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| Viewing: Ghana Eco Tour and Safari - 11 days |
Package ID: 1446 |
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| Ghana Eco Tour and Safari - 11 days |
Our eco tours of Ghana offer a perfect opportunity for our guests to cover all of Ghana's habitats and tribal regions. We venture to areas seldom visited by tourists to experience the real Ghana.
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All our tour prices include
Accommodation: range from air conditioned hotels with en-suite facilities to traditional village homestead
All meals: breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks
Transportation around Ghana in an air conditioned vehicle
Cultural excursions
Park entrance fees
Guide fees: fully escorted by professional and expert Western and local Ghanaian guides
24/7 care and attention
I T I N E R A R Y
Day 1
You arrive at Kotoka International Airport, Accra, Ghana. Accra is situated on the Gold Coast of Western Africa. This is the start of what will be an amazing journey that will live with you forever. After passing through immigration you proceed to the conveyor to collect your baggage before heading to customs. We will meet you on the other side, just look out for our sign as you come out of the terminal building. Make yourself known to us, and we will take care of you from here and for the duration of your stay. We will board our air conditioned vehicle, your mode of transport for the duration of your stay, before setting off to your hotel on the coast, just outside Accra.
Once we have checked you in, Mark and the two local guides, who will be accompanying you for the duration of your tour, will offer you Akwaaba (Welcome). We will brief you on all aspects of your holiday during complementary drinks (first evening only) at the hotel bar. In the evening you can relax on the hotel terrace overlooking the Gold Coast.
Day 2
Our first full day in Ghana. After an early breakfast, we load up our vehicle and depart Accra, Ghana’s capital. Our destination is Kumasi, home of the Asantehene, King of the Ashantis. En route we will visit Bonwire, which is famous in the Ashanti Region for producing some of Ghana’s finest Kente cloths. Many designs of cloth are woven here some are exclusive to this region and not found in other parts of Ghana. We will interact with the locals, learning about the history behind the many designs. As we walk through the village, we see locals weaving outside their homes. This is a highly skilled process as the machines that the weavers use have not changed in design for centuries. During our time at Bonwire, we have the opportunity to buy excellent quality cloths at very reasonable prices. After this wonderful cultural excursion we will continue our journey to Kumasi, the centre of the Ashanti Kingdom. On arrival we will check into our hotel for a 1 night stay.
We will head into the town centre, where we will find the Cultural Centre and the Prempeh II Jubilee museum. The Cultural Centre and Prempeh museum offer an excellent overview of Ashanti history. The wonderful craft market, in the grounds, offers an opportunity to buy traditional Ashanti crafts, at reasonable prices, during our leisurely tour.
We shall relax in our hotel for a well deserved rest in the evening.
Day 3
We leave Kumasi after breakfast and head northwards, our destination is the villages of Boebeng and Fiema. En route, we shall visit the village of Ahiwaa on the outskirts of Kumasi. Here we visit Kofi and his elder brother who have been sculpting for over 40 years in this village. They can be found, sitting outside in the shade, using centuries old methods and tools to carve. We will learn about the different meanings behind these beautiful sculptures, and have the opportunity to buy some souvenirs at a very reasonable price.
We arrive at Boebeng and Fiema. These two villages, which are nestled closely together, have set up a sanctuary to protect the vulnerable Geoffrey’s pied colobus and Mona monkeys that roam the surrounding forests. The locals perceive monkeys to be sacred and offer them traditional burials, like humans. We will spend the day in the villages, interacting with locals, and walking trails into the forest, viewing these beautiful monkeys and learning about the history behind their protection. During the walks, our guides will identify the many species of medicinal plants and explain how they benefit the locals.
Our guesthouse is a short distance from the villages, where we shall have our evening meal and relax under the stars for the night.
