Things you need to know before travelling to Ghana
If you’re visiting a new country (even if it’s an English-speaking one), you need to know local laws, customs, words and phrases so you are properly informed. So, here are some important things you need to know before travelling to Ghana:
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Timezone
Ghana is in the Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) or Coordinated Universal Time (UTC).
Currency
Ghanaian Cedi – GH₵
Language + Words & Phrases in Ghana
Ghana is a multilingual country so up to 80 different languages are spoken. English, Akan (Twi & Fante) and Ghanaian Pidgin are three of the most common languages you’ll hear. The majority of the population in the larger regions like Greater Accra, will speak English so communication is easy.
Here are a few words and phrases you should know before going:
| Local Words | Translation |
| Chale | This is an informal greeting among friends. You’ll notice “Chale!” is a large part of the Ghanaian vocabulary. |
| Akwaaba | Welcome! It’s written boldly when you first arrive in Accra. |
| Ɛte sɛn | “How are you” in Twi |
| Ɛyɛ | “I’m fine” in Twi |
| Chop | to eat – “I want to chop” |
| Trosky | a nickname for “tro tro” which are multi-person mini public buses in Ghana. |
| Obroni | this is said when you have reached your stop while in a tro tro. In twi it means “It is inside”, meaning you are inside and want to get off. |
| Ewomu | this means “I beg” or “please”. It’s used in informal settings, for example when shopping in a market – it can be used when haggling. |
| Medasse | thank you |
| Abeg | this literally means “I beg” or “please”. It’s used in informal settings, for example when shopping in a market – it can be used when haggling. |
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Things to know before travelling to Ghana – Best times to visit
Ghana in December is peak season. People visit for “Detty December” when concerts happen daily and all-night parties and clubbing are the new normal.
However, many people still visit from October – March so, prices are high and it’s very crowded.
If you are a budget traveller, visit during the shoulder or off-peak seasons, from April to October. It’s cheap but it’s the rainy/ wet season.
Things to know before travelling to Ghana – How long should you stay?
You can spend anywhere from 4 days to months in Ghana, it all depends on your itinerary and budget. Although, if you want to experience Ghana outside of Accra, at least 7 days is ideal.
Things to know before travelling to Ghana – Laws & Customs
Laws in Ghana
- Non-military personnel are not allowed to wear camouflage.
Customs & Ghanaian Culture
- Ghanaians are very polite so proper etiquette like greetings are taken very seriously. When entering a room or meeting someone for the first time, you need to greet them and acknowledge their presence.
- You should only use your right hand when giving or collecting items from anyone, it’s a sign of respect.
- When in the presence of older people, your hands should not be in your pockets.
- Ghanaians are quiet and non-confrontational.
Things to know before travelling to Ghana – Getting there
Getting to Ghana – by plane
This is the more convenient and shortest option but also the most expensive. So, it’s important to chase the deals and not the dates.
Tickets to Ghana from West African countries like Nigeria start from $250 depending on the time of year you go and the airline you take.
It takes an hour from Lagos to Accra and you can go with Air Peace or Africa World Airlines.
Tip: Always buy your tickets directly from the airline and not a third party. In case there are any issues with your booking, you can make your complaints directly.
How to travel to Ghana by road
This is the cheaper, but also the less convenient and more time-consuming option. It’s a 17-hour drive from Lagos, Nigeria to Accra, Ghana and is long if done at a stretch. But, you could stop over in Togo and Benin Republic and have a fun road trip across West Africa.
From Lagos, you can get a car one way from Mile 12 to Ghana for N60,000 ($80) and above or hire a private driver.
Things to know before travelling to Ghana – Ghana Entry Requirements
If you’re West African, all the documents you need are the same, whether you’re travelling by road or air. You need either an International or an ECOWAS passport, your COVID-19 vaccine certificate and a yellow fever card (the vaccine is valid 10 days after it’s been taken).
Check this page to see if you require a visa to travel to Ghana.
