Aerial view of Akwidaa village beside a turquoise river mouth, sandbanks and green forest on the western coast

Destinations

Twelve houses

From the castle coast to the painted houses of the far north

DestinationsTwelve regions

Explore Ghana region by region

Most journeys combine three to six regions. We order them so the long drives are broken, the heavy days are followed by easy ones, and the season suits each place.

Greater Accra

Accra

The capital, and the best first and last chapter of any trip: Jamestown's lighthouse and fishing harbour, contemporary galleries, coffin-makers in Teshie and live highlife after dark.
Central Region

Cape Coast & Elmina

Two castles on the central coast that held captive Africans before the Atlantic crossing. We visit with a Ghanaian historian, and leave the afternoon afterwards empty.
Central Region

Kakum & the Central forests

A protected rainforest half an hour inland from Cape Coast, crossed by a canopy walkway hung between the trees. Go at opening time, with a birding guide.
Ashanti Region

Kumasi & Ashanti

The Asante capital: Manhyia Palace and its museum, Kejetia market, and the weaving, stamping and carving villages a short drive out of town.
Illustration Volta highlands

Volta & Oti Regions

Volta highlands

Green hills along the Togo border around Hohoe: the walk to Wli Falls, the climb up Mount Afadjato, and the monkey sanctuary at Tafi Atome.
Eastern Region

Lake Volta & Akosombo

Akosombo, where the Volta is dammed into one of the largest man-made lakes in the world, and Atimpoku on the river below. A day on the water and a night by it.
Greater Accra

Ada & the Volta estuary

Sandbanks, palms and creeks where the Volta reaches the Atlantic. Two days by boat and on the beach, an easy drive east of Accra.
Eastern Region

Akuapem Ridge & Krobo

The cool ridge north of Accra: the botanical gardens at Aburi, carvers' stalls, a cocoa farm, and the glass-bead workshops of the Krobo towns.
Western Region

Western coast

The quiet coast towards Côte d'Ivoire: Busua's bay, the forts at Axim and Beyin, the stilt village of Nzulezu, and Ankasa's wet evergreen forest.
Savannah Region

Mole & the Savannah Region

Ghana's best-known wildlife park, where armed rangers lead walks among elephants in the dry season, and the old mud mosque at Larabanga nearby.
Northern Region

Tamale & the Northern Region

The north's busy capital, the gateway to Mole and the Upper regions, with guinea fowl at night and Salaga's old slave market a drive to the south-east.
Illustration Upper East & Upper West

Upper East & Upper West Regions

Upper East & Upper West

The far north: the women's painted houses at Sirigu, Bolgatanga's basket weavers, Paga's crocodile ponds and Pikworo, and in the west, Wechiau's hippos and the walls of Gwollu.