Arrival, Akwaaba (Welcome), Airport Pickup and Hotel Transfer.

Greater Accra - Upon arrival at Kotoka International Airport in Accra, located on the stunning gold coast of Western Africa, our knowledgeable local tour guides will greet you. Look for the Ashanti African Tours sign as you exit the main terminal building after clearing customs. Introduce yourself to your guides, who will accompany you throughout your stay in Ghana, ensuring your comfort and care from this point forward.

Economic Districts, National Museum, James Town, Independence Square, Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park…

National Museum of Ghana - On your first full day in Ghana, after enjoying breakfast at our hotel, we embark on a tour of Accra, passing through the economic and administrative districts en route to the National Museum. The museum’s displays are primarily ethnographic, offering an excellent overview of West African culture. Exhibits include items from Ghana and other West African countries. The adjoining garden features sculptures that depict West African traditions and customs, providing insight into the region’s history. During our visit, you’ll also have the opportunity to view and purchase exquisite traditional fabrics and crafts.

James Town - Next, we explore James Town with a walking tour of this lively community, one of Accra’s oldest suburbs, showcasing historical structures predating the colonial era. This visit offers a glimpse into life before independence during colonial times. The 30-meter-high lighthouse, built by the British in 1871, is noteworthy, and the colorful fishing boats on the beach are a delightful sight. We continue to Fort James, constructed by the British as a trading post in 1673, which later joined the Dutch Fort Crêvecœur and the Danish Fort Christiansborg. Fort James lent its name to the Jamestown neighborhood in Accra. These areas provide a vivid picture of old Accra, highlighting the distinctions between British and Dutch Accra. The community tour concludes with a visit to the Brazilian stone houses, built by freed enslaved Africans who returned from Brazil after the abolition of the slave trade.

Independence Square - Lunch will be enjoyed at a local restaurant (Country Kitchen) offering a variety of West African and continental dishes. In the afternoon, we pass by Black Star Square, home to the independence monument, and proceed to Independence Square, our main ceremonial grounds, where the enclosed flame of African liberation, lit by Kwame Nkrumah in 1961, is located.

Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park - A short distance away is the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park, the final resting place of Ghana’s founder. Set in beautiful gardens, the adjoining museum contains photos, artifacts, and insights into this remarkable man’s life. The center was designed by a Ghanaian architect and constructed using Italian marble. Adjacent to the park is the National Cultural Center, Ghana’s largest outdoor arts and crafts market, where locals sell traditional crafts from across West Africa.

Teshie - After honing your bargaining skills, we head to the “Fantasy Coffins” of Teshie Nungua. In Ghana, funeral and burial ceremonies are solemn occasions, followed by celebrations. Ghanaians believe the deceased transition to another world, and the coffins made here may represent the deceased’s occupation or something significant to them. Coffin designs range from cars, cocoa pods, and cigarette packets to airplanes, crocodiles, shoes, beer bottles, and boats. After an action-packed first full day, we return to our accommodation for dinner and relaxation, with the remainder of the evening free for leisure.

TK Beads, Aburi Botanical Gardens, and Craft Market

Accra - After breakfast, we depart Accra, heading into the hills en route to Kumasi. Before leaving this bustling city, we stop at TK Beads, experts in crafting beautiful traditional beads using ancient methods. Your guides will explain the skilled bead-making process. In Ghana, beads symbolize wealth and beauty and are still used during traditional durbars and festivals. After the demonstration, you can admire and purchase a wide selection of beads in the onsite shop.

Aburi Botanical Gardens - Our journey takes us into the picturesque Akuapem hills, offering stunning views of Accra and Tema in the distance. At the top of the range, we find the Aburi Botanical Gardens, established by the British in 1890. The gardens host a diverse array of indigenous and exotic flora, providing breathtaking views of Accra on a clear day. As we stroll through the gardens, our guide will identify the various trees and plants, some with medicinal properties, and explain their benefits to the locals. A short distance from the gardens is the relaxed and friendly Aburi craft village, where traditional African drums, sculptures, and other crafts have been carved for generations. Observing the skilled craftsmen at work, it’s worth noting that prices here are among the lowest in Ghana, making Aburi an ideal place to purchase souvenirs.

Kumasi - Lunch will be enjoyed in Koforidua, the capital of Ghana’s Eastern Region, before continuing our journey to Kumasi, arriving in the early evening. After checking into our accommodation, we enjoy dinner, with the remainder of the day free for leisure and relaxation.

