30+ Things to see and do in Ghana
This post includes a list of 30+ things to see and do in Ghana across multiple regions.
I have been to Ghana 5 times and 2 of those times were solo, why? There is an ENDLESS number of things to do, from chasing waterfalls, climbing rocks, visiting a shea butter factory and paragliding to coming in close proximity to Elephants. Keep reading!
Things to see and do in Ghana – Greater Accra
The capital city of Accra is located in this region, making it the most populated region in Ghana.
Black Star Square
This is probably THE most popular monument in Ghana, it’s in Accra and serves as a symbol of Ghanaian freedom.
James Town
James Town is the oldest settlement in Accra and a great place to learn the history of Accra during the slave trade. When you arrive, get a guide to show you around to have a richer and more educated experience.
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Osu Castle
Osu Castle was built in 1661 and used as a slave castle for most of the 1800s. It’s a stunning structure, and if you’re not able to visit Elmina Castle this is a great alternative.
Accra Arts Centre
If you enjoy collecting souvenirs on your travels, the Accra Arts Centre is a fantastic place. Apart from a great shopping experience, there are local artisans in the shopping centre who teach drumming classes (on the local drums). I bought a mini drum and had it engraved to mark my first solo experience.
When shopping, ensure you negotiate because prices are often increased for tourists.
Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park & Mausoleum
The resting place and museum of Kwame Nkrumah, the president who fought for Ghana’s freedom.
Nima & Osu Night Market
If you’re looking to have a clean and authentic street food experience in Ghana, Nima Market and Osu Night Market are the best places to go.
Spend the night at Maranatha Beach Camp
Just 3 hours away from Accra in Ada, you can experience camping on the beach without sleeping in a tent. Maranatha Beach Camp has two types of accommodations – private rooms and huts. The huts sit right on the beach, I stayed in a cement-floored hut and the experience was very interesting and unforgettable. Although it was extremely peaceful, everyone staying in the huts had to share 3 communal showers and toilets, however, the private rooms also came with private showers.
For 120 cedis ($10) a night, you can stay in the hut and for that amount of money, all you get is a bed and mosquito net.
Legon Botanical Gardens
If you’re looking to spend a relaxing day in nature without leaving the city of Accra, you should visit Legon Botanical Gardens. It’s an outdoor space with various recreational activities for every type of traveller.
Whether you’re looking for adventure or relaxation, the numerous options of things to do; canoeing, a canopy walk, cycling, bird watching, fishing, and a high rope obstacle course will keep you entertained.
Makola Market
You really get to know a city from its markets and a visit to Accra’s largest open-air market is no different. The air and atmosphere here are so electric, there is an overflow of goods, food, people and sounds, there’s truly nothing like being in the centre of the action.
If you add Makola Market to your itinerary, go with a local to make navigation easier and for a more pleasant and less hectic experience.
Take a cooking class
I have never taken a cooking class when travelling but I stand by the idea that you can learn a lot about a country’s culture from its dishes and local cuisine. If you want to get familiar with Ghanaian spices and cook a local dish, contact Moove, they organise 4-hour cooking classes for 800ghc ($70).
Things to see and do in Ghana – Northern Ghana
I spent three days exploring the North of Ghana and within that time I visited 4 regions – the Northern Region, the Upper East & Upper West Region and the Savannah Region. The North of Ghana is very vast so I spent a lot of time travelling from one region to the next but, it was absolutely worth it.
The experiences I had, the people I met and the animals I saw were priceless.
Mole National Park
Of all the things to see and do in Ghana, this is my favourite and the sole reason I travelled from Accra to Ghana’s north – to see Elephants in Mole National Park.
This park in Ghana’s Savvanah Region is home to Antelopes, Buffaloes, Exotic birds and over 600 African Savannah Elephants. You can either fly to Tamale from Accra and drive 3 hours to Mole or, drive 12+ hours from Accra to Mole (this isn’t advisable).
