Ghana: North to South

Day 1

As you exit Kotoka International Airport, you will be greeted with a smile by an Uprise team member. You will then head to a comfortable nearby hotel to settle in. Depending on your arrival time, today may include your first Ghanaian meal or a brief cultural orientation session to help prepare you for the days ahead. Tonight you will get a much-needed night’s rest before your journey to the north.

Day 2

This morning you will depart Accra on a fifty-minute flight to Tamale, the capital of the Northern Region. Upon arrival in Tamale, you will be greeted with a smile by an Uprise staff member. After leaving the airport, you will stop at local bakery for a quick breakfast before settling into your accommodation in Tamale, a Muslim-majority city that serves as the cultural and economic center of northern Ghana. Your first stops on your city tour include the Tamale Central Mosque, as well as the Tamale Market, where you will see traditional smocks, fabrics, beads, and a wide range of food products. Your final stop will be at the Tamale Art Market, where you will have a chance to shop for handicrafts, jewelry, masks, paintings, and more.

Day 3

This morning you will depart early for Mole National Park, the crown jewel of Ghana’s national park system, and the largest wildlife reserve in Ghana. At 4,500 square kilometers, the park is home to elephants, pata monkeys, baboons, vervet monkeys, crocodiles, hartebeest, and hundreds of species of birds. This afternoon you will embark on your first game drive to search for active wildlife in the park.

Day 4

This morning’s walking safari starts very early in order to spot elephants active near the swimming holes. You will also have the best chance of seeing birds, crocodiles, and various other species that rest as the day gets hotter. Accompanied by a gun-toting ranger, you can approach many of the animals at a safe distance. This afternoon will include a canoe safari along the Mole River, and later you will visit the village of Mognori for a guided tour, where you will learn about family life and local customs and traditions.

Day 5

This morning you will depart Mole National Park and embark on a long drive to Kumasi, the capital of the Ashanti Region. On your way, you will stop over for a picnic lunch at the Kintampo Waterfalls. After descending 120 steps to the third stage of the falls, you will be able to splash in the waters below. You will then continue your journey south to Kumasi.

Day 6

Today you will visit the palace of the Asante Henne, the chief of the Ashantis. Here you will learn about the rich history and traditions of the Ashanti people, in addition to how they fought and traded with Europeans over gold and slaves. Later in the afternoon, you will visit the biggest open market in West Africa, which contains of 5,000 stalls and attracts traders from Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, and other surrounding regions and countries. Before winding down for the day, you will stop at a local art market to check out Ashanti and Akan artwork.

Day 7

This morning you will drive south to Cape Coast, the former capital city of Ghana known for its windy streets, colonial architecture, and its UNESCO World Heritage slave castle. After lunch in Cape Coast, you will enter the Cape Coast Castle, built by the Swedes in 1653, and home to the West African Historical Museum. Your guide will take you on a moving journey through the dungeons formerly occupied by slaves bound for the New World. Later this evening we will hike to the Fort Williams lighthouse to watch the sunset over Cape Coast.

Day 8

Today you will head to Kakum National Park, home to one of Ghana’s tropical rainforests, and home to 400 bird species, butterflies, and other flora and fauna species. A park ranger will escort you across the seven bridges that connect some of Kakum’s largest trees and hang thirty meters above the forest floor. After descending from the canopy we will take a 2 km nature walk through this forest to discover the wide variety of floral species and their medicinal values. After days of flights, car rides and exploration, you have earned this afternoon on the beach!  You will spend the rest of today’s hours relaxing at the beach.

Day 9

Today you will head back to Accra, waving to quiet fishing villages before you arrive in the capital, you will have a chance to visit W.E.B Dubois centre for Pan Africanism, Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park, the last resting place of Ghana’s first President, and then shop for souvenirs at the Centre for National Culture. This evening you will head to the airport, where you will say goodbye to your Uprise guide and fly off with new memories to last a lifetime.

The Uprise team is happy to assist you with your luggage, but feel free to pack light and keep it simple!

• We highly recommend that you speak with your doctor about about antimalarial medications or any vaccinations that he or she may suggest.
• If your trip includes a safari, please include darker, more neutral-colored clothing in order to avoid scaring off the animals.
• Also, please consider culturally appropriate dress. While many cities and beaches in West Africa are more liberal with their dress codes, many people will be offended if you show too much skin. In some communities women should cover their shoulders and knees. Consider packing capri pants, loose-fitting long-sleeved shirts, or scarves to cover your shoulders.

In your hand-luggage:

• Passport
• Photocopy of your passport
• Visa for Ghana/Togo/Benin (if applicable)
• Yellow fever vaccination card
• Wallet and money
• Waterbottle
• Medications
• Phone
• Camera
• Chargers
• Books/games

In your checked luggage:

• Underwear
• Socks
• Pants
• Shorts
• Tee shirts
• Bathing suits
• Long-sleeved shirt
• Sneakers/hiking shoes
• Sandals
• Rainjacket
• Sunglasses
• Hat
• Flashlight or headlamp
• Shampoo/conditioner
• Soap/facewash
• Toothbrush
• Toothpaste
• Deodorant
• Shaving cream
• Bugspray
• Sunscreen