Ghana Tours
Best of Ghana Tour
The perfect introduction to Ghana, mixing culture, history and wildlife on a 16 day guided tour.
Tour Overview
Take an enthralling expedition through the heart of Ghana with our Best of Ghana Tour. We designed this itinerary to unveil the full diversity of this captivating country. Then immerse yourself in the rich tapestry of Ghana's culture, history, and wildlife. Our local travel experts expertly weave it all together.
Discover ancient cultural sites, the serenity of pristine beaches, and the layers of nuanced history that define Ghana. This itinerary also ensures a seamless blend of experiences. As a result, you not only witness but actively engage with the daily lives of locals. In addition, you foster meaningful connections within the exceptionally welcoming Ghanaian community.
Ghana is celebrated for its warm hospitality and reputation as one of Africa's safest destinations. Moreover, on this private tour you can discover its wonders as you journey with our expert local guides. They are great storytellers, well-versed in the cultural, historical, and natural wonders that Ghana holds.
Your interests may lean towards historical landmarks, pristine beaches, or the vibrant tapestry of daily life. Either way, this tour caters to a diverse palette of preferences. It also promises a holistic and immersive experience, leaving you with lasting memories of Ghana's warmth and splendour.
Day By Day
Your Itinerary
DAY 1
Welcome to Ghana!
Arrive at Kotoka International Airport in Accra, where our local tour guides will welcome you. They then transfer you to your accommodation. After checking in, your guide will greet you with "Akwaaba" (welcome) and brief you on all aspects of your trip.
Overnight in Accra
DAY 2
Accra
First, tour Accra's economic and administrative districts and the National Museum. The museum offers a rich ethnographic experience of West African culture. It also has an adjoining sculpture garden and traditional fabrics and crafts to browse. Then walk through James Town to see historical structures predating the colonial era. These include a 30-metre British-built lighthouse (1871) and Fort James (1673). Fort James was a British trading post that merged with Dutch Fort Crêvecœur and Danish Fort Christiansborg. After lunch at Country Kitchen, visit Black Star Square and Independence Square. After that, see the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park and the National Cultural Centre's outdoor arts and crafts market. Finally, finish with the striking "Fantasy Coffins" of Teshie Nungua.
Overnight in Accra · Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
DAY 3
Shai Hills
Visit the Shai Hills Reserve, savannah grassland dominated by granite inselbergs with traditional shrines. It is home to olive baboons, antelopes and monkeys. Hike to the Obonu Tem caves with a wildlife guide to see Egyptian Tomb Bats and colourful birds. Then continue to Krobo, renowned for traditional bead jewellery. You learn the ancient bead-making process and craft your own beads in a family compound. After that, arrive in Akosombo for a riverfront hotel and lunch overlooking the Volta River. Later, an evening cruise lets you watch local fishermen at work.
Overnight in Akosombo · Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
DAY 4
Wli Waterfalls and Monkey Sanctuary
Visit the Wli (Agumatsa) Falls, believed to be the highest in West Africa. A short forest trek reaches the falls, and the pool beneath is safe for swimming. After lunch in HoHoe, visit Tafi Atome, home to an endangered population of True Mona monkeys. The community considers them sacred messengers and has protected them for over two centuries. Then continue to Tafi Abuife, where generations have woven traditional Ewe kente cloth.
Overnight in Akosombo · Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
DAY 5
Mole National Park
First, fly north to Tamale. Then drive to Mole National Park, stopping at Larabanga to see a remarkable Sudanese-style mud and stick mosque. It is believed to be one of West Africa's oldest. Moreover, the World Monuments Fund lists it among the 100 most endangered sites. Afterwards, check in to accommodation perched on a 250-metre escarpment overlooking the park. From the terrace, you can watch elephants bathe at a nearby water hole.
Overnight in Mole National Park · Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
DAY 6
Mole National Park
Join an early morning expedition on foot with an armed guide, tracking African elephants through the savannah. Along the way, you encounter olive baboons, patas monkeys, kob, bushbuck and waterbuck. You may also see hartebeest, roan antelope, lion, leopard, hyena and buffalo. In addition, look out for some of the park's 350 recorded bird species. Then, in the afternoon, visit the village of Mognori on the park boundary. Here the local chief and healer teach you about community-led conservation and shea butter production. They also cover tobacco farming and traditional medicine.