Ancient Kente and Adinkra Villages, Ashanti Traditional House, and Sakoban Krofrom

Kumasi - In the morning, we visit the last material remnants of the great Asante Empire by exploring the traditional Asante buildings, now recognized as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. These buildings house 10 active shrines and are constructed from bamboo, timber, mud, and thatched roofs. The walls feature motifs with traditional symbolic meanings linked to ancient Adinkra symbols, which we will learn more about later today. This is also the birthplace of Nana Yaa Asantewaa, a significant figure in Ashanti history, a formidable female warrior who led the Ashanti in the 1901 war against the British. Nana Yaa Asantewaa was also the Queen Mother of Ejisu Besease, and we will visit the local spiritual shrine where she fortified herself before battle.

Adanwomase - We continue our journey through Ashanti history by visiting the traditional villages of Adanwomasie and Ntonso. Our first stop is Adanwomasie, the birthplace of Ghana’s vibrant Kente cloth. Adanwomasi produces some of Ghana’s finest Kente cloth, with many designs exclusive to this region. We dedicate quality time here, walking through the community and interacting with locals whose families have woven Kente for generations, playing a vital role in the cloth’s history. During our visit, we learn about the history behind the various designs and observe skilled weavers using traditional looms unchanged for centuries. This is an ideal time to purchase quality Kente cloth at very reasonable prices before heading to Ntunso.

Kumasi - After lunch, we visit the village of Sokoban Krofrom, where traditional brass casting has been the community’s main source of income for generations. A wide range of items, from beads and jewelry to traditional statues, are crafted here. The methods used to create these exquisite brass works remain unchanged, and during our visit, we witness a demonstration of the skilled process. After exploring some of the village’s stores offering a wonderful selection, we return to our accommodation for dinner and relaxation, with the remainder of the evening free for leisure.

Manhyia Palace, Cultural Center, Kejetia Market, and Assin Manso

Manhyia Palace Museum - After an early breakfast, a day of culture and history awaits as we embark on a city tour of Kumasi, heading to the Manhyia Palace, home of the Asantehene King of the Ashanti and ruler of the powerful Asanteman Kingdom. The Palace Museum offers a fascinating journey through the history of this influential tribe, providing valuable insights into the well-documented Ashanti history and culture. Our tour offers a firsthand understanding of the Ashanti’s legacies and culture during our time in this region.

We continue to the National Cultural Centre, located in one of Kumasi’s oldest suburbs near Bantama. The cultural center features a wonderful craft market, and during our leisurely tour, we can visit the Prempeh II Jubilee Museum, which provides an excellent overview of Ashanti history and houses remarkable ancient artifacts.

Kejetia Market - A short distance from the palace is Kejetia Market, reputed to be the largest outdoor market in West Africa. Visiting here offers a fantastic opportunity to experience everyday life in this vibrant city and pick up some bargain souvenirs. The market is a maze of closely packed stalls, bustling with activity. Some stallholders even sleep here at night as trade rarely ceases. Lunch will be enjoyed at a local restaurant offering a delightful selection of local and continental dishes.

Elmina - After lunch, we head south to Elmina in Ghana’s central region. The town of Elmina was named by the Portuguese due to the abundance of gold found in Ghana; “Elmina” translates to “The Mine.” Gold holds significant importance to Ghana both historically and today, as the country was known as the Gold Coast before independence. Ghana’s gold is of the highest quality, making it the 8th largest exporter globally and the second largest in Africa, after South Africa.

We stop at Assin Manso, a key town along the enslaved African trade routes. The town surrounds the Ndonkor Nsuo (Enslaved African River). Our journey continues, aiming to arrive in Elmina in the early evening, where we check into our hotel and relax.

Kakum National Park, Canopy Walkway, Stingless Bees, Cape Coast Castle, and Traditional Batik Making

Kakum National Park - We start early, heading to Kakum National Park in the morning after breakfast, to experience Africa’s renowned rainforest canopy walkway. This beautiful tropical guinea rainforest and the canopy walkway are sure to be highlights of your time in Cape Coast. The national park preserves the original habitat of the area, which was once home and a major food source for locals. The walkway comprises 7 bridges attached to 7 towering trees, 40 meters above the rainforest floor. Prepare to take a deep breath as you traverse the suspended bridges. You’ll be amazed by the breathtaking views stretching for miles across the rainforest as you rest on the viewing platforms attached to the trees between the bridges. This is an unforgettable excursion.

