Itinerary

1. Day 1: Arrival at Accra Kotoka International Airport

   • Arrival at the Kotoka International Airport, following a drive to stay at KNUST Guesthouse.

2. Day 2: Explore British Accra James Town

   • There will be an Itinerary discussion at breakfast. Drive to a phone shop to get local sim and credit cards if necessary.
   • Drive past James and Usher forts through the James Town community to visit James Town fishing port and observe local fishing activities by James Town folks.  
   • Visit the fabric session of Makola which is the largest marketplace in southern Ghana and stop at Sun Trade, a fair trade beads shop encouraging sustainable beads industry in Ghana.

3. Day 3: Visit Kamasi And Manhyia Palace Museum

   • Travel to stay at Kumasi Royal Lamenta hotel in the capital of the Ashanti Region and visit the Ashanti King’s palace museum at Manhyia for the history of the Ashanti kingdom.

4. Day 4 : Visit Ntonso and Lake Bosomtwi

   • Stay at Royal Lamenta, visit Ntonsu to observe and practice the use of Adinkra symbols for printing Adinkra fabrics and return to visit Lake Bosomtwi. Adinkra is a symbol with traditional meanings, printed with hands-on handwoven fabrics. Lake Bosomtwi is a huge circular lake believed to have developed as a result of meteorite impact and considered sacred by locals settling along the bank.

5. Day 5: Mole National Park Safari Drive

   • Depart to Kumasi after early breakfast to stay at Mole National Park in the Savanna Region. Experience a sunset safari drive to see wild animals.
   • Stop at Larabanga mosque, historically believed to be the oldest in Ghana.

6. Day 6: Morning Safari Walk At Mole National Park

   • While at Mole, engage in a group safari walk in the morning, to see animals and visit Zaina Lodge for a drink.

7. Day 7: Travel To Tamale And Stop At Daboya

   • Depart to Mole after breakfast to stay at Tamale Decent Lodge in the capital of Northern Region with a drive through Daboya. 
   • While in Tamale, visit an organization empowering women in shea butter processing. This part of Ghana is known for growing shear nuts, hence the development of the industries to process it into various products.

8. Day 8: Travel To Bolgatanga And Visit Mama La-aady Orphanage Home And G-Lish Foundation

   • Drive and explore Ghana north further to Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region and stay at Comme ci Comme ca.
   • Visit Mama La-aady, an orphanage, home started by a single woman who sacrificed her resources to bring together street children home to care for them. 
   • Visit G – Lish Foundation, an organization encouraging rural women with skills in basket weaving to sustain the Bolgatanga basket industry.

9. Day 9: Visit Baba Tree Foundation And Paga Border/Crocodile Pond

   • Visit Baba Tree foundation, a fair trade organization engaging local folks in basket weaving and exploring potential markets for Bolgatanga baskets. 
   • Drive to enjoy views of the extreme countryside of the Upper East with a loop through Sirigu, known for its traditional paintings made by women. 
   • Ghana’s northern border with Burkina Faso, also known for its crocodile pond that allows touching or sitting on a crocodile. The Upper East is known for its straw basket weaving in Ghana.

10. Day 10: Explore Tongo Hills And Shrines

    • Drive back to stay at Tamale Decent Lodge with a visit along the way to Tongo, and observe the ritual performance by fetish priests, pay homage to the Tongo chief, and walk the Tongo rock formations. Tongo is a traditional beliefs community with a large area of amazing rock formations and shrines in almost every home.

11. Day 11: Depart from Tamale For Kumasi

    • Depart Tamale after early breakfast to stay at Kumasi Royal Lamenta hotel, with a stop at Kintampo waterfalls and Tanoboase Christoboase monastery.

12. Day 12: Explore Kakum Forest

    • Head for Elmina in the Central Region to stay at Coconut Grove Bridge House. 
    • Visit Kakum National Park along the way where we engage in a walk through Kakum forest to study herbal plants and trees. 
    • Experience a walk on Africa's number one Canopy walkway with amazing views of the forest canopy and depart Kakum with a stop for a drink at Hans’s cottage hotel, enjoy a lovely view of weaver birds and crocodiles.
    • Drive to Elmina and walk on the street to enjoy views of local fishing activities and visit the slave castle, a UNESCO world heritage site for the castle tour to learn about colonialism in Ghana and slavery in West Africa.

13. Day 13: Visit Cape coast And Elmina Castles

    • Depart from Elmina to stay at Accra KNUST Guess House with a stop at the famous Cape Coast slave castle, a sister castle to Elmina slave castle, also a UNESCO world heritage site where many slaves were exit to the Americas. 
    • Go on a walking tour in the castle to continue learning about colonialism in Ghana and slavery in West Africa and visit the culture center in the castle.

14. Day 14: Shop for Ghanaian indigenous beads

    • Shop a strand of indigenous Krobo glass beads from a local producer, either in bracelets, necklaces, lockets for men and for women, or ladies' waist strand, etc.
    • Drive to visit Tet and TK beads, where you can find a variety for yourself or loved ones at home to show them Ghana. Return to KNUST and take the rest of the day off. 
    • While cooling off for the day, enjoy a sunset with a laborious walk down to the Osu Oxford Street all by yourself for sightseeing or to have a drink in one of the chain restaurants and bars along Oxford Street.

15. Day 15: Visit and shop at Accra culture center

    • Visit Accra culture center, Ghana’s largest culture market, and meet with various artisans. Have lunch and end the tour by driving to the airport.