Quick Guide to Travel in Ghana

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Introduction

Ghana sits just between Togo and Cote d’Ivoire along the coast in West Africa. As it it just above the equator, the weather is hot and humid year-round. Life is primarily lived outdoors in Ghana, which means there is no shortage of beautiful and crowded markets to visit. The capital city, Accra, is a lively hub of nightlife, international cultures and all sorts of live music and art. Tourist infrastructure in Ghana tends to be underdeveloped, making it a perfect destination for adventurers and those who truly want to learn about a foreign culture. Simultaneously, luxury resorts have begun popping up along the coast, offering tropical getaways in secluded private oases on the ocean.

Good to know

Language: Twi, English

Currency: Cedi (GHS)

Transportation:
Uber, taxi, tro-tro (shared van taxi), bus

Best time to visit: Year round

Budget: You can eat, sleep and travel very comfortably for $75 per person per day in/near Accra. Budget travelers can also easily navigate with about $20 per day (or less outside of Accra).

Airport: Kotoka International Airport (KIA)

Electrical outlets: type D and G; voltage is 230V

7-Day Itinerary

Day 1: Accra

• Visit Accra’s main historical attractions: Osu Castle, Black Star Square, Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park, walk around Fort James and the Lighthouse in Jamestown, or take a tour of the W.E.B. Du Bois home and memorial center in Accra

Day 2: Accra

• Check out the local shops and markets: Center for National Culture, Lokko House, The Shop Accra, or Untamed Empire

Day 3: Kokrobite beach

• Stay at Kokrobite Gardens and spend time by the pool, or head to Big Milly’s on the beach for food and drinks

Day 4: Cape Coast Castle

• Tour Cape Coast Castle and then stop for a meal and a drink at Oasis Beach Resort right near the Castle entrance

Day 5: Kukum National Park

• Head north to tour Kukum National Park, where you can taste raw cocoa, and walk the suspension bridge through the forest canopy

Day 6: Nzulenzu, the Village on Stilts

• Take a canoe to the Village on Stilts where you will receive a tour offered by locals

Day 7: Aburi

• Head north of Accra and tour the botanical gardens, or take a bike tour

Got more than a week? There are so many beautiful places to see in Ghana and one week is not enough time to do it all. If you have more than a week, check out the list of additional activities/places below.

Other places to see and things to do

1. Wli Falls
2. Lake Bosomtwe
3. Mole National Park
4. Dzita’s Meet Me There Lodge
5. Cross the border to visit Lomé in Togo
6. Elmina Castle (30 minutes from Cape Coast Castle)
7. Cape Three Points
8. Busua Beach

Eats

Restaurants and cafés in Accra

Local cafés / African cuisine

• Buka (Ghanaian)
• Chez Clarisse (Ghanaian)
• The Ivorian (Ivorian)
• The Pallet Kitchen (Ghanaian)
• Hallelujah Pizza (Ethiopian)

Other international restaurants

• Kukun
• Sunshine Salad Bar
• Mama Mia Pizzeria
• Burger and Relish
• Zion Thai

10 local foods to try in Ghana

• Wakkye (cowpea beans and rice, usually served with spaghetti noodles and a bit of sauce, a boiled egg and some greens)
• Jollof Rice (rice cooked with a tomato and spice sauce, usually served with some sort of meat)
• Red-red (bean stew and fried plantain; great vegetarian option)
• Fried Plantain / Kelewele (Kelewele is small spiced pieces of fried plantain)
• Banku (fermented corn and cassava dough, usually served as a side dish for Tilapia or a stew)
• Fufu (plantain and cassava dough, usually served with stew)
• Peanut Soup (a peanut soup prepared with vegetables, usually served with meat of some sort)
• Grilled Tilapia (prepared with all sorts of spices, and grilled with vegetables, goes well with banku)
• Kontomire Stew (boiled cocoyam leaves with fish and spices, usually served with boiled plantain or boiled yam)
• Okra Stew (gooey stew with boiled okra)

Lodging in Accra

On a budget (under $80)

• For budget options, your best bet is Airbnb. I recommend looking for options in Osu, Labone or Cantonments neighborhoods as they are safe and centrally located. Things to check for with listings include wifi and air conditioning; these aren’t a given and you will want likely want those amenities.

Mid-range hotels ($80 to $200 per night)

• Roots Hotel Apartment
• Olma Colonial Suites
• Alisa Hotel

High end hotels (over $200 per night)

• Mövenpick Ambassador Hotel
• Kempinski Hotel
• Labadi Beach Hotel

Travel tips

In my 10+ trips to/from Ghana, I’ve learned a few things about navigating that are great to know before you go. Here they are.

Book your lodging in/near Osu if you’ll be in Accra

Osu is the lively hub of Accra. The nearby residential areas of Cantonments and Labone are also great places to stay and a bit quieter in the evenings. Though lodging options get far cheaper if you move farther away, traffic is really bad and you may find yourself racking up steep transportation bills to get downtown.

Be wary of shared taxis

Tro-tros (shared vans) are crowded, but a fine and very affordable mode of travel. Shared taxis, on the other hand, are occasionally used as an an opportunity to mug tourists. It’s rare, but it happens – so if you are risk averse, it’s best to avoid getting into a taxi that someone else is already in. Otherwise, just be mindful to keep a close eye on your belongings.

Carry cash

It’s not unusual for card machines to take forever to connect to the network, or to be broken, or for vendors to just refuse card. There are ATMs everywhere in Accra and it will save a lot of time and hassle to just keep a small cash stash on you. Additionally, if you plan to take a lot of taxis/Uber, keep lots of small change with you – it’s not unusual for drivers to not have change with them.

Don’t let anyone “help you with your bags” when you land (unless you actually want help)

When you exit the airport into the street you will likely be bombarded by people offering to help you with your bags. This is often a ploy for a taxi driver to get ahold of your stuff so that you feel obligated to ride with him, or for someone to get a tip by carting your stuff to the parking lot. I’ve even had taxi drivers pretend like they were sent to get me. It can be a bit hectic, but joking around and laughing has always gotten me off the hook without confrontation. If you do need to catch a taxi from the airport, make sure you negotiate your price in advance and you can almost always negotiate down from their asking price.

Download the Uber / Bolt and Jumia apps

Uber and Bolt are the most common ride sharing apps and will come in handy. They are mostly in Accra (and a few other places). I sometimes even use the ride price estimates to negotiate taxis down to a reasonable fare.

Jumia is a platform where you can order food and other things. It’s great if you don’t want to go out to eat, or if you want to quickly scan menus and prices in the area.

Bonus tip: I’ve found as a general benchmark if I open Google Maps and look up directions to my destination, the number of minutes estimated to arrival is about how many cedis I should expect to pay a taxi in Accra. For example, if Google thinks it will take 15 minutes to drive to my destination, I should expect that I can get a taxi for 15 cedis. Outside of Accra, I found taxi drivers inflate the price much less and taxis are quite a bit cheaper.

Want to know more?

Check out this post to learn more about my top recommendations for weekend trips and destinations within Ghana. I also wrote an entire post about my favorite place in all of Ghana – Wli Falls.

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