The entrance fee to Mole is 46ghc ($4) per person and their safaris are fairly affordable. Renting a 4×4 jeep costs 400ghc ($35) for 2 hours – you can split this cost with other travellers in the vehicle and ranger/ guide fees cost 24ghc ($2) an hour for the morning safari and 40ghc ($3.5) hourly for the night safari.
If you are on a tight budget, you can opt to walk instead of renting a jeep.
Mole has a number of different Safari times you can pick from. They have morning safaris at 7 am and night Safaris from 6 pm which you have to pre-book and they last for a minimum of 2 hours up to 6 hours.
This park is 100% a bucket list activity.
Paga Crocodile Pond
Paga Crocodile Pond in the Upper East Region was founded by a man whose life was saved by crocodiles. Now, Paga Pond has over 300 crocodiles that are part of the community, and eating or killing them is taboo. When they die, the people bury them.
For just 30ghc ($2.6), you can interact with these crocodiles and see how they live in Paga.
Tongo Hills
Tongo Hills is one of the gems in northern Ghana. It’s a stunning landscape with beautiful rock formations, caves, picturesque villages and a rich history. I was taken on a tour here and visited a donkey grave, a hyena cave, a hidden cave where the Tongo people hid during invasions and the chief’s palace.
A lot of the local customs and way of life are still present in Tongo. The cotton from Kepork Trees for example is still used to make mattresses and pillows and its seeds are used to make spices. Tongo Hills is worth a visit.
Shea Butter Factory
Shea trees are abundant in Northern Ghana so you know the Shea Butter made here is different – there are no added chemicals, it’s all-natural.
This factory visit should be high on your itinerary, nothing here has been automated so on the tour, you are able to watch the manual process of turning a Shea Nut into Shea Butter. I was fortunate enough to visit on the day when the nuts were roasted and separated and the labour that goes into it is incredible. The women are so skilled that there is no waste.
Plus at the end, you get to buy all the Shea Butter you want. I bought the container above for 50 cedis.
Larabanga Mosque & The Mystic Stone
Larabanga Mosque is the oldest mosque in Ghana and one of the oldest in West Africa and it has a fascinating history.
The people of Larabanga use the mystic stone site as a place of worship, hoping to receive miracles, just at the touch of the stone. It’s believed the stone has never been moved and has been there for centuries.
Tamale City Tour
Tamale is quite a vibrant city and although I only used it as my base on this trip, I will most definitely do a tour on my next visit. A tour of Tamale will take you to the leather factory, local market, cultural centre, Shea butter factory and red clay museum. This is a full-day tour to help you get a real feel of the city.
Kitampo Waterfalls
This is one of the highest waterfalls in Ghana and you can find it along the Kumasi-Tamale road.
Wechiau Hippo Sanctuary
This sanctuary has been created to protect and conserve the last remaining hippos in Ghana. There are about 20 hippos in this sanctuary so get ready to watch these stunning creatures in their natural habitats along the Black Volta River.
Things to see and do in Ghana – Central Region
No trip to Ghana is complete without a visit to the Central Region. Home to Cape Coast & Elmina Castle for a real history lesson on slavery in Ghana and Kakum National Park.
Cape Coast Castle
It’s both a historical landmark and one of 40 forts that served as a trading post during the slave trade in West Africa. Although a painful recount, it needs to be heard.
Kakum National Park
This park is known for its 7 suspension bridges forming a 333-metre-long canopy walkway, another adrenaline-pumping activity.
Elmina Castle
Elmina Castle is A Unesco Heritage Site that was built as a slave trading post during the slave trade in the late 1800’s. It holds a very important history that may be difficult to hear but necessary. A visit here can be grouped with Kakum National Park and can even be explored in a day.
Things to see and do in Ghana – Volta Region
This is my absolute favourite region in Ghana. The Volta Region has no shortage of waterfalls, it has an abundance of them and I am not complaining. Let’s get into them:
Wli (Agumatsa) Waterfalls
Ghana isn’t lacking in the waterfall department. Wli is the highest waterfall in West Africa at 80 metres, but is also 4 hours away from Accra so quite a distance. You have to walk 40 minutes, across 9 bridges to get from the entrance to the lower falls – it’s breathtaking.
