A trip to Ghana takes you to the part of West Africa that was once known as the Gold Coast. The country has much more to offer than natural resources, because in no other part of Africa is there so much original, magical and mystical, exotic, history and scenic diversity as in its west and especially in Ghana. In addition, in Ghana, a former kingdom, you will find a multi-faceted culture with around 100 ethnic groups and correspondingly different beliefs. Diversity, which is also expressed in the flora and fauna of the tropical rainforest. Best to explore at Mole National Park, Owabi Conservation Area, and Boufom Wildlife Sanctuary. However, the landscape of Ghana also has savannah, which dominates in the center and in the north, wide sandy beaches and mangroves in the coastal area, the Ashanti highlands, the Akwapim-Togo chain, in which Ghana reaches its highest point at around 900 m above sea level, and the Volta Basin as an independent and largest natural area. At the mouth of the Volta, in particular, you will also encounter culture: in the form of fortresses and castles from the colonial era, which are also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, as are the Ashanti buildings. Also worth a visit, both culturally and historically, is Accra, the capital of Ghana, or Kumasi, the historic capital of the Ashanti, which is best known for the Living Museum, in which goldsmiths, sculptors, weavers and potters can watch the traditional production of their goods and which also bears witness to the fact that Ghana to this day has its rich.
Kakum National Park
The Kakum National Park is one of the most interesting nature reserves in Ghana. It leads through the middle of the rainforest.
Anyone visiting Ghana on a study trip is in good hands in the Kakum National Park. The area offers a fascinating insight into the nature of the African country. The Kakum National Park is one of the most famous natural attractions in Ghana. The reserve is north of Cape Coast, which is the capital of the central region. Its area is 350 square kilometers. The national park was launched in 1990.
Arrival in the nature conservation region of Kakum
A trip to the fantastic Kakum National Park is a must on a trip to Ghana. It is only 33 kilometers by car from Cape Coast. There are numerous signposts on Jukwa Street. The park is not far from the town of Abrafo. Its entire area runs through the tropical rainforest.
The peculiarities of the national park
One of the attractions of the Kakum National Park is the unique tour through the area over suspension bridges, which are located between the giant trees of the rainforest. Apart from Kakum, there are only four other such tours. At a height of 45 meters on the Canopy Walkway, visitors are given the opportunity to get closer to the life of the park. The Canopy Walkway consists of 7 bridges that extend over a length of 330 meters.
Flora and fauna
The rangers have special training and explain the different tropical plants and their importance for medicine to the guests during the tour. Of course, the guides are also familiar with the animal world. These include, for example, the forest elephant, the Leo monkey, the civet cat, the forest buffalo and a variety of bird species. However, observing the animals is still difficult at the moment. For this reason, new water holes are to be created in the coming years to make it easier to observe the forest inhabitants.
The facilities of the Kakum National Park also include an informative visitor center, a souvenir shop and a café.
Cape Coast Castle
the largest slave castle in the world
There are no exact figures, because nobody counted the slaves who were dragged from Africa, especially to America. The “black ivory” was nothing more than a human commodity for the slave traders. Whoever visits the Cape Coast Castle in today’s Ghana, gets an intense impression of the hell that these unfortunate creatures had to endure in the former metropolis of the so-called “Gold Coast” in the west of the African continent. Cape Coast Castle is the stone reminder of one of the darkest chapters of mankind, because the white citadel was the largest slave castle in the world.
Obama also visited the museum
The port city in the south of Ghana was once something of an idyll in a green setting. But then with the history of the slave trade, a deep shadow fell on this region. Today, even after four centuries, the well-preserved complex is a museum that you should definitely see on a trip to the west of the Black Continent. Just like the American President Barrack Obama, who visited the UNESCO World Heritage Site a few years ago. For him, too, it was a visit to a transshipment point for people on their way to the “New World”.
A church as a blatant contradiction
Previously unimaginable hygienic conditions prevailed in the underground dungeons. Up to a thousand men and five hundred women were housed in separate dungeons at Cape Coast Castle. Most lost their lives before being chained to the ships in America. They passed a “door of no return”. It was a journey of no return for everyone. Today visitors find it a stark contradiction that the castle of the slaves also had a church. The Society of the Propagation of Gospel was the first Anglican church on the Gold Coast. Between 1444 and 1869, when Portugal became the last European country to ban the slave trade, around eleven million people were abducted from Africa. Many from Cape Coast Castle in Ghana.
Kumasi Market
With around 2.5 million inhabitants, Kumasi is the second largest city in Ghana and at the same time the capital of the Ashanti region. The city, which is centrally located in the south of Ghana, has the largest market in Ghana. In the hustle and bustle of the market it is difficult for holidaymakers to find their way around and it is reminiscent of a labyrinth. Thousands of small stands – some of which can be set up side by side as you like, some of which are thematically organized – can be discovered here. Tourists can spend several days here and simply soak up the numerous impressions, smells as well as the mood and atmosphere. That is why a visit to Kumasi is often a part of the program for individual or group tours in Africa. A special highlight of the market in Kumasi is a train that runs on very narrow tracks right through the crowd.
The gigantic, lively market, which is about 11 soccer fields in size, is certainly one of the largest and narrowest markets in Africa. Visitors can plunge into the bustle here and explore the maze of small alleys. You can buy everything imaginable here: food, spices, clothes, toys, used shoes, colorful fabrics, traditional Ashanti clothing, jewelry, batik fabrics and much more. A big advantage here compared to pure tourist markets is that holidaymakers are not pressured to buy. The target group of most traders are the locals, as they shop here every day like in a normal supermarket.