Overnight in Mole National Park · Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
DAY 7
Kintampo Waterfall and Boebeng-Fiema Monkey Sanctuary
Head south towards Kumasi via the Kintampo Waterfalls, a fast-flowing cascade with a refreshing pool for swimming. Lunch is at the Falls restaurant. Then continue through Techiman to the Boebeng-Fiema Monkey Sanctuary. Here villages protect sacred Black and White Colobus and Lowe's Mona monkeys, which roam freely through the forest.
Overnight in Kumasi · Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
DAY 8
Ancient Villages
Explore traditional Asante buildings recognised as UNESCO World Heritage Sites, crafted from bamboo, timber, mud and thatch. They house active shrines adorned with Adinkra symbols and are associated with the warrior Nana Yaa Asantewaa. Then visit Adanwomasie, birthplace of Ghana's Kente cloth, to see traditional looms. After that comes Ntonso, origin of Adinkra cloth and symbols, printed with natural bark dyes. Finally, after lunch, visit Sokoban Krofrom to see traditional brass casting.
Overnight in Kumasi · Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
DAY 9
Kumasi
Visit Manhyia Palace, residence of the Asantehene (King of the Ashanti), and its Palace Museum. You also see the National Cultural Centre's craft market and Prempeh II Jubilee Museum. Then explore Kejetia Market, reputed to be the largest outdoor market in West Africa. After that, visit the Okomfo Anokye sword, a symbol of Ashanti-Nzema unity. Finally, see the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, founded in 1952.
Overnight in Kumasi · Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
DAY 10
Assin Manso and Elmina
Head south to Elmina, stopping at Assin Manso, a checkpoint on the enslaved African trade route. Captives were bathed and assessed here before the final 32-mile march to Cape Coast Castle. In 1998, the remains of two formerly enslaved people were symbolically returned and re-interred here. Afterwards, check in to a beachfront hotel in Elmina, named by the Portuguese for the region's abundant gold.
Overnight in Elmina · Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
DAY 11
Cape Coast Castle and Baobab Children Foundation
Tour the UNESCO-designated Cape Coast Castle, a sombre monument including its dungeons and the "Door of No Return". For lunch, support the Baobab Children Foundation, a vocational school and restaurant. It gives disadvantaged local children education and skills training. Then, in the afternoon, join a batik-making workshop with Global Mamas, a fair-trade organisation empowering local women. Finally, create your own batik garment as a souvenir.
Overnight in Elmina · Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
DAY 12
Kakum
Visit Kakum National Park's famous rainforest canopy walkway, with seven bridges suspended 40 metres above the forest floor. The forest is home to over 40 mammal species, including forest elephants and leopards. Then visit the adjacent International Stingless Bee Project. After that, a local farm teaches you about palm wine tapping and Akpeteshi gin distillation. Lunch is at Han's Cottage Botel overlooking a lake.
Overnight in Elmina · Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
DAY 13
Stilt Village and Ankasa Reserve
Head west towards the Ivory Coast border. Then take a dugout canoe through the Amasuri wetlands to Nzulezu Stilt Village, built entirely over the lake. Its community is said to have settled there 600 years ago, farming rather than fishing. After that, continue to Ankasa Reserve, linked to Nini-Suhien National Park. The reserve protects over 500 square kilometres of pristine upper Guinea rainforest, Ghana's finest remaining. Finally, choose between a night walk or relaxing at your lodge.
Overnight in Ankasa · Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
DAY 14
Bamboo Cathedral and Village Life
Explore Ankasa's forest to the Bamboo Cathedral, about 12km from the entrance. You reach it by mountain bike or 4×4, spotting birds and mammals along the way. Then, in the afternoon, visit a remote farming community. Here you learn to make Gari and pound FuFu, and visit a local chop bar. You also follow the cocoa cultivation process with a local farmer. In fact, Ghana is the world's second-largest cocoa exporter.
Overnight in Ankasa · Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
DAY 15
Beach Relaxation
Travel east to a beachfront accommodation for an afternoon of relaxation on the beach or exploring nearby coastal villages. Then, as the sun sets, enjoy a beachfront dinner with a bonfire. A local Ghanaian drumming and dance troupe joins you. You also have the chance to try your hand at drumming.