If you need a visa for Ghana, you can apply online depending on your resident country beforehand, or get a visa on arrival at the airport (if you qualify). UK citizens can apply here, US citizens can apply here, if you’re not a national of any of these countries, find a Ghanaian embassy closest to you.
In addition to the above requirements, you must also hold a passport with at least 6 months of validity before you are allowed entry.
COVID regulations in Ghana for vaccinated & non-vaccinated travellers
- All passengers who are fully vaccinated with the WHO-approved vaccines can travel freely with their proof of vaccination.
- Non-vaccinated travellers need to present a negative PCR taken within 48 hours of arrival in Ghana.
Things to know before travelling to Ghana – Staying connected
Connectivity is one of the most important things to take into account when visiting a foreign country, there are many options from Wi-Fi, roaming your home number, getting a local sim to getting an e-sim. All options are available in Ghana.
Wifi in Ghana
Like every country, your Wi-Fi connectivity and reliability depend on the network providers. That being said, Wi-Fi is best in homes or hotels and in some select cafes. If you plan on working remotely, ensure you don’t schedule work for when you are on the road because there is no guarantee the connection will be strong.
Data in Ghana
If you are travelling solo or plan to spend a considerable amount of time out of your hotel/ resort, it’s important to have a Ghanaian number. Ghana is a very “call-centred” country, from Uber/ Bolt drivers to delivery services, everyone calls so having a local number is the best option.
Getting a local sim – while in Ghana, I got an MTN sim. MTN is widely used across Africa and is one of the most reliable but expensive network providers. Other network providers in Ghana are AirtelTigo and Vodaphone. You can walk into any of their stores and register for a SIM card but if you are not Ghanaian, you’ll be required to show your passport.
For 35 cedis ($3), you can get a local sim and 1 GB of data with MTN.
E-sim in Ghana – If you want to go the e-sim route, Airalo is a great option, it’s an e-SIM provider with coverage in multiple countries. You can buy your SIM before arriving in Ghana and activate it when you land and instantly connect. It costs approximately $10 for the e-SIM and 1 GB of data, it’s more expensive than getting the local SIM but it’s more convenient especially if you arrive on a weekend.
Things to know before travelling to Ghana – Money
The currency in Ghana is the Ghanaian Cedi – use this currency converter to see how much your local currency is worth in cedis. Cash is king in Ghana. If you don’t have anything else, have cash, it’s widely accepted and in most places, preferred.
Changing money in Ghana – In April 2023, when I took a solo trip to Ghana, the exchange rate was $1 – 11.5/11.6 GHC. Now, in June, 2 months later, it has dropped to $1 – 11.1 GHC. The exchange rate changes often so it’s important you do your research before travelling. Yesterday’s rate may not be today’s rate.
It’s fairly easy to change money in Ghana, for my Nigerians, Naira is not publicly traded so change your naira to dollars in Nigeria and take dollars to Ghana. You can exchange money at any Forex Bureau, there are a few around Kotoka International Airport, and you can also check Google Maps for Forex Bureaus near you (that’s how I found one near my Osu Airbnb).
There are also people in the “black market”, they often have the best rates, but this can be risky as the notes may be fake.
P.S.: lower cash denominations like $5, $10, $20 or $50 are worth less than $100 notes, so keep this in mind.
Using Debit Cards in Ghana
Debit cards are not as widely accepted as cash or Mobile Money, but they are just as important to have.
Once you land at Kotoka International Airport, you should withdraw some money from one of the many ATMs around so you have some cedis on hand. Also, remember that the ATMs charge a small withdrawal fee.
Restaurants accept debit cards, so you can keep your cash for more cash-based activities and use only debit cards when eating out.
Mobile Money in Ghana
Mobile Money or “MoMo” is the second most popular way to carry out transactions in Ghana after cash.
To open a Mobile Money account, you need to have a registered Ghanaian phone number with one of the local network providers. It’s used to carry out electronic money transfers to people’s mobile money accounts.