Day 4
The day starts with a buzz as we load up our vehicle after breakfast and set off northwards. Our destination is Wechiau and the community hippo sanctuary. The landscape changes from the broad leaved woodlands of the Ashanti Region, to the sahelian savannah plains and woodlands of the North. We will stop, en route, for refreshments at one of the local spots (bars) before reaching our destination. As we near Wechiau, we will notice the change in design of the traditional homesteads, where the Lobi tribal communities, of the Upper West Region dwell. On our arrival, we will pick up a local guide at Wechiau before proceeding to our accommodation for the next 2 evenings. The Talowana Lodge is clean, basic and comfortable accommodation, built in the design of a typical Lobi homestead. Wechiau is a fantastic project, protecting vulnerable hippos on the beautiful Black Volta River. It was voted the 3rd best conservation destination by the Independent Newspaper, UK, in 2000.
After settling into our lodge, we tour a nearby Lobi village and compound, interacting with the locals, and learning about their fascinating traditional practices and ways of life. If daylight permits, we shall head down to the river for a late afternoon river safari in a traditional dug-out canoe. The Black Volta is stunning and the canoe ride is a memorable experience. You will be dazzled by the beauty of the woodlands, either side of us, as we travel up the river to one of the hippo pools. To our left is Ghana and to our right is Burkina Faso. The bird viewing, as we travel along this border, is excellent with over 250 species recorded.
Encountering the hippos is obviously the highlight of the safari. The feeling you experience is enhanced, all the more, as these beautiful mammals are endangered in Ghana. We can enjoy the breathtaking African sunset as we return down river, arriving at our lodge for our meal. In the evening, we will sit under the beautiful African night sky listening to traditional xylophone music. This is a perfect time to experience pito, the local brew, before retiring for the night.
Day 5
After breakfast, we will have another opportunity to go on a wonderful river safari, to see the magnificent hippos in their natural environment. During our time on the river, we can expect to encounter local fishermen and observe their traditional fishing methods, which have not changed for centuries. After lunch we will set off for a walking safari, along the river, before touring the town of Wechiau. The main ethnic groups in Wechiau are the Lobi, Biri and Wala. Some Lobi and Biri elders can still be seen wearing traditional lip plugs. A visit to the centuries old mud and stick Palace is a must, while in Wechiau, and there may be an opportunity to meet the local Ya Na chief.
After our evening meal, you can either stay at the Talowana lodge or overnight at a hippo hide. This would be a fantastic and unique opportunity to see the hippos, at close range, whilst they feed in the vegetation surrounding the river. An unforgettable experience that would live in your memory.
Day 6
After two wonderful days at Wechiau, we will leave for Mole National park which is Ghana’s oldest, largest and best game Viewing Park. En route we take a cultural excursion to Larabanga and the 14th century mud and stick mosque. This wonderfully preserved traditional Sudanese style mosque dates from around 1421, and it reportedly houses one of the original copies of the Koran. We will tour Larabanga, learning about the history of the mosque and the traditions of the villagers. A short distance from Larabanga is an ancient spiritual stone, which is definitely worth a visit as the history behind it is fascinating.
On our arrival at Mole we check into the Mole Hotel, which is the only accommodation in the area. Situated on a 250 metre high escarpment, overlooking the 4840km² park, it offers breathtaking views. It is an amazing feeling to be sitting around the pool, on the hotel terrace, watching African savannah elephants bathing in the two nearby watering holes, which are inhabited by crocodiles.
This would be an ideal opportunity for an afternoon foot safari around the watering holes, with armed guides. Many of our guests, who have travelled extensively around Africa, are amazed at how close we get to the world’s largest land mammal on foot. There are over 93 mammals recorded in Mole. And, as we walk through the savannah and bush, we are likely to see troops of olive baboons and patas monkeys and get extremely close to these beautiful primates. Kob, bushbuck and hartebeest regularly come to the watering holes to drink, being cautious of the crocodiles lurking in the muddy waters. Deeper in the park lions, leopards, hyenas and African buffalo can be found. As we return to the hotel, we may encounter a family of giant warthogs or a crocodile sunning itself on the waters edge.
We return to the hotel, eat a good meal, and enjoy the atmosphere of being so close to nature.