International Stingless Bee Centre - We return to the park headquarters, where an excellent information center provides a comprehensive overview of the park’s flora and fauna. Over 40 different mammal species have been recorded within the park, including forest elephants, leopards, and 6 primate species, to name a few. A short distance from Kakum, on the forest’s border, is the International Stingless Bee Project. Approximately 9 species of stingless bees have been identified here in Ghana, and their ecological importance is crucial. Our tour of the center educates us on the bees’ local significance, medicinal qualities, and we get to see their hives, taste, and purchase quality stingless bee honey. There is a stingless bee walkway and butterfly garden where many forest butterfly species come to feed. Lunch will be enjoyed at a local restaurant offering a wide selection of international and local dishes.

Cape Coast Castle - After lunch, we visit the nearby Cape Coast Castle, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The castle is a poignant monument to a harrowing period in the region’s history. We spend quality time in the afternoon on an emotional journey touring this castle, which held more enslaved Africans captive than any other in West Africa, viewing the dungeons and the infamous “Door of No Return.” Inside, a historical museum explains the entire history of the castle and Cape Coast itself, and a souvenir shop sells literature on all of Ghana’s forts and castles, as well as the cultural history and traditions of Ghana.

Cape Coast - Our afternoon is dedicated to immersing ourselves in true African art during a traditional batik-making workshop with Global Mamas, an excellent organization empowering local women to learn artistic skills and sell their finished products in the fair-trade market, enabling them to support their families. The process of wax heating, stamping, and drying makes for an interesting afternoon. You will receive a piece of cloth to create your own garment to take home.

Cape Coast - There is no better way to connect with locals and learn about daily life than by working alongside them to create your own traditional batik garment. Join a local artisan in their workshop to learn the traditional techniques of batik making and production, resulting in a wonderful souvenir of your time in Ghana that will evoke fond memories each time you wear it. A short distance from our batik workshop is Elmina, where we visit the local fishing market and walk a short distance to see the boat builders in this community. Almost all the fishing boats used in this bustling fishing community are traditional wooden boats. Their design has remained unchanged for centuries, as have the tools and methods used to build them. We will also enjoy the sight of the many colorful fishing boats bringing their daily catch into the harbor and take this opportunity to mingle with the locals, enjoying the atmosphere of a West African fishing community.

Elmina Castle - During our time in Elmina town, we will visit the Castle of St. George in Elmina, the oldest extant colonial building in sub-Saharan Africa, dating back to 1482. This castle is rich in history and played a significant role during the tragic transatlantic enslaved African trade era. Inside, an informative museum focuses on local history, and it is designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Our final evening in Ghana’s central region can be spent at our accommodation or exploring the local nightlife.

Beach Relaxation, Fort Amsterdam, and Accra for Departure

Accra - Upon returning to Ghana’s capital city, there may be time to visit the Accra Mall, offering a glimpse into modern-day Ghana and an opportunity to purchase last-minute souvenirs before heading home. Our early evening meal will be enjoyed at a locally owned restaurant serving an excellent selection of local and international dishes, providing an ideal opportunity to say our goodbyes and reflect on a wonderful time together. After your meal, our team will transfer you to the airport for your departure.

• Expert local guide available around the clock
• Continuous office support, 24/7
• Travel in comfort with an air-conditioned vehicle
• Complimentary breakfast, lunch, and dinner
• Stay hydrated with unlimited mineral water
• Fuel for the journey, no mileage cap
• Professional driver at the wheel
• All excursion fees included in the package
• Quality accommodation for restful nights
• Convenient airport transfers
• Travel worry-free with insurance coverage

• Visa
• International flights
• Soft and alcoholic drinks

For those eager to explore a diverse range of experiences in Ghana, the Ghana Cultural, Historical, and Wildlife Tour offers an ideal introduction to this remarkable country. This tour combines culture, history, and wildlife, allowing participants to engage with locals and gain insight into their daily lives. Visitors will encounter warm and welcoming locals, explore ancient cultural sites, relax on stunning beaches, and learn about the country’s complex historical past, all while discovering its exceptional flora and fauna. Known as one of the most welcoming and safe countries in Africa, Ghana offers unique opportunities through our local expert guides, who provide authentic experiences and insights into local life. Our award-winning guides are specialists in the culture, history, flora, and fauna of all the destinations visited in Ghana.

If you cancel at least 3 full day(s) before the scheduled departure time, you will receive a full refund.
If you cancel within 3 day(s) of the scheduled departure, you will receive a 0% refund.