Our expert local tour guides will meet with you on your arrival at the Kotoka International Airport Accra, which is situated on the beautiful gold coast of Western Africa.  You will be transferred to your Accra hotel. Once we have checked you in, our experienced guide will offer you Akwaaba (welcome) and brief you on all aspects of your trip. You can enjoy your evening meal at the hotel restaurant whilst acclimating yourself to West Africa.

| Overnight in Accra
|  Dinner

Your first full day in Ghana, after breakfast at our hotel, we set off for our tour of Accra, passing through the economic and administrative districts on our way to the National Museum. Almost all the displays here are ethnographic and the museum gives us an excellent overview of West African culture. The displays in the museum are not only from Ghana but in most West African countries. There is an adjoining garden that is home to various sculptures that talk about West African tradition and customs and gives an overview of West African history. During our time here, we also get the chance to view and purchase some wonderful examples of traditional fabrics and crafts. James town is next, we will enjoy a walking tour of this old community taking in some of the historical structures that predate the colonial era. The locals are committed to conserving these buildings and have made significant efforts to maintain them, our time here gives us an excellent idea of what it was like during the colonial era. The 30-meter-high lighthouse built by the British in 1871 and the attractive colorful fishing boats on the beach are also wonderful to see. We continue to Fort James that was built by the British as a trading post in 1673 before it joined the Dutch Fort Crêvecœur and the Danish Fort Christiansborg. Fort James gave its name to the Jamestown neighborhood in Accra. These areas give us a perfect picture of old Accra, distinguishing between British Accra and Dutch Accra. Of interest are the Brazilian stone houses, built by free enslaved African’s who reside in Brazil, they made their way back to Africa after the slave trade was abolished and their descendants have now integrated with the locals of James Town.

Lunch will be taken at a local restaurant (Country Kitchen) serving a selection of West African and continental dishes. In the afternoon, we will pass by Black Star Square which houses the independence monument and continues to Independence Square which is our main ceremony grounds and where we find the enclosed flame of African liberation, which was lit by Kwame Nkrumah himself in 1961. A short distance away is Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park, the final resting place of Ghana’s founder. Set in attractive gardens, there is an adjoining museum, which contains photos, artifacts, and an insight into this incredible man’s life. The center was designed by a Ghanaian architect and built using Italian marble. Adjoining the park is the National Cultural Center, which is Ghana’s largest outdoor arts and crafts market where we find locals selling traditional crafts from all over West Africa.

After testing your bargaining skills, head to “Fantasy Coffins” of Teshie Nungua. Funeral and burial ceremonies in Ghana are very solemn occasions, but after the burial, a celebration follows. Ghanaians believe that the departed move on into another world, the coffins made here may represent the occupation of the deceased or depict something important to them. There is all manner of coffin designs which one could be buried in from cars, cocoa pods, cigarette packets, and airplanes to crocodiles, shoes, bottles of beer, and boats. After an action-packed first full day, we return to the hotel for our evening meal and to relax with the remainder of the evening free leisure time.

| Overnight in Accra
|  Breakfast, Lunch

After a leisurely breakfast we will continue with our city tour of Accra, our first visit this morning will be the DuBois Center. This is the final burial place and former home of the prominent American Pan-Africanist Dr. William W Burghardt DuBois, who lead the Pan-African congress between 1919 and 1927 he was a vocal Anti-Segregationist and prolific speaker and writer.  The center now serves as a library and research institute for students of Pan-Africanism.  To get a real insight into how life is in a busy bustling West African capital city we feel you need to see how life is for the less privileged locals. Most Accra residents live in the more deprived overcrowded communities. Our next stop is to see one of these communities in Accra (Agbogbloshie) where we will walk around this community learning about the locals who live and work in one of the city’s most deprived, but also innovative areas. Our sensitive introduction to a Ghanaian urban shantytown will expose the inventive ways that locals have forged a living through reclaiming discarded machinery and putting them to good use.  

Lunch will be taken at a local restaurant (Buka or Afrikiko) serving a wide selection of West African and continental dishes. Who does not like chocolate! After we visit the coffin workshop, we will proceed to 57 Chocolate for authentic Ghanaian Chocolate tasting; Ghana is the second highest producer of Cocoa in the world and produces some of the finest cocoa beans.  57 Chocolate was started by two local sisters and offers us a wonderful opportunity for indigenous chocolate tasting.  Before returning to our hotel, we visit a wonderful organization Global Mamas that sell authentic handmade African clothing, fabrics, and crafts. This organization is changing the lives of so many people and communities, creating prosperity for African women and their families.  Their focus is on giving women skills and training, supporting them in setting up businesses to market their products to the fair-trade community.  

Another interesting eye-opening day has concluded as we head back to our hotel to relax.  Tonight, you have the choice to relax at your accommodation, alternatively, your expert local guide can take you into Accra to enjoy the city at night.

| Overnight in Accra
|  Breakfast, Lunch

After a leisurely breakfast, we can use this morning to go to the town to purchase some traditional wear for our evening function or relax at our hotel.  Lunch will be taken at our hotel and prepare for the ultimate as today is set for the celebration of the Afrochella Festival.  The purpose of celebrating this festival is to tell the new Africa Story from the native`s perspective.  There will be a lot of African Music featured at the premise.  Dinner will be at a local restaurant before we transfer you to your hotel for relaxation.

| Overnight in Accra
|  Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

This morning we take a leisurely breakfast before setting off Southwards to Elmina in the central region of Ghana.  The town of Elmina was given its name by the Portuguese due to the abundance of Gold found in Ghana, translated Elmina means The Mine.  Gold is of such importance to Ghana today and historically that we were even known as the Gold Coast before independence.  Ghana’s gold is of the highest quality and we are the 8th largest exporter in the world and second-largest exporter in Africa behind South Africa.

