dance and historical walls in Ghana’s Volta Region

Make no mistake; one of the Ghana’s appeal to foreigners is how vibrant the culture is. Traditional festivals in the Volta Region are an integral part of the culture. Embarking on a trip to the Volta region is awe-inspiring, and comes with a multitude of curiosities including the food and cultural expressions. The Borborbor Dance for example, is fascinating to watch, the Ghanaian and Togolese traditional dance of which is performed by the Ewe people, who come from Ghana’s mid-Volta region and Southern Togo including. What is stand out is how dancers perform by bending their bodies at angles ranging between 75 and 90 degrees, a true spectacle when seen at local community festivals.

In regions of rich cultural displays are often stories of many archaeological discoveries, all of which give insight into ancient pasts and folklore narrated by its people. For the longest time the Elmina and Cape Coast Castle have been the eye of pre-colonial history and a point of significant interest for many in the African diaspora especially. Ruins of forts such as Fort Prinzenstein in Keta and Cape Coast Castle are stark reminders of Ghana’s gut-wrenching history of pre-colonial and colonial Transatlantic Slave trade.

Today, though many of these forts and castles are widely viewed as iconic historical landmarks, they present an opportunity for tourists to absorb the intersection between the Ghana of yesterday year, its story of liberation, independence from European rule and national pride the world now views today.

Your dose of nature

White sandy beaches, without the extreme commercial activity that comes with most coastal attractions, have long been destinations for local and international tourist exploration. Even more so now as more and more travelers are viewing the Volta Region’s mystique, especially those of Keta and Sogakope. Infrastructural development is still viewed to be in its infancy, but with more active promotion of coastal destinations, tourists can expect an immergence of new hotels and entertainment attractions that offer exceptional facilities, while immersing you in the beauty of pristine, uninterrupted coastlines.

Beyond a dance with the sea, Volta Region also boasts some of the most beautiful landscapes in Ghana, such as Hohoe’s green, lush woodlands and spectacular waterfalls, Amedzofe’s foothills and hiking offering under cooler temperatures, as well as Tafi Atome’s view of the highlands. Nature lovers can truly immerse themselves in the appeal of the great outdoors, encountering smaller wildlife such as monkeys and warthogs along the way. Available are comfortable, clean spaces to camp for adventurers, and transportation comes in the form of taxis, motorcycles and tricycles, commonly used by locals move around from community to community, or some small tour operators that can tailor packages to suit your needs.

Volta Region on the radar for tourism growth

Located at the eastern part of Ghana, the Volta Region’s claim to fame can be summarised in a list of historical forts and castles, scenic landscapes and the abundance of cultural festivals connecting visitors with the spirit and culture of the country. While the key economic drivers are still farming, fishing, animal rearing and small-scale businesses, the continued push towards developing tourism infrastructure, lends itself to improved accommodations and ancillary services, coupled with an active promotion of the region’s natural attractions. As the “Beyond the Return” campaign is in full effect, it will be interesting to see what further improvements will be made to this developing socio-economic pillar, and how many more visitors will find their spark of adventure in Ghana’s east.