Ghana is an amazing place, filled with lots of fun things to do! It has lots of beaches with beautiful sand and national parks full of interesting animals. Perfect for anyone who loves adventure!
Ghana is a great place to explore because the country has a good government and friendly locals. Plus, with so many fun activities from great festivals to visiting studios of coffin-makers (yes, really!) there’ll definitely be something for you to discover. Before your trip make sure that you’ve done all your necessary research. Here are some ideas for things to do when you visit Ghana!
Table of Contents
Explore Mole National Park and Spot Friendly Elephants!
Mole National Park is a beautiful part of Ghana and the largest protected area in the country. It’s huge – it’s even bigger than Accra, its capital city! In Mole you can find lots of different animals like warthogs, green monkeys and 600 elephants that are very friendly to humans. All this animal life makes Mole an amazing place for nature lovers.
Mole National Park is a great place for going on walking safaris because there aren’t many dangerous animals like leopards and spotted hyenas, and the elephants living there are not particularly aggressive either. With the help of an armed ranger, you can go tracking a herd of elephants by foot to see them up close at the nearby watering holes – it’ll be an amazing and unforgettable experience!
Take a trip to Teshie-Nungua and check out the special coffins! These unusual containers look like animals, everyday objects, and all sorts of fun shapes.
Catch a Glimpse of Ghana’s Amazing Custom Coffins!
In Ghana, people started making special coffins in the shape of something related to someone’s job or their favorite hobby. For example, a pilot might get a coffin shaped like an airplane and a writer could get a coffin shaped like a pencil! These coffins became popular around the world in 1989 when they were featured at an art show in Paris.
In Ghana, coffin carpenters craft special coffins for the deceased that reflect their passions and hobbies. They can look like fish, shoes, cameras, and even beer bottles — if you can think of it, they can make it! The coffins are one-of-a-kind works of art: incredibly decorative and full of color.
Tip: In Teshie-Nungua, near Accra in Ghana, there are many shops of coffin makers who show off their crafts – so you can take a look at these amazing and unique creations!
Experience the Flavorful Delights of Ghanaian Cuisine!
Ghanaian cuisine is very tasty and comforting and has had a big influence on different dishes from the southern United States. Two examples of this are red beans and rice, as well as jambalaya which has some similarities to the tomato-based jollof rice found in Ghana.
Ghana is known for making yummy, unique meals by combining starchy food and soups or stews. Red-red is one of the most popular dishes in Ghana. It’s a bean stew cooked with tomatoes, onions, black-eyed peas, and palm oil to make it sweet and spicy. Sometimes people add fish like snapper or mackerel. Plantains are usually served as a side dish. Buka in Accra makes especially delicious red-red!
Fufu is a delicious corn-like starch, made with boiled cassava or plantains, that people eat in Ghana. Kenkey is another type of food popular among the Ga people there — it’s kind of like a dumpling. But when you look at the Cape Coast Castle on the shoreline, don’t forget about its terrible history — this was once part of the transatlantic slave trade.
Exploring the Depths of the Ocean
Imagine that you are a fish swimming in the ocean. Everywhere you look, there are unfamiliar creatures around you and life of all shapes and sizes runs through the depths of the water. You feel an incredible sense of awe and wonder as you explore this alien world, discovering more about what lives down here and how it works.
Ghana’s “slave castles” are a horrible reminder of the awful slavery that used to happen. Nearly 40 of these big commercial fortresses made up West Africa’s Gold Coast between the 17th and 18th centuries, and they were where lots of people were sent away as slaves. Some of these forts still remain around southern Ghana in the Central Region close to Cape Coast city. Two of them — Elmina Castle and Cape Coast Castle — are very easy to find.
Cape Coast is a city that’s a three-hour drive away from Accra. You can visit this place and take guided tours of the old buildings that were once used by Europeans as trading posts. These buildings have cells or rooms specifically for keeping people isolated, dungeons for women and cramped holding cells where many guys had to suffer and stay together in hopeless conditions before eventually being taken out through a tiny door to the sea.
Discover the Sacred and Ancient Larabanga Mosque of West Africa!
Larabanga Mosque is really special. It’s the oldest mosque in West Africa and looks different from other mosques. It has white walls made of dirt and pyramid-shaped towers with little chunks of wood sticking out from the sides. It was first built in 1421 and since then, it has been remade a few times. Lots of people come here to visit as they consider this place the most important one in West Africa – kind of like Mecca!
The mosque is situated in a village only populated by Muslims. It is located in the North Region of the country. You can pay for a guide to show you around outside of the structure. Also, there is an important stone near the mosque at which people from all religions can come to pray; it’s known as the Mystic Stone and it’s thought to be immovable.
Celebrating Ghana’s Independence
In 1957, Ghana became the first African country to break free from being controlled by someone else. People in Accra fought very hard for independence and now they have monuments throughout the city as a reminder of their victory! This new freedom meant a lot not just for Ghana but for all of Africa.
Every year on March 6th the people of Ghana will celebrate the country’s independence in Black Star Square, Accra. In 1961 their first president, Kwame Nkrumah built an Independence Arch to commemorate this special occasion and Queen Elizabeth II visited shortly after it was erected. The Black Star Gate at the entrance to the square is a grand sight- it has an African star that the same star appears on Ghana’s flag. Even though you cannot enter the arch sometimes there are guards who allow visitors to climb up to the top of gate for small fee.