Non-Ghanaians pay 60 cedis ($5) and Ghanaians, 25 cedis ($2) to enter.
Wli has an upper falls which is a 3-hour hike in total (1.5 hours up and 1.5 hours down) in addition to the 40-minute walk.
If you’re only visiting the lower falls, set aside about 1.5 – 2 hours to spend at Wli to get the full experience.
Oté Falls
Enjoy two activities in 1. Oté has a canopy walkway which you can get to after a descent down 259 steps and to get to the waterfall itself you need to climb down a dodgy path.
Mt Afadjato
This is one of the highest mountains in Ghana, it’s a 4-hour drive away from Accra, not difficult to summit and has some stunning views.
Tagbo Falls
Tagbo Falls is another waterfall, near Mt. Afadjato, the water falls down at different levels, the highest being 60m.
Tafi Atome Monkey Sanctuary
This is a must-visit location on a first visit to Ghana. The sanctuary is home to 200 Mona monkeys inhabiting the forest surrounding the village of Tafi–Atome.
Things to see and do in Ghana – Eastern Region
The Easter Region is a two-hour drive away from Accra, so it’s the closest and easiest region to explore in a day.
Shai Hills Resource Reserve
This reserve has everything from game viewing (antelopes & zebras), 5 different hills to hike, and rock climbing to glamping. Shai Hills is a great day trip from Accra especially if you’re a hiker or love the outdoors.
Non-Ghanaians pay:
- Adults: 40 cedis per hour & 10 cedis for each additional hour
- Students: 30 cedis per hour & 10 cedis for each additional hour
- Children: 12 cedis per hour & 5 cedis for each additional hour
Shai Hills is open every day from 8 am to 5 pm so, plan to spend about 2-3 hours there.
Boat cruise on Lake Volta
Spend a day relaxing at The Royal Senchi Hotel and have them arrange a cruise for you on Lake Volta. The boat cruise is so calming and serene.
Asenema Falls
Just 2 hours away from Accra in Akuapem Hills in the stunning Asenema Falls. For 10 GHC ($86). It’s a short 5-10 minute walk from the entrance to the falls and it’s unmissable on any trip to Ghana.
Boti Falls
It’s a twin waterfall and these twin falls, which come from two rivers, are referred to as female and male; according to local myth, a rainbow is formed when they merge. It costs between 20 and 50ghc ($1.7 and $4) to get in and the price is inclusive of guide fees. You have to walk down 250 steps to get to the falls and to get as close as possible to the water, canoe rides are available for a small fee.
Paraglide in Kwahu
Every April, there is a paragliding festival on Odweanoma Mountain in Kwahu, it’s regarded as the best take-off point. You can enjoy this activity from 550ghc ($48).
Tetteh Quarshie Cocoa Farm
Visiting this farm provides a unique opportunity to learn about cocoa and chocolate production in Ghana.
Aburi Botanical Gardens
This Instagrammable location is known for its extensive rows of beautiful palm trees.
Abseiling
If you’re up for an adventure, abseiling off the 100ft Vulcan rock should be on your itinerary. The adrenaline you feel while reclining down the side of the rock is a feeling you won’t forget.
Things to see and do in Ghana – Best Beaches
Ghana has a stunning coastline and for most of the beaches, you need to step out of Accra to experience them. Here are the top 5 best beaches in Ghana:
- Laboma Beach, Accra
- Kokrobite Beach, Greater Accra
- Ada Foah Beach, Greater Accra
- Busua Beach, Western Ghana
- Anomabo Beach, Central Region
There are many things to see and do in Ghana and although I have explored the country solo (twice) there is still much more to uncover. I can’t wait. I hope this list helps you plan your future trips to Ghana!
Happy travels!
