Ashanti Region

The Ashanti Region is referred to as the Kingdom of Gold. It is a land known for its ancient royalty and has one of the single richest gold mines in the world. Kumasi, its capital has been dubbed the “Garden City” because of its tree-lined roads and flower gardens. It lies 270 km north west of Accra.

Sites and Attractions:

• In the Royal Mausoleum lie the remains of old Ashanti Kings.
• The Manhyia Palace Museum is located in the residential grounds of the Asantehene.
• The Armed Forces Museum and Prempeh II Museum exhibit relics of past Ashanti wars.At the Kumasi Cultural Centre and the Ahwiaa craft village, skilled woodcarvers can be seen hard to work.
• Ntonso is home of the Adinkra cloth.
• Bonwire is the place to go for Kente cloth.
• Lake Bosomtwi, is a spectacular site created by a falling meteorite centuries ago.
• Owabi Wildlife Sanctuary is about 16 km north west of Kumasi. The Owabi River which flows past Kumasi, has been demmed here making it an important wetland area for birds and a few aquatic animals.

Brong Ahafo Region

The Brong Ahafo region has extensive rainfall and rich productive soil, hence its designed name “bread basket” of Ghana. Its capital Sunyani, is 400 km west of Accra.

Sites and Attractions:

• Kintampo Waterfall is the only waterfall that disappears mysteriously and resurfaces unexpectedly 200 metres away from its original site.
• Buabeng-Fiema Monkey Sanctuary where animal lovers will appreciate the opportunity to study the enchanting colossus monkey. The villagers here have managed to live harmoniously with the monkeys by giving them access to the village.

Central Region

144 km west of Accra lies Cape Coast, the capital of the Central Region. It is a region famous for its ancient forts and castles and beautiful coconut palm shaded beaches. For our brothers and sisters of the African Diaspora, it is a region of historical and spiritual significance.

Sites and Attractions:

• Cape Coast Castle, Elmina Castle and Fort St. Jago are all designated World Heritage Monuments. Of special interest are the slave dungeons at Elmina Castle and Cape Coast Castle.
• The Kakum National Park has a Canopy Walkway, the only one of its kind in Africa. It is composed of 350 meters of swinging bridges on seven tree platforms that reach the height of 30 meters. While hiking along the Kuntan Trail, visitors can learn about the various medicinal and practical uses of forest plant species. The Forest Regeneration Trail gives the visitor the opportunity to learn about efforts being made to Grow The Forest to ensure that the wildlife population is maintained at their current size.
• Brenu Beach, a totally natural and unspoilt setting, is highly recommended for relaxation and swimming.

Eastern Region

Koforidua is the capital of the Eastern Region. Koforidua is situated 85km from Accra. The Eastern region offers a richly varied landscape of tropical forest, rivers and a great lake.

Sites and Attractions:

• Boti Falls has the unique characteristic of being framed by a magnificent rainbow after each fall.
• The Aburi Botanical Garden has carefully groomed sweeping lawns, stately trees and exotic plants.
• The Akonedi Shrine in Larteh is widely acclaimed for herbal medicine and psychic healing.
• The Akosombo Dam is the pride of Ghana and the major source of hydroelectric energy for the nation.

Greater Accra Region

Accra is the capital of Ghana and the centre of the nation’s cultural, administrative, financial and legal institutions. It is a bustling modern metropolis with lots to offer in the way of friendliness and hospitality.