The Kwame Nkrumah Park and Mausoleum located down the road is an impressive memorial for Ghana’s former president, Kwame Nkrumah and his wife. The whole structure is covered in Italian marble, with a shape similar to an upside down sword – this is to represent peace for Ghana’s Akan people. Tours at this park and Black Star Square include visiting WEB DuBois Memorial Centre for Pan-African Culture. This Centre houses the old home of the American civil rights activist who is considered to be the ‘Father’ of Pan-Africanism.
Accessing the Benefits of Social Media
People need to be aware that these days, social media can have an impact on our lives in a variety of ways. It can shape the way we think, act, and even alter the decisions we make in our everyday lives. Social media should not be taken lightly, as it has both good and bad effects upon us. On one hand, we can use it to stay connected with family and friends living far away, or share interesting ideas and stories with others online. On the other hand, spending too much time online can harm our physical health and put us at risk for cyber-bullying or other unwanted interactions. Therefore, it’s important to keep your guard up when on social media, by only sharing information you’re comfortable with and setting privacy boundaries where necessary.
The Shai Hills Resource Reserve is an adventure waiting to happen. This 51-square kilometre area of woodlands and hills offer a lot for its visitors – from monkeys and baboons by the roadside to caves filled with bats, it’s perfect for hikers, campers and mountain bikers! You can even find wildlife such as kob antelopes, green monkeys, and zebras wandering around the historically significant area that locals consider sacred.
Braveheart Expeditions is a place that offers activities like mountain biking and rock climbing around Ghana. Ghana has a really long coastline of about 300 miles!
Explore Ghana’s Beaches and Learn How to Surf with Justice’s Brothers Surfing School!
Nowadays, technology is becoming more and more popular among young people. With the development of devices like smartphones and tablets, it’s easier for kids to access games and social media sites from anywhere. These things have made it even easier for young people to stay connected with their friends, explore different activities, and manage their daily tasks. However, too much usage of these devices can lead to some negative impacts such as boredom due to repetitive use of the same applications or peer pressure from social media sites. Therefore, parents should pay close attention to their children’s online activities in order to ensure they are using these technologies properly while still having fun at the same time.
Ghana has 341 miles of coastline with soft, sandy beaches. There’s something for everyone; if you want to relax and sunbath, Cape Three Points Beach is perfect. If you would rather party until late at night, Kokrobite Beach in the Central Region should do it. Labadi Beach near the capital city Accra is easily accessible to get to, and Busua Beach on Ghana’s Western Region has great surfing spots that anyone can enjoy – even beginners! If you’d like to give surfing a try, Justice’s Brothers Surfing School offers lessons.
Start your journey to a healthier lifestyle today!
Nothing is more important for young people than building healthy habits. Creating small and achievable goals will help you stay motivated and on track to a healthier lifestyle. Eating healthy foods, exercising regularly, managing stress levels, and getting enough sleep are all simple changes that can lead to big results. It’s alright if you don’t do everything perfectly but remember to take it slow, be consistent, and find support when needed. Doing these things can make a huge difference in your day-to-day life and wellbeing!
Are you looking for something special? If so, Ghana has loads of amazing handcrafted items to choose from. In Accra’s Centre for National Culture, there are hundreds of stalls with things such as drums, dolls, carved wooden bowls, leather bags and kente textiles. The best thing is to talk directly to the person who made the item – this makes sure that what you’re buying is genuine and not a copy. Ask them about their process and they’ll be more than happy to explain it all!
Hamamat is a mud-hut village located in Ghana’s Northern Region. In this village, the women make raw shea butter, an all-natural skin moisturizer, from the bounty of nearby shea trees. If you visit Hamamat, you can take a tour and shop for shea butter soap bars and Bolga baskets (which are unique, handwoven items). Additionally, if you want to find handmade pottery, make sure to check out Kukuo Pottery Village which is near Tamale.
The canopy walk in Kakum National Park can be a special experience. It will take you up and around the tall trees, giving you something different to see and explore this beautiful natural environment!
Explore Kakum National Park’s Unique Canopy Walk
Kakum National Park is a huge area of 375 square kilometers (145 square miles). It’s full of amazing animals such as red river hogs, elephants and leopards! But that’s not the only fun thing here. There’s also something very special that you can do – walk up high in the rainforest canopy on seven rope-like bridges that are 350 meters (1148 feet) long and 40 meters (130 feet) above the ground! This unique experience will give you spectacular views, and it’s the only one of its kind in Ghana.
If you are planning to go to the park and do the canopy walk or explore the grounds below it, you need a guide. You can book this experience at the visitor center when you get there.
Experiencing the Rich Culture of Ghana
Ghana holds a lot of festivals every year and many of them feature colorful parades, dance and music to honor the Ghanaian culture. One popular event that happens almost every month is the Asante Akwasidae festival in Kumasi on Sundays. It’s to show respect to the Ashanti people and their rulers.
If you’re thinking about when to visit Ghana, remember that the harvest festivals will be happening from September to November. December is also the month of holidays and Afrochella, an event that showcases African fashion, art, music and culture. Furthermore, Panafest takes place twice a year and people from all over Africa meet up with each other through shared art forms to promote unity.