Ghana Tour including Wa, Upper West Region

Continuing on the Ghana tour theme, this next tour of Ghana is what could be called “All Over Ghana to the Upper West: Wa and Hippos”. 14 Days minimum. 


A Rough Outline of a Ghana Tour that Includes the Far North-Western Upper West Region


Accra— Cape Coast (Central Region)—one of the beaches past Takoradi—Kumasi (Ashanti Region)—Techiman—Wa—Mole National Park—Tamale—Lake Volta Ferry to Akosombo—Akosombo back to Accra.


This is basically a circuit that can be traveled in either direction. But, travelers may want to start out easy by heading first to Cape Coast rather than the other way around, and that’s how we’ve outlined it here: 


1. Depart Accra and head to Cape Coast, about 3 hours by public transport, depending on traffic. Enjoy Cape Coast for a couple of days. See Cape Coast Castle, take a tour of town, visit other historical monuments, travel to Elmina. Elmina is about 20 minutes from Cape Coast (15 kilometres), west. Visitors are divided about the Castle visits. My preference is Elmina, but Cape Coast Castle has an excellent exhibit. 


2. Travel from Cape Coast to any of the beaches along the coast like Green Turtle or Axim for a day or two. This takes about 3-4 hours on public transport, depending on the traffic, in each direction. 


3. Return to Cape and travel north to Kumasi—which is crazy so be prepared. However, there is a lot to see, particularly from an Ashanti history point of view. Visit the Cultural Centre and the museum. Perhaps visit the Kejetia Market in the centre of town for a truly shocking market experience.


4. From Kumasi travel to Techiman, 3 hours north, and stay at Operation Hand in Hand in Nkoranza for a day. It’s one of the most inspiring places in Ghana—an orphanage on sprawling, Eden-like grounds for mentally handicapped children who produce some of the most beautiful beaded products I’ve seen in Ghana. You can interact or just hang out. 


5. From Techiman you can travel directly to Wa, which is the capital of the Upper West Region and the jumping off point to visit the Hippo Sanctuary. However, right now, during the rainy season, is not the best time to visit as hippos are hidden by vegetation and extremely hard to see. If you want to see them specifically, wait until October or later when everything dries out and they are more visible. 


6. From Wa travel via bus to Mole National Park where you can spend a couple of days looking at elepehants, wart hogs, monkeys, baboons, and other animals and birds. I have read of a few people unable to see elephants at this time, but most report seeing them—as I also did during an August, rainy season visit—it was awesome. 


7. Head to Tamale from Mole and then catch a tro to Makongo from where you can catch the Lake Volta Ferry all the way down the lake to Akosombo in the Eastern Region. This can take a day or two, depending on various issues like lake water levels and how many stops the captain makes. 


8. Stay at Akosombo on the River Volta—Aylo’s Bay is my fave—and then head back to Accra, an hour away by trotro. 


This tour of Ghana was based on one of the maps in our Ghana guide which shows this route around Ghana.


Let us know if you have any experience traveling these routes and what you’d suggest others to look out for. 


Thanks for reading!

21 Day Tour of Ghana Route Plan

Here is a suggested route for an all-over tour around Ghana that would take about 21 days at an average pace. This allows you to cover some of the major highlights of Ghana. 

Accra—(Eastern Region) Akosombo—(Volta) Fume, Wli, Kpando—Ferry across Lake Volta to Afram Plains, Donkorkrom—Nkawkaw, Kumasi (Ashanti Region)—Nkoranza (Brong Ahafo)—Tamale (Northern)—Mole—Bolgatanga (Upper East Region)—Cape Coast (Central Region)—Green Turtle or Axim Beach (Western Region)—Nzulezo Stilt Village (Western Region)—back to Accra. 

Elmina, Central Region

1. From Accra, head north to Akosombo Bridge. Visit the bead makers at Agomanya market and hang out by the Volta river in Akosombo.

2. Head on to Fume, half way along the highway from Akosombo heading towards Hohoe. Stay at Mountain Paradise Lodge for a few nights and enjoy complete peace and quiet.

3. Head on to Wli via Hohoe from Fume. Wli is where Ghana’s largest waterfalls are located and one of most visitor’s favourite stops. You can climb to the upper falls which is on the border with Togo. In fact, there  is a border crossing at the end of the main road in Wli where you could cross to Togo if that’s your plan.

4. Take the adventurous route and cross Lake Volta from the eastern shore at Kpando, about twenty minutes from Hohoe, after you leave Wli.

5. Cross Lake Volta on a ferry to Agordeke and Donkorkrom in the centre of the Afram Plains. Stay over night.

6. Next day head towards Kumasi by crossing the south-west arm of Lake Volta at Ekye in a motorized canoe, and land at Adowso on the other side.

7. From Adowso, catch a trotro that will be waiting over the hills to Nkawkaw, a major stop between Accra and Kumasi, then travel on to Kumasi—about 2 hours from there.

8. Hang out in Kumasi for a few days.

9. Head on up to Techiman, about 3 hours away, and stay at Operation Hand in Hand in Nkoranza, a Dutch-run orphanage and gorgeous grounds in which to spend a day or two.

