Accra Day Trips: Aburi, Shai Hills and Ada Foah
Where you can go from Accra in a day depends on one thing: how long you are willing to sit in traffic. The sights below are grouped by driving time, from the shortest to the longest. Costs are in Ghana cedis (GH₵), which trade at about 11.7 to the US dollar, and the cedi is the only legal tender for everyday purchases. Leave before the morning rush, which runs from roughly 6:30 to 10:00, and plan the return before the evening peak from about 16:30.
About one hour out
- Aburi Botanical Gardens: On the Akuapem Ridge, about 35 km away. Daily hours are usually 8:30 to 17:00. The gardens were founded in 1890, sit near 450 m, and hold royal palms, silk cotton trees, bamboo and medicinal plants. A fee could not be confirmed, so ask at the gate.
- Shai Hills Resource Reserve: About 50 km away, open roughly 6:00 to 17:00. Expect baboons, kob and other antelope, bushbuck and zebra, plus ostriches on an animal farm and three caves. Trained armed guides go with visitors, and the fee is charged by the hour for each person. Many operators bundle it with a Volta cruise on a 7 to 13 hour day, and you can browse day tours from Accra to compare them.
About two hours out
- Ada Foah: Roughly 110 km east, about two hours by road, at the mouth of the Volta. Boats go to Crocodile Island and along the mangrove channels. The sea beaches along this coast have rip tides and undertows, and the UK government warns that swimming is dangerous there.
- Boti Falls: In the Eastern Region, 17 km north-east of Koforidua and 90 minutes or more from Accra. A long staircase leads down to the twin falls, with 70 or 250 steps depending on the source. Umbrella Rock is another 30 minutes on foot.
- Akosombo: Day tours take 8 to 13 hours and include a cruise on Lake Volta. A secondary listing shows the MV Dodi Princess with Hausa Tours at US$180.
About three hours out
- Cape Coast and Elmina: Both castles are about 145 km from Accra, and the road takes about three hours each way in normal traffic, with four hours not unusual. They are UNESCO sites and memorials to the slave trade, so the visit is sombre and takes time. Expect about GH₵80 for a non-Ghanaian adult at each castle, and confirm it at the gate. The Ghana Museums and Monuments Board lists Cape Coast Castle as open from 9:00 to 16:30 each day. With Kakum added, the day lasts 8 to 10 hours, so staying one night in Cape Coast is easier.
- Kakum National Park: About 30 km north of Cape Coast. The canopy walkway has seven bridges, runs 333 m and rises up to 27 m. Tours go in guided groups, and the fee should be checked at the gate.
Not day trips
Lake Bosomtwe is about 250 km from the capital, and Tafi Atome is in the Volta Region. Treat both as overnight stays.
Travel tips
- Ask for a driver who knows the Kasoa junction, which slows the road west.
- Carry cedi cash for tolls, snacks and tips, and agree taxi prices before you get in.
- The US lists Ghana at Level 2, and the UK advises against all but essential travel only to Bawku Municipality in the north, so the trips above are outside both warnings.
- Use repellent against mosquitoes, because malaria is present all year.
Read more: sightseeing in Accra and the 3-day Accra plan .