Discover Ghana - Tourism Guide

UNESCO World Heritage Site. Cape Coast Castle is one of approximately 40 slave forts built along the Gold Coast (now Ghana) by European traders. Originally built by the Swedish in 1653, it became the British colonial administrative headquarters.

• Location: Cape Coast, Central Region (about 160 km west of Accra)
• Highlights: The "Door of No Return," male and female slave dungeons, the museum of the transatlantic slave trade, governor's quarters
• Significance: Central to the Year of Return (2019) and Beyond the Return pilgrimages for the African diaspora
• Entry fee: GH₵40 for foreign adults, GH₵20 for students
• Hours: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM daily

Home to Ghana's famous canopy walkway - a series of seven suspension bridges up to 40 metres above the rainforest floor, stretching 350 metres through the tropical canopy.

• Location: 30 km north of Cape Coast (easily combined as a day trip)
• Size: 375 sq km of tropical rainforest
• Wildlife: Forest elephants, Diana monkeys, bongo antelopes, over 200 bird species, 600+ butterfly species
• Activities: Canopy walkway, guided nature walks, birdwatching, night walks
• Entry fee: GH₵60 for foreign adults (includes canopy walkway)
• Best time: Early morning for wildlife and fewer crowds

Elmina Castle (St. George's Castle)

UNESCO World Heritage Site. The oldest European building in sub-Saharan Africa, built by the Portuguese in 1482. Located just 13 km west of Cape Coast, Elmina Castle served as a trading post for gold and later for enslaved people.

• Location: Elmina, Central Region
• History: Built by Portuguese (1482), captured by Dutch (1637), British-controlled from 1872
• Highlights: Slave dungeons, Portuguese church (one of the oldest in sub-Saharan Africa), rooftop views, Elmina fishing harbour
• Combine with: Cape Coast Castle and Kakum for a full day of exploration

Mole National Park

Ghana's largest wildlife reserve, covering 4,840 sq km of savannah in the Northern Region. One of the best places in West Africa to see elephants in the wild.

• Location: Northern Region, near Damongo (accessible by road from Tamale)
• Wildlife: Over 90 mammal species including elephants, baboons, warthogs, kob antelopes, hartebeest, lions (rare), crocodiles, and 300+ bird species
• Activities: Guided walking safaris (unique in Africa), jeep safaris, birdwatching from the Mole Motel terrace
• Accommodation: Mole Motel (on the escarpment overlooking watering holes), Zaina Lodge (luxury)
• Best time: Late dry season (January-March) when animals congregate at water sources

Labadi Beach & Accra Coastline

Labadi Beach (La Pleasure Beach) is Accra's most popular beach, buzzing with live music, drumming, food vendors, and weekend crowds. Other notable beaches include Bojo Beach (more relaxed, boat access), Kokrobite Beach (reggae scene, Big Milly's Backyard), and Ada Foah (where the Volta River meets the sea).

Accra Arts & Culture Scene

Accra has emerged as one of Africa's most vibrant creative capitals:

• Artists Alliance Gallery - Located at the National Theatre, showcasing Ghanaian contemporary art
• Chale Wote Street Art Festival - Annual street art festival in James Town (August)
• Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park - Mausoleum of Ghana's first president, with museum
• W.E.B. Du Bois Centre - Former home of the African-American scholar who became a Ghanaian citizen
• Accra Arts Centre (Centre for National Culture) - Crafts market with woodcarvings, kente cloth, beads
• Osu (Oxford Street) - Vibrant nightlife, restaurants, galleries, and street food
• Jamestown Lighthouse - Historic 19th-century lighthouse with panoramic views

Year of Return & Beyond the Return

In 2019, Ghana declared the Year of Return, marking 400 years since the first enslaved Africans arrived in Jamestown, Virginia. The initiative invited the global African diaspora to return to Africa, and Ghana specifically, to connect with their roots.

The Beyond the Return campaign continues this work, encouraging diaspora investment, tourism, and permanent relocation. Key sites for heritage tourism include:

• Cape Coast Castle and Elmina Castle (Door of No Return)
• Assin Manso Slave River (where enslaved people took their last bath)
• Panafest (Pan African Historical Theatre Festival, Cape Coast)
• Emancipation Day celebrations (August 1)

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