If you are in Ghana for a short period of time (less than a month), having cash and a debit card will suffice, but if you are there for more than 1 month, registering for Mobile Money will be best.
Things you need to know before travelling to Ghana – How much should you budget?
This depends on two things, 1) Your travel style, and 2) How long you are staying.
You can travel to Ghana on every type of budget, if you are a budget traveller staying in hostels, using public transportation and eating street foods, you can make your money stretch for as long as possible.
I have taken a 5-day trip and an 8-day trip to Ghana, on separate occasions and I would recommend you budget at least $1000 for a one-week stay (inclusive of plane tickets if you’re departing from Nigeria). For any stay over 7 days, budget $1500 and above, especially if you are travelling solo. It’s always better to have more money than you need.
You can learn more about budgeting for Ghana in my cost breakdown for a 5-day Ghana solo trip.
Things to know before travelling to Ghana – Moving around
Uber & Bolt
Uber & Bolt are the most popular ways to move around within regions (within Accra), they are also the most convenient. It’s important to note that if you want to use any air conditioning in the Uber or Bolt, you need to pay extra due to the high fuel prices. For 10 – 30 minute rides, prices range between 14 ghc ($1.2) to 65 ghc ($5.6).
Tro Tro
These are public minibuses. You can get on and off them at any point, there are no formal bus stops. TroTro’s are cheap and have no set prices, meaning you pay based on the distance of your destination. This makes them less convenient and sometimes unreliable. 30-minute rides cost about 5ghc ($0.43).
Taxis
This option is fairly safe to use but unlike the rideshare options are not metered and the prices are at the discretion of the driver which could lead to you paying double the average cost of a ride. Taxis can be found all over Ghana, and you can easily flag them down on the side of the street. Most people prefer to use Uber or Bolt because they can monitor their rides and share their ride progress with close contacts.
Motorcycles
Motorcycles are very common in cities like Accra and Tamale where most people own them as personal vehicles and commercially. In cities like Accra, where the roads are very busy, motorcycles are not the safest, however, they are cheap, you just need to negotiate the price beforehand.
In Tamale, there are fewer vehicles on the road and motorcycles are one of the major forms of transportation so, it’s much safer.
Just assess the driving conditions in the city you are in before hopping on a motorcycle.
Yango
Yango is a rideshare app in Ghana which is much cheaper than its alternatives so it’s worth trying it out at least once.
Tuk Tuk
These are three-wheeled vehicles and are very common and widely used in Tamale and Cape Coast. They are very efficient and easy to get, just hail one from the side of the street to get their attention.
Travel Guide to Exploring Ghana – Safety
Ghana is well known to be one of the safest countries in West Africa which is why it’s such a popular travel destination. However, like in any other country, crime is not absent.
Theft in Ghana
Petty theft happens often in Ghana, if you give people the opportunity, they will steal. It’s important to remain alert and aware of your surroundings and keep your belongings close to you, especially when in crowded areas like markets. When walking always keep your bag in front of you, or tightly under your arm, and be conscious of the placement.
Also, if you are in a car or any moving vehicle, never hold your phone outside the window especially in traffic because motorists and passersby are known to grab phones out of windows.
Solo – travel in Ghana
Safety is probably the biggest worry for any solo traveller, especially solo female travellers but I have felt very safe every time I’ve travelled to Ghana. You just need to take the necessary safety precautions to have that extra blanket of protection.
Get Travel Insurance
I use SafetyWing whenever I travel because it is travel medical insurance created by nomads for nomads. You can buy a policy for the duration of your trip and end it when you want; it is also extremely flexible. Check out their website and get travel insurance for your next trip!
- Share your live location
- Share your ride when using ride-sharing apps
- Always remain alert
- Keep your windows up when in a moving car
- Be aware of your surroundings when in crowded places
- Carry a safety personal alarm
I hope this gives you all the information you need to plan an amazing trip to Ghana. If you have any questions, ask them in the comments!
