Ghana: Tourism & Culture
Tourist Attractions
Ghana is a fantastic place to explore, with large national parks, castles, rainforest walks, lakes, museums, markets, picturesque beaches and lots of cultural attractions.
Evenings can be spent taking in the local culture, music and food, while weekends can be spent walking over the rooftops of the rainforest, watching elephants or kayaking across lake volta.
And when volunteering is coming to an end why not relax on one of Ghana’s many beaches? With crisp white sand, palm trees, coconuts and a beautiful ocean.
There’s certainly nothing boring about Ghana and we’ll be there to help you make the most of your time.
Festivals
Ghanaians enjoy nothing more than singing, dancing and celebrating, it’s entwined into their friendly hospitable culture. Every month in Ghana there are local festivals and major events are held during traditional holidays.
Festivals offer a great chance to enrich yourself in local culture, taste traditional food, sing, drum and dance.
Kumasi Markets
These huge open markets spread miles across the centre of Kumasi, they offer everything you could ever want and thus are popular with thousands of local people.
Volunteers will have the opportunity to explore the markets with our guides and get a real feel for the Ghanaian culture.
Mole National Park
One hundred seventy kilometres west of Tamale in the West Gonja District, is the Mole National Park. The scenic ride to Mole, though rough terrain, is ideal for the adventurous visitor.
The largest of Ghana’s National Parks and situated in the heart of the Guinea savannah woodland ecosystem, it is home to 93 mammalian species, 33 reptiles nine amphibians and an estimated 300 birds species. The mammals include some 600 elephants, 2,000 roam antelopes, 3,000 hartebeests, 4,000 waterbucks, 5,000 buffalo and some 6,000 warthogs. Uncounted lions, leopards, hyenas and various primates can also be seen in Mole. A total of 600km of game protection and viewing roads have been developed within the park. A beautiful 33-bed hotel facility, with a swimming pool overlooking an elephant bath, offers overnight accommodation and restaurant facilities.
Kintampo Waterfalls
Regarded to be amongst one of the most impressive in Ghana, the Kintampo Waterfalls mark the southern passage of the Ovoko River, a tributary of the Black Volta further north. Here you will have the opportunity to bathe in the refreshing waters and slide down the naturally smooth rock face into the waterfall.
Paga Crocodile Pond
Paga is noted for its sacred pond, which is a sanctuary for crocodiles. The crocodiles are said to be totems for the people of Kassena, who reside in Paga and the surrounding communities. It is believed that each native of Paga has a corresponding crocodile representing each person’s soul. Local tradition has it that there have been actual instances when deaths of important personalities in the community coincided with that of some crocodiles. The reptiles are normally enticed out of the pond by the whistling of the caretaker and the brandishing of a fowl, which the crocodiles quickly snatch with their snouts. If you are courageous, you can sit on, or hold the beast’s tail for a good camera pose.
Museums
Ghana hosts several museums which give a great insight into the history of the country.
• Manhyia Palace Museum
• Centre for National Culture
• The Prempeh II Jubilee Museum
• Kumasi Fort & Military Museum
• Okomfo Anokye Sword
• The Akwasidae Ceremony
Culture
Ghana is a country of 24 million people comprising over 60 ethnic groups. Fifty two major languages and hundreds of dialects are spoken in Ghana, and English, the official language of Ghana, is spoken by many. Like most other African nations Ghana has rich traditional cultures that differ from one ethnic group to the other.
Volunteers will have the opportunity to have traditional clothes made for them, taste local dishes, learn the local language and partake in drumming and dancing.
Monkey Sanctuary
22km north of Nkoranza, and home to many families of Colobus and Mona monkeys, which are held sacred by the local people. Visitors taking the forest walk along shaded trails are rewarded with sightings of many birds, butterflies and indigenous flowers and tree.
Bosumtwe Lake
It is located 31km southeast of Kumasi. A picturesque meteorite Crater Lake surrounded by dozens of virgin fishing and farming villages. The Lake Basin is ideal for mountaineering, diving, swimming and relaxation.
Rainforest Canopy Walk
A 357km² national park comprising undisturbed virgin rainforest. Excellent walking tours (and a canopy walkway) through the forest provide the opportunity to see much of Ghana’s indigenous plant life, as well as rare butterflies, birds and game (that could include the extraordinary Bongo and forest elephant).
Volunteers will also be given the opportunity to stay overnight in the rainforest treehouse.
Cape Coast
Beach lovers will enjoy palm tree fringed beaches, warmed by the Ghanaian sunshine, white sand and surf.
Volunteers will be staying in beach huts and can explore the historic castle of cape coast while visiting the craft centres.
Kumasi Zoo
The first animals in the zoo included buffalo and chimpanzee but this has grown to include a modest selection of Ghana’s wildlife. The zoo is centrally located in one of the most enviable locations of Kumasi. One of the zoo’s claims to fame has been the successful breeding of Sooty Mangabey Cercocebus atys lunulatus in captivity.
Larabanga Mosque
The Larabanga Mosque is an historic mosque of the “Sudanese” architectural mosque type in the village of Larabanga, in Ghana. Though uncertainty exists about its age, it is believed to be one of the holiest Islamic sites in Ghana. We’ll make a short stop at Larabanga mosque on our way to Mole National Park.
Arts & Crafts
Almost every tourist attraction in Ghana has a place to purchase local art and crafts. Beautiful vibrant african art can be purchased on canvas from 100′s of local artists. From drums to salad bowls you’ll find thousands of different handmade crafts to take home.
