If you are planning to come to Ghana to take a vacation, tour the country, or even create your own package tour, then these two tours may be for you.
Itinerary 3: 19 Days Taking it easy version.
Days 1-6: Beaches, man. Accra-Cape-and further west. And a bit of history and culture.
Days 1-2: Accra-Cape. As per the first itinerary, mix and match activities here. Hang out at Oasis.
The view over Benya Lagoon from the west side of the Elmina Castle ramparts.
Days 3-6: Any or all of touring, say, Green Turtle Lodge, Ko-sa Beach Resort or Axim Beach Resort. If Axim, then add on a visit to Nzulezo stilt village, for the day, using the resort as a base.
Days 7-14: Northern adventure. Elephants, Dude. And crafts and culture.
Day 7: Takoradi to Kumasi by STC or tro. STC departs T’di daily at 4 a.m. or 12 p.m. to Kumasi. It goes via Cape Coast. Tros leave regularly throughout the day.
If you arrive in Kumasi early, you could visit the National Cultural Centre in town.
Day 8: Travel to either Tamale/Bolga. STC bus departs Kumasi to Tamale Mon-Sat at 10 a.m. There’s no Sunday service. All things being equal, you should arrive in Tamale around 4 p.m. You could, if you’re lucky, still nab a ticket for the bus to Mole National Park on this day, if that service is late, which it often is, and not over booked. Even if over-booked, there are ways to get tickets. If you can’t get tickets, you could travel on to Bolga, another 2.5 hours by tro, on the next car leaving, and stay overnight there.
Basket makers in traditional home in Bolgatanga
Day 9: Bolgatanga: Visit basket makers at basket making workshop in village on outskirts of town. Or visit Sirigu potters for the day and Navrongo Cathedral. Overnight in Bolga.
Day 10: Stay in Bolga longer or wake early and travel to Tamale for that day’s bus to Mole National Park. Catch tro or Metro Mass Bus. MM (orange buses) leave around 7 a.m. from the station which is on the Zuarongo Road behind Sand Gardens Hotel. Tros leave regularly from the main station in town. In Tamale, buy ticket for Mole National Park bus at main tro station where you’ll alight. Wait. Could visit market about 5 minutes on the right outside the station. Arrive in Mole National Park late that night.
Day 11-12: Tour around Mole National Park and hang out. Visit Larabanga should you wish.
Day 13: Leave Mole National Park on 4 a.m. bus to Tamale. From Tamale head either to Accra or Kumasi. STC leaves for Accra at 6 a.m. and 4 p.m. every day. It leaves for Kumasi at 7 a.m. Your main hope is that it’s late and that you can still get a ticket when you arrive some time after 8 a.m. Otherwise, there are other options such as Metro Mass to Kumasi or a tro. I feel it’s better to stay in Kumasi—much cheaper—and travel to the Volta from there as you save half a day. You can go directly from Kumasi on a vehicle to Koforidua, and then in another vehicle from there to either Kpong, Ho or Hohoe easily. That is quicker than going to Accra and then to the Volta area. Let’s say you do that on Day 14.
Days 14—19 Waterfalls, Dude. And Culture, if you’re into that kind of thing.
Day 14: Kumasi to Hohoe. Hang out and relax. You’re the Dude afterall.
Day 15: Hang out and walk to the lower or upper falls.
Day 16: Same, or head to any of the points suggested in the first itinerary.
Day 17: Same.
Day 18: Same.
Day 19: Accra, unfortunately, and home…or next stop.
By the way, this is the Dude. Connection with Ghana? Tenuous, but I reckon the Dude wouldn't mind hangin' out on some of the beaches.
Itinerary 2: The 19 day Ghana tour for troopers: tough Ghana tours
Days 1-5: Beaches, History, Culture, Workshops.
Days 1: Accra. Arrive. Sight-see, depending on arrival time.