Sites and Attractions:

• The National Museum houses a fascinating collection of Ghana’s historical treasures and artefacts from ancient African empires.
• The National Arts Centre offers an array of African arts & crafts, contemporary paintings, rich mahogany carvings and traditional jewellery.
• The Du Bois Centre was the home of the late Pan Africanist Dr. W.E.B. Du Bois.
• Makola Market, Accra’s largest market offers a variety of fruits, vegetables and traditional cloths.
• Accra is a lively city and offers a large variety of nightclubs and restaurants.
• Tema, the industrial city where most of the nation’s industries are located, also happens to have the Greenwich Meridian passing through it.
• Shai Hills Game Reserve is a small wildlife sanctuary where monkeys, royal antelopes, Oribus and wildcats can be found. The lovely surrounding hills offer the possibility for hiking and camping.
• The Manet Paradise Beach Resort, with its coconut-palm shaded beach, is located on the lower estuary of the Volta Lake. This area is very popular for water sports.

Northern Region

Tamale is the capital of the Northern Region. Tamale is the fourth largest city in Ghana. It has a varied mix of cultures and religions. It is accessible by road and air from Accra. The distance from Accra is 640km.

Sites and Attractions:

• Mole National Park is Ghana’s largest Game Reserve. Wildlife enthusiasts can observe the rich population of elephants, lions, antelopes and monkeys.
• The Larabanga Mosque is a well preserved building erected during the time of the trans-saharan trade in the 13th century.

Upper East Region

The capital city of the Upper East Region is Bolgatanga, 810km north of Accra. The Upper East Reion has a rich mixture of indigenous architecture and culture.

Sites and Attractions:

• At the Bolga arts & crafts marketyou can find a variety of leather goods, straw hats and baskets.
• The Oracle of Tongo draws pilgrims from every corner of Ghana for advice and predictions.
• Paga Crocodile Pond was originally a sacred sanctuary for crocodiles. Tourists come to watch hordes of eager crocodiles responding to the summons of the attendants.

Upper West Region

Wa is the capital of the Upper West Region. Wa lies 895km from Accra and is situated within a vast savanna grassland.

Sites and Attractions:

• The Wa Naa’s sovereign palace is an interesting blend of ancient Sudanese and Moorish architecture.
• Gbelle Game Reserve, a sanctuary for endangered species of wildlife – hippos, waterbucks, elephants and birds.

Volta Region

The Volta Region is of great geographical interest. It has contrasting landscapes from the Keta lagoon basin, lying below sea level, to Mt. Afadjato lying above sea level. The capital Ho is a large and prosperous agricultural centre for cocoa, tobacco and teak. The travel distance from Accra is 185 km.

Sites and Attractions:

• The Volta Lake is one of the largest man made lakes in the world. Fresh water fishing takes place here, whilst you cruise by picturesque islands and farming villages.
• Keta Lagoon, the largest in Ghana, is a special attraction for bird watchers. Bird watching can be done all year round.
• Tafi Monkey Village has hundreds of monkeys including the almost extinct Mona monkey.
• Likpe Caves, these ancestral caves with ancient Grottos were originally used for worshiping ancestors.
• Wli Waterfalls is one of the highest falls in Ghana.

Western Region

In the southwestern region of Ghana lies the twin city of Sekondi-Takoradi, at 218km from Accra. From here Ghana’s principal exports of bauxite, cocoa, coffee, timber and manganese are shipped to the world’s market. There are also beautiful beaches, historic forts and villages on stilts. These attractions create a unique and interesting charm to the Western Region.

Sites and Attractions:

• Busua Pleasure Beach has long been the holiday resort for thousands of tourists. It has chalet style accommodation available for long and short term stays.
• Fort San Sebastian was constructed by the Portuguese four centuries ago, and was Portugal’s largest castle. The striking feature of this castle is its flight of semi-circular stairs leading to the entrance. A monument of Dr. William Anthony Amoo, Ghana’s first philosopher and first native African to have received European education is situated in this castle.
• Nzulezo (meaning “on top of water”) is for the more adventurous tourist. It is a village on stilts on a large lake called Tandane. The most striking feature of this village is that the inhabitants, mainly farmers, live normal lives on the lake while farming on land.
• Nkroful is the birthplace of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, the founder and first President of Ghana.