Overnight in Brenu Akyinim · Meals included: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
DAY 16
Farewell to Ghana
Head back to Accra via Elmina. Here you have a few hours to explore the fishing town, its market and traditional boat builders. Then have lunch in Winneba. Finally, time permitting, visit Accra Mall for souvenirs before an early evening farewell meal and transfer to the airport.
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Know Before You Go
Included & Excluded
What’s Included
Mid-range accommodation throughout the tour
Breakfast, lunch and dinner, plus fruit and snacks when available on all vehicles
Unlimited mineral water for the duration of your tour
Transportation in a fully air-conditioned vehicle for the duration of your tour
A highly experienced, full-time driver, focused on your safety and comfort
All expert guide fees
Entrance fees – all entrance and excursion fees detailed in your itinerary
What’s Not Included
International travel to the start and end point – contact us for information and flight options
Any airport taxes
Travel insurance
Any visa requirements
Alcoholic drinks and drinks not mentioned
Items of a personal nature
Tips for drivers and guides throughout the tour
Tour Map
Book With Confidence
Dates & Prices
This is a private tour that can be scheduled to your requirements.
From £3,655 per person, based on two people travelling and in a double room, excluding flights
Good to Know
Travel Information
Safety, Passport, Visa and Health Information
We strongly recommend that you check your government's travel advisory for up-to-date information and advice about your destination. For example, it covers safety and security, entry requirements, health, local laws and customs. For UK citizens, check the latest Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office advice for Ghana.
Your passport should be valid for a minimum of 6 months from the date of entry into Ghana. You also need a visa to enter, so apply via the Ghana High Commission website. However, Ghanaian-British dual nationals can avoid visa fees. To do so, they register with the Interior Ministry in Ghana for a Dual Nationality card.
Ghana is a conservative and deeply religious country, so dress modestly in public. In addition, military-style clothing, including camouflage, is not permitted. Drug penalties are severe, and bail is rarely granted. For example, even small amounts of marijuana risk a prison sentence of over five years. Carry a photocopy of your passport and keep the original safe. There is little tolerance towards LGBT+ people in Ghana. In fact, some same-sex acts carry potential custodial sentences of 3-25 years, though these are rarely enforced. Therefore, be sensitive to local attitudes. Photography near sensitive sites like military installations or airports is strictly prohibited. Also, always ask permission before photographing guarded buildings.
At least 8 weeks before your trip, check the latest country-specific health advice. The National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC) publishes this on the TravelHealthPro website. There is a high risk of malaria throughout Ghana, including in Accra. In addition, some areas remain at high risk of yellow fever following a 2021 outbreak. These are West Gonja, North Gonja, the Savannah region and the northwest, including Mole National Park. Therefore, keep checking NaTHNaC for the latest advice.
What to Bring
Bring lightweight, casual, non-synthetic clothing, because cotton and natural fibres are best. It should cover the body appropriately when you are in the company of local communities. In other words, it doesn't need to be fancy, but it needs to be respectful. Walking shoes or boots plus sandals are the ideal footwear.
Please allow yourself one main piece of luggage and a day-sack. You're expected to carry your own baggage, so don't overload yourself. For example, a soft wheely bag may be easier to manage than a suitcase. We also recommend a sunhat, sun cream, a torch, insect repellent, a reusable water bottle and a power adapter. Finally, pack earplugs if you're a light sleeper.
While You're There
Ghana's currency is the cedi (GHC/GHS), divided into 100 pesewas. However, ATM reliability varies widely. Therefore, it's best to withdraw cash on arrival in the capital. Alternatively, ask your guide to help exchange money at Forex Bureaus or banks during your trip.
The best time to visit is October to April, the dry season. It brings lower humidity, fewer mosquitoes and better road conditions. To use your mobile phone, contact your provider in advance for international roaming. Alternatively, your guide can help arrange a local SIM card, which requires an unlocked phone. USB internet sticks are also available for laptops (around 50 cedis for a 2GB allowance). Finally, internet cafés and hotel wifi are found in most urban areas.
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