10. Or, go straight to Tamale, the capital of the northern region. To get to Mole National Park without your own vehicle it’s almost compulsory to go to Tamale first. From there you catch a Metro Mass Bus departing at 2 pm (though virtually never on time) to Mole and arrive late that night—it takes about 4 hours.

11. Hang out at Mole for a couple of days and watch the elephants splashing around and baby warthogs snorting away. (By the way, did anyone notice that Hogwarts (Wizards) is Warthogs switched?)

12. Return to Tamale the same way as arriving, but on a 4 am Metro Mass (you get the feeling the hotel doesn’t want you to warm your bed for too long).

13. From Tamale, take a trip to Bolgatanga, the capital of the Upper East Region, and visit the basket makers, smock makers, Sirigu Arts and Pottery, about 30 minutes out of town. You could also head up to Navrongo and Paga—crocodiles—easily for a day from Bolga.

14. If you really want to be adventurous, you could head to Wa from Bolga, but via Tamale, unfortunately, especially now as the rainy season has begun and the roads are worse than ever. However, hippos are notoriously hard to spot in the rainy season so it’s probably best heading to Wa when the rains finish, sometime from October onwards.

15. Scoot back down to Cape Coast from Bolga directly on the STC—takes about 18 hours (25 Cedis)—or from Tamale on the STC (22.50 Cedis). Hang out in Cape Coast or Elmina for a few days.

16. Head west from Cape Coast, stopping at any of the sites or beaches along the way like Green Turtle Resort, Axim Beach Hotel, and on to Nzulezo where the village on stilts is located in the Amansuri Wetlands, in Ghana’s far west bordering The Ivory Coast.

Nzulezo Stilt Village, Western Region

Let us know if you have any experience traveling these routes and what you’d suggest others to look out for.

Thanks for reading!

Ghana Vacation tours: 19 Day tours of Ghana

You can check out all the Ghana Highlights by clicking these links and planning your itineraries in depth around the places you most wish to visit. You will find a lot of information about Ghana here. You can also check out our Ghana travel guide and see a sample before buying by going to http://www.g-lish.org/ghanaguide.

If you are planning to come to Ghana to take a vacation, tour the country, or even create your own package tour, then these two tours may be for you.






Itinerary 3: 19 Days Taking it easy version.

Days 1-6: Beaches, man. Accra-Cape-and further west. And a bit of history and culture.

Days 1-2: Accra-Cape. As per the first itinerary, mix and match activities here. Hang out at Oasis.

The view over Benya Lagoon from the west side of the Elmina Castle ramparts.

Days 3-6: Any or all of touring, say, Green Turtle Lodge, Ko-sa Beach Resort or Axim Beach Resort. If Axim, then add on a visit to Nzulezo stilt village, for the day, using the resort as a base.

Days 7-14: Northern adventure. Elephants, Dude. And crafts and culture.
Day 7: Takoradi to Kumasi by STC or tro. STC departs T’di daily at 4 a.m. or 12 p.m. to Kumasi. It goes via Cape Coast. Tros leave regularly throughout the day.

If you arrive in Kumasi early, you could visit the National Cultural Centre in town.

Day 8: Travel to either Tamale/Bolga. STC bus departs Kumasi to Tamale Mon-Sat at 10 a.m. There’s no Sunday service. All things being equal, you should arrive in Tamale around 4 p.m. You could, if you’re lucky, still nab a ticket for the bus to Mole National Park on this day, if that service is late, which it often is, and not over booked. Even if over-booked, there are ways to get tickets. If you can’t get tickets, you could travel on to Bolga, another 2.5 hours by tro, on the next car leaving, and stay overnight there.

Basket makers in traditional home in Bolgatanga

Day 9: Bolgatanga: Visit basket makers at basket making workshop in village on outskirts of town. Or visit Sirigu potters for the day and Navrongo Cathedral. Overnight in Bolga.

Day 10: Stay in Bolga longer or wake early and travel to Tamale for that day’s bus to Mole National Park. Catch tro or Metro Mass Bus. MM (orange buses) leave around 7 a.m. from the station which is on the Zuarongo Road behind Sand Gardens Hotel. Tros leave regularly from the main station in town. In Tamale, buy ticket for Mole National Park bus at main tro station where you’ll alight. Wait. Could visit market about 5 minutes on the right outside the station. Arrive in Mole National Park late that night.

Day 11-12: Tour around Mole National Park and hang out. Visit Larabanga should you wish.

Day 13: Leave Mole National Park on 4 a.m. bus to Tamale. From Tamale head either to Accra or Kumasi. STC leaves for Accra at 6 a.m. and 4 p.m. every day. It leaves for Kumasi at 7 a.m. Your main hope is that it’s late and that you can still get a ticket when you arrive some time after 8 a.m. Otherwise, there are other options such as Metro Mass to Kumasi or a tro. I feel it’s better to stay in Kumasi—much cheaper—and travel to the Volta from there as you save half a day. You can go directly from Kumasi on a vehicle to Koforidua, and then in another vehicle from there to either Kpong, Ho or Hohoe easily. That is quicker than going to Accra and then to the Volta area. Let’s say you do that on Day 14.