Ghana has a wide variety of ecological systems. It ranges from dense tropical rain forest in the southwest to dry savannah in the north. As a result countless plants and animals can be viewed in Ghana.

The Mole National Park, about 140 km southwest of Tamale, is the largest and most developed wildlife sanctuary in Ghana. You can see large animals such as antelope, monkeys, elephant, lion and leopard here.

The Canopy Walkway of Kakum National Park provides a unique opportunity to view the plants, butterflies and tropical rain forest animals. This hanging walkway in the forest canopy allows you to see some of the 200 bird species represented, such as parrots, hornbills and kingfishers. The dense vegetation provides cover for endangered species such as the forest elephant and the bongo, the largest forest antelope.

Ghana is one of the best places in the world to observe large butterfly populations. The butterflies of Kakum National Park are one of the park’s main attractions. They range in size from little Blues of 2 cm to giant Swallowtails of 20 cm. Kakum has at least 650 species of butterflies, more than in the whole of Europe.

Apart from Kakum National Park there are other excellent areas for butterfly observation, such as Bui National Park, Bombiri Reserve, Boabeng-Fiena Sanctuary, the Butterfly Sanctuary at Kibi, the Aburi Botanical Gardens and along the forest trails leading to the Wli Falls in the Agumatsa Reserve.

Adae/Akwasidae (every six weeks)
A sacred day of the Ashantis when shrines are fed. An occasion for family reunion.

Edina Buronya (January)
It is the native version of Christmas celebrated on the first Thursday of the New Year by the Fanti people of Elmina in the Central Region

Aboakyer (May)
The name of this festival means “Game Hunting”. It is celebrated by the Effutus of Winneba in the Central Region, on the first Saturday of May. During the celebrations, two rival militant groups (Asafo Companies), compete in the hunting of deer.

Bakatue (July)
This old festival is celebrated by the people of Elmina to mark the beginning of a new fishing season.

Damba (August)
Damba is an Islamic festival celebrated by the people of the Northern and Upper Regions.

Homowo (August / September)
It is a harvest celebrated by the Gas (Ga people) in Greater Accra to remind them of their victory over famine. Homowo literally means “hooting at hunger”.

Kundum (August / November) 
Kundum is celebrated by the Ahantas and Nzemas of the Western Region.

Fetu Afahye (September)
This is celebrated by the Fantis of Cape Coast in the Central Region

Odwira (September / October)
A week-long celebration by the people of Akuapem Traditional area in the Eastern Region. In Akan, the word Odwira means purification.

Agumatsu (November)
A festival to thank God for the waterfalls. It is celebrated by the people of Wli Traditional area in the Volta Region.

Hogbetsotso (November)
The Anlos of the Volta Region celebrate this festival to commemorate their escape from the tyrannical King Ago Koli of Ille Ife in Nigeria.

Emancipation Day
Originally celebrated in the Caribbean, Ghana today, in solidarity with peoples of African descent observes August 1st of every year as Emancipation Day. The entire event is held from July 25th to August 2nd and is in commemoration of the abolition of Chattel Slavery in the British Colonies in 1834 and the Americas in 1865. Emancipation Day to the African Diaspora is designed to immortalize the emancipation struggles of African people in history and to project our humanity and quest for true freedom, dignity and social justice. A unique theme is chosen each year and numerous events such as cultural festivals musical concerts, tours to various historical and tourist attractions are organized.

Panafest
This is a major cultural event dedicated to the enhancement of ideals of Pan-Africanism and the development of the African continent. It is organized biennially for Africans, peoples of African descent and their well wishers on the continent and in the diaspora. By its diverse character, Panafest projects a potential of being the most prestigious and indeed most relevant cultural event on the African continent. The Organization of African Unity (OAU), has endorsed this beinnial event as an important festival programme on the cultural calendar of the continent. The main programme includes a grand durbar of traditional chiefs, carnivals, major performance in music, dance and drama, visual arts exhibitions, music concerts and other manifestations.