Day 7
After breakfast, we shall depart for Kumasi. En route, we will visit the beautiful Kintampo waterfall to relax. Some of our more adventurous guests use this opportunity to experience the best shower in Ghana, an invigorating experience and a great way to cool off after our journey. After our refreshing stop, we will set off on our final leg to Kumasi. On arrival we will check into our hotel and enjoy our evening meal around the pool.
Day 8
This morning, after breakfast, we bid a farewell to Kumasi and set off for Mosomagar in the heart of the Central Region. The main tribe in this region is the Fanti. Mosomangar is a remote village famous locally for its wonderful bamboo orchestra and dance troupe. All the instruments used by the orchestra are made from bamboo, which can be found in the surrounding forest. The orchestra create a unique sound and it makes for a wonderful cultural experience. The dance troupe who accompanies the orchestra is amazing, and each dance tells a story from history. After witnessing a performance, we will interact with the locals to learn the history behind the orchestra, and then tour the village seeing their traditional ways of life. In the evening, we will have a choice of accommodation: for our more adventurous guests there is an opportunity to stay at a nearby tree platform within Kakum National park; or alternatively we can camp, or stay in guesthouse accommodation in the village.
Day 9
We take a leisurely breakfast and bid a sad farewell to the village of Mosomagar. Our destination is Kakum National park, Africa’s only rainforest canopy walkway. This is a beautiful, tropical guinea rainforest and the canopy walkway is sure to be one of the highlights during your time in Ghana. The canopy walkway consists of a series of 7 bridges, which are attached to 7 emerging trees and erected 40 metres above the rainforest floor. Prepare to take a deep breath as you walk the suspended bridges. Take time to marvel at the outstanding views that stretch for miles across this breathtaking rainforest, as you rest on the tree platforms between the bridges. We are sure you would agree that this is an exciting excursion never to be forgotten. We return to the parks headquarters to browse around the excellent information centre that offers a very informative overview of the parks flora and fauna. Over 40 different mammal species have been recorded within the park, such as forest elephants, leopards and 6 primate species, to mention just a few.
In the afternoon, we head for Cape Coast and Elmina castles. These wonderfully preserved colonial fortifications are recognised as UNESCO world heritage sites. They are both steeped in history and played a major role during Ghana’s tragic slave trade era. We will tour these castles and embark on a fascinating and thought provoking journey. Both of these monuments have an excellent museum and information centre. We shall transfer to Hans Cottage Botel after our tour. This will be our accommodation for the evening. Hans is built over a lake, containing Nile crocodiles, and set in a beautiful location surrounded by tropical guinea rainforest. It is an original design and a comfortable establishment which is teeming with bird life. An excellent place to stay during our time in Cape Coast.
Day 10
This morning we shall take a leisurely breakfast before setting off for Accra, Ghana’s capital city. Accra is a busy bustling city, situated on the Gold Coast. Upon our arrival, we head for the National Museum, a fascinating place, where almost all the displays are ethnographic in nature and you can see some fantastic examples of traditional crafts. If time permits, we will visit Independence Square to see the enclosed flame of African liberation, which was lit by Ghana’s founder Kwame Nkrumah in 1961. As it is our final evening in Ghana, we will head back to our hotel, to freshen up, before an evening out at one of Accra’s beach front restaurants and bars.
Day 11
A well deserved lie in, the day is at your leisure. You may decide to relax on the beach or around the pool of the hotel. Alternatively, we can take you to the National Cultural Centre, which has an excellent craft market and is a good place to pick up any last minute souvenirs. If you decide to go to the Cultural Centre, it would be a shame not to visit the Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum as it is situated a short walk away. The Mausoleum is set in attractive gardens and has an interesting museum attached.
Depending on your flight departure time, we will visit a nearby beach hotel to relax and enjoy an early evening meal before your sad departure, and flight home, after an unforgettable 11 days experience.
Price does not include
International Flights
Visa
Items of a personal nature or not mentioned in the itinerary above
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