Days 14—19 Waterfalls, Dude. And Culture, if you’re into that kind of thing.
Day 14: Kumasi to Hohoe. Hang out and relax. You’re the Dude afterall.
Day 15: Hang out and walk to the lower or upper falls.
Day 16: Same, or head to any of the points suggested in the first itinerary.
Day 17: Same.
Day 18: Same.
Day 19: Accra, unfortunately, and home…or next stop.

By the way, this is the Dude. Connection with Ghana? Tenuous, but I reckon the Dude wouldn't mind hangin' out on some of the beaches.

Itinerary 2: The 19 day Ghana tour for troopers: tough Ghana tours

Days 1-5: Beaches, History, Culture, Workshops.
Days 1: Accra. Arrive. Sight-see, depending on arrival time.
Day 2: Straight to Takoradi by STC and on to Axim. Stay at Axim Beach Resort for night. STC departs from Kaneshie in Accra at 2.30 and 4.30 p.m. Mon-Sat. It is better to go to Kaneshie Fast Cars and get the next one going to T’di. You’ll be there in 4 hours, say, mid-day. Then the tro from T’di to Axim will leave soon and you’ll be there late afternoon, before dark for sure.

The stilt village--a day trip from Axim Beach Resort.

Day 3: Visit Nzulezo Stilt Village. Still stay overnight in Axim.

A common sight along the coast of Ghana: fishermen working, singing and hauling in the nets.

Day 4: Head back to Cape Coast via T’di. Could visit Cape Coast Castle in afternoon.
Day 5: Visit Elmina Castle or go to Kakum National Park, or both.
Day 6-8: Ashanti and Brong Ahafo Region. Nature, Craft, Culture, Causes
Day 6: Tro to Kumasi. If you leave by 8 a.m. you’ll arrive by mid-day. Travel on to Lake Bosumtwi for night. Stay overnight.

African Rainbow at Lake Bosumtwi

Day 7: Hang out at lake in morning and stay another night or return to Kumasi and go to Bonwire Kente village for the afternoon. Stay overnight in Kumasi.
Day 8: Travel by tro to Techiman, 3 hours north-west. Head to Operation Hand in Hand for the night from here. Stay overnight.

Days 9-12/13: Crafts, Nature, Wildlife
Day 9: Wake early, return to Techiman and catch tro to Tamale, about 4.5 hours. Buy ticket for Mole National Park if in time. Head to Mole that afternoon. Overnight Larabanga at Salia Brothers or Mole Motel.
Day 10: Mole NP tours.
Day 11: Depart Mole at 4 a.m. Arrive in Tamale by around 8 a.m. Catch tro on to Bolga. Arrive in Bolga by around mid-day/one. Do a basket making workshop, visit Sirigu or Navrongo.

A traditional house in the Upper East region during the rainy season (June-Sept).

Day 12: Stay in Bolga another day or travel south. Metro Mass Buses depart daily at 8 a.m. to Accra for 15 GCs from the station on the Zuarango Road behind Sand Gardens Hotel. Buy the ticket the day before and be there by 7 a.m. You’ll arrive in Kumasi at about 6 p.m. I advise you to overnight here and change for a different car to head to the bead making area from there.
Day 13-19 Adventure, Waterfalls, Crafts, Rivers
Day 13: Wake and visit the cultural centre if you like. Or, catch a tro to Koforidua from Kejetia station. This will take about 5 hours. From here you could visit the bead making areas as you make your way towards Akosombo and the Volta Region.
Or, you could catch a tro to Nkawkaw, about 1.5 hours, and then travel across to Kpando by crossing Lake Volta twice, as I described in “the road less traveled” (but in reverse), and get there that night, without overnighting in Donkorkrom.
Kumasi-Nkawkaw: 1.5 hours, Nkawkaw-Adowse port: 2 hours, Adowse by canoe to Ekye on other side: 40 mintues. Ekye to Donkorkrom: 90 minutes. DKK-Agordeke: 1 hour. Agordeke-Kpando: 2 hours. Kpando—Hohoe 30 minutes. This looks hard but it’s pretty easy. If you left Kumasi by 7 a.m. or earlier (not later), you can arrive in Kpando by evening.
Day 14: If you’re in Akosombo, you can read any of the itineraries above and Part 2 Highlights to put together the next 5 days.
If you’re in Hohoe, travel to Wli and climb waterfalls and then relax.
Day 15: Relax! You’ll need it.
Day 16: Head to Ho and see weaving at Kpotoe or stay at Mountain Paradise and visit more waterfalls.
Day 17-18: Stay at Akosombo for 2 nights and visit bead makers as short day trips if you wish.
Day 19: Accra. Tired and ready to sleep on the plane for 10 hours!

We hope that this helps you plan a Ghana vacation or holiday. Don't forget to check out the guide at http://www.g-lish.org/ghanaguide.

We have a new site www.g-lish.org where you can read all articles from This is Ghana in a much more organised fashion. Read Two 19 Day Tours of Ghana for independent travellers there.