On arrival in Cape Coast, we enjoy lunch upon arrival at a local restaurant overlooking the ocean before visiting the castle which has been designated as a world heritage site by UNESCO. The castle is a thought-provoking monument to a harrowing period in the region’s history.  Quality time will be spent in the afternoon on an emotional journey touring this castle which held more enslaved Africans captive than any other in West Africa, viewing the dungeons and the infamous “Door of no return”.  There is a historical museum inside, which explains the entire history of the castle and Cape Coast itself, as well as a souvenir shop selling literature on all of Ghana’s forts and castles, as well as the cultural history and traditions of Ghana.  

Our local guide will arrange the Rite of Passage program that will include the re-enactment of a slave group in the dungeons of the castle.  This performance from a local drama group shows the painful experiences our ancestors were forced to endure during their time in captivity.  

Our special guest will be Mr. Kohien a prominent African American who has relocated back to Ghana and who is now the President of Panafest.  Traditional drumming and dance will set the tone during this emotional and thought-provoking time here.

Many African Americans have relocated back home to the motherland Ghana and set up a business and home in Cape Coast and Elmina.  Our next visit is Elmina Castle, during our time in Elmina town we will visit the castle of St. George in Elmina. This is the oldest extant colonial building in sub-Saharan Africa dating from 1482.  This castle is steeped in history and played a prominent part during the tragic transatlantic enslaved African trade era.  There is an informative museum inside which concentrates on local history and it is designated a world heritage site by UNESCO.   Our evening is free leisure time to relax.

| Overnight in Elmina or Cape Coast
|  Breakfast, Lunch

An early start as we set off for Kakum National Park in the morning, after breakfast and Africa’s world-famous rainforest canopy walkway.  This is a truly beautiful, tropical guinea rainforest and the canopy walkway is sure to be a highlight of your time in Cape Coast. This national park protects the original habitat that was found in this location and was the local’s home and a major source of food.  The walkway consists of 7 bridges, attached to 7 emerging trees, 40 meters above the rainforest floor.  Prepare to take a deep breath as you walk the suspended bridges.  You will marvel at the outstanding views that stretch for miles across this breathtaking rainforest as you rest on the viewing platforms that are attached to the emerging trees between the bridges.  We are sure you would agree that this is an exciting excursion never to be forgotten.  We return to the park headquarters where we find an excellent information center that offers a very informative overview of the park’s flora and fauna.  Over 40 different mammal species have been recorded within the park, which includes forest elephants, leopards, and 6 primate species to mention just a few.  

We stop for lunch at Han’s Cottage Botel near Kakum, Han’s is built over a lake containing Nile crocodiles and set in a beautiful location surrounded by tropical guinea rainforest.  It is an original and comfortable establishment, which is teeming with birdlife and an excellent place to enjoy lunch before setting off to visit a local village to pay a courtesy call on the chiefs and queen mothers.  We start by the pouring of libation to officially welcome you back home and enjoying detailed interactions with the chiefs and elders of the village.  Traditional drumming and dancing are all around as we get an in-depth feel of traditional village life here in Ghana.  The time has finally arrived for you to be given your true African name during your traditional naming ceremony in your honor.  Chiefs and elders of the community officially welcome you as they lead you through the ceremony which has been performed by our ancestors through history.  You will finally have the chance to adopt your African name based on the day of the week you were born or the numeric order of your siblings.  This would have been your actual name if you were born in Ghana and has an emotional attachment to many when they receive them.  A major highlight of your time here, after an afternoon of celebrations we return to our hotel to relax.  In the evening we hope to celebrate such an important day and we can head out to Cape Coast’s most popular nightspot to enjoy a local live band, dancing the night away.  If you would prefer to relax at your accommodation this would not be a problem.

| Overnight in Elmina
| Breakfast, Lunch

A wonderful day lies ahead as we enjoy a relaxing breakfast before we will freshen up and re-pack our bags, your local guide will collect them from your room and bring them to our vehicle to load.  On route to Accra along the coastal road, we find Fort Amsterdam in the town of Abandze.  This is the first Fort built by the British between 1631 and 1638 and soon became the headquarters of English Gold Coast activities.  In 1665 after a long and bloody battle, the Dutch captured the fort and that is where it gets its name Fort Amsterdam. 

In 1811 locals loyal to the British from a neighboring community, Anomabo destroyed the fort, it was later restored to its former glory in 1951.  It is believed that the first slave prison on the Gold Coast was in the hollow southeast bastion of the fort. After an informative tour, we continue our journey to Accra stopping for lunch on route.  On arrival back in Ghana’s capital city we check into our hotel, enjoy dinner and relax.

| Overnight in Accra
| Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

We will have a morning relaxation at our hotel after a leisurely breakfast or you may have time to head to the Accra Mall to give you an insight into modern-day Ghana.  An opportunity to also purchase some last-minute souvenirs before heading home.  Our early evening meal will be taken at a locally owned restaurant serving an excellent selection of local and international dishes which gives us an ideal opportunity to say our goodbyes and reflect on a wonderful time together.  After your meal, our team will transfer you to the airport for your departure.

|  Breakfast, Lunch