Ghana (Bakatue, Elmina Festival) - 8 Days

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Arrive in Accra, Ghana. Transfer from airport to your hotel. Enjoy a welcome drink and brief orientation. Dinner and overnight at your hotel.

After breakfast, depart for a sightseeing tour of Accra. Your drive will take you through the administrative and economic districts of Ghana’s city capital. You will visit the W. E. B. Dubois Center for Pan African Culture. You will also make stops at Black Star Square and Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park. For lunch, you will enjoy some local Ghanaian cuisine at one of the famous “chop bar” restaurants. After lunch, we will go to the Arts Center – a large arts and crafts market. Dinner and overnight at your hotel.

After an early breakfast, we’ll depart for a scenic drive from Accra to Elmina. Upon arrival, you will be amazed by the festivities. You’ll be in the heart of the festival, and feel the beat of powerful “fontonfrom” drums. As part of the celebrations, observe the exciting traditional boat race, with lots of unique photo opportunities. There will also be a cultural Durbar, which will include a parade of Chiefs and traditional leaders accompanied by drumming, dancing and other festivities. After this exciting experience, check in to your Elmina hotel. Dinner and overnight…

After breakfast, depart to explore the infamous forts, castles and slave dungeons of Ghana. You will experience the physical history of the slave trade, the impact of which is still felt beyond the shores of Africa today. Visit the Cape Coast Castle, which also houses the West African Historical Museum, established by the Smithsonian Institute in collaboration with the Ghanaian Government in 1994. Enjoy the rest of this day at leisure, relaxing on the beach, or exploring the bustling town of Elmina. Dinner served in local restaurant.

After breakfast, depart to explore the historic Denkyira Kingdom and Kakum National Park. Kakum is one of West Africa’s surviving tropical rain forests. A blend of true rainforest and semi deciduous forest, Kakum is the home to over 40 large mammals, 400 bird species and an array of butterflies, flora and fauna. The most popular attraction in the forest is the Canopy walkway which is made up of seven bridges extending 330m and hanging 40m above the forest floor. Enjoy the rest of this day at leisure. Dinner and overnight at your hotel.

After breakfast, check out and depart for Kumasi, Ashanti Empire. Explore the legend of the famous Ashantis at the Manhyia Palace Museum. There you will get a sense of a day in the life of an Ashanti ruler (Asantehene). At the museum, you will also obtain firsthand information on the legacies of the Ashanti Kingdom, a regal history that dates back to 1700 and is told with relics and artifacts. Enjoy a drive through the city of Kumasi to view monuments dedicated to the memory of great Ashanti people. End the day’s your at the National Cultural Center…

This day is devoted to visiting the three famous craft villages in the Ashanti Region: Ahwiaa (the woodcarvers’ village), Ntonso (the home of Adinkra) and Bonwire (the Kente weaving village). You will have the opportunity to see how West African crafts are made and buy directly from the artisans who make them. Dinner and overnight at your hotel.

After breakfast, depart for Accra. Visit Aid to Artisan Ghana (ATAG) and SunTrade for crafts, Mawuli Okudzeto for beautiful unisex African clothing, or one of the new shopping malls for a shopping spree! For those who would prefer to relax, spend the day by the swimming pool soaking up the African sun. Later, transfer to the airport for check-in and departure.