Day 2: Straight to Takoradi by STC and on to Axim. Stay at Axim Beach Resort for night. STC departs from Kaneshie in Accra at 2.30 and 4.30 p.m. Mon-Sat. It is better to go to Kaneshie Fast Cars and get the next one going to T’di. You’ll be there in 4 hours, say, mid-day. Then the tro from T’di to Axim will leave soon and you’ll be there late afternoon, before dark for sure.
The stilt village--a day trip from Axim Beach Resort.
Day 3: Visit Nzulezo Stilt Village. Still stay overnight in Axim.
A common sight along the coast of Ghana: fishermen working, singing and hauling in the nets.
Day 4: Head back to Cape Coast via T’di. Could visit Cape Coast Castle in afternoon.
Day 5: Visit Elmina Castle or go to Kakum National Park, or both.
Day 6-8: Ashanti and Brong Ahafo Region. Nature, Craft, Culture, Causes
Day 6: Tro to Kumasi. If you leave by 8 a.m. you’ll arrive by mid-day. Travel on to Lake Bosumtwi for night. Stay overnight.
African Rainbow at Lake Bosumtwi
Day 7: Hang out at lake in morning and stay another night or return to Kumasi and go to Bonwire Kente village for the afternoon. Stay overnight in Kumasi.
Day 8: Travel by tro to Techiman, 3 hours north-west. Head to Operation Hand in Hand for the night from here. Stay overnight.
Days 9-12/13: Crafts, Nature, Wildlife
Day 9: Wake early, return to Techiman and catch tro to Tamale, about 4.5 hours. Buy ticket for Mole National Park if in time. Head to Mole that afternoon. Overnight Larabanga at Salia Brothers or Mole Motel.
Day 10: Mole NP tours.
Day 11: Depart Mole at 4 a.m. Arrive in Tamale by around 8 a.m. Catch tro on to Bolga. Arrive in Bolga by around mid-day/one. Do a basket making workshop, visit Sirigu or Navrongo.
A traditional house in the Upper East region during the rainy season (June-Sept).
Day 12: Stay in Bolga another day or travel south. Metro Mass Buses depart daily at 8 a.m. to Accra for 15 GCs from the station on the Zuarango Road behind Sand Gardens Hotel. Buy the ticket the day before and be there by 7 a.m. You’ll arrive in Kumasi at about 6 p.m. I advise you to overnight here and change for a different car to head to the bead making area from there.
Day 13-19 Adventure, Waterfalls, Crafts, Rivers
Day 13: Wake and visit the cultural centre if you like. Or, catch a tro to Koforidua from Kejetia station. This will take about 5 hours. From here you could visit the bead making areas as you make your way towards Akosombo and the Volta Region.
Or, you could catch a tro to Nkawkaw, about 1.5 hours, and then travel across to Kpando by crossing Lake Volta twice, as I described in “the road less traveled” (but in reverse), and get there that night, without overnighting in Donkorkrom.
Kumasi-Nkawkaw: 1.5 hours, Nkawkaw-Adowse port: 2 hours, Adowse by canoe to Ekye on other side: 40 mintues. Ekye to Donkorkrom: 90 minutes. DKK-Agordeke: 1 hour. Agordeke-Kpando: 2 hours. Kpando—Hohoe 30 minutes. This looks hard but it’s pretty easy. If you left Kumasi by 7 a.m. or earlier (not later), you can arrive in Kpando by evening.
Day 14: If you’re in Akosombo, you can read any of the itineraries above and Part 2 Highlights to put together the next 5 days.
If you’re in Hohoe, travel to Wli and climb waterfalls and then relax.
Day 15: Relax! You’ll need it.
Day 16: Head to Ho and see weaving at Kpotoe or stay at Mountain Paradise and visit more waterfalls.
Day 17-18: Stay at Akosombo for 2 nights and visit bead makers as short day trips if you wish.
Day 19: Accra. Tired and ready to sleep on the plane for 10 hours!
We hope that this helps you plan a Ghana vacation or holiday. Don't forget to check out the guide at http://www.g-lish.org/ghanaguide.
We have a new site www.g-lish.org where you can read all articles from This is Ghana in a much more organised fashion. Read Two 19 Day Tours of Ghana for independent travellers there.
