Things to Do in Ghana: Forest, Wildlife, Food
Things to do in Ghana
Think of Ghana as four short trips sharing one visa: a forest coast, an Ashanti heartland, a savannah park and a busy capital. Each has one standout activity, and travelling between them takes longer than most itineraries admit. Figures are in cedis (GH₵); the rate was about 11.7 per US$ on 1 October 2026 and shifts, so treat dollar equivalents as approximate.
Before anything else
Paperwork comes first: UK and US passport holders must hold a visa, requested through the government’s e-visa site, evisa.immigration.gov.gh , which shows the current fee. Carry your yellow fever certificate, because it is required and otherwise you may be turned back or vaccinated at the airport. Get malaria advice from a doctor or travel clinic before departure; the risk covers the whole country, including the coast and Accra.
The rainforest coast
Kakum National Park, in the Central Region about 33 km inland from Cape Coast, has a canopy walkway of 7 bridges stretching 333 m and rising up to 27 m. You walk with a guide in a group for about an hour, and the park is open daily from 06:00 to 16:00. The entry price is displayed at the gate. Official information comes from the Wildlife Division at fcghana.org ; if you want transport and a guide sorted in advance, look at Kakum options on Viator .
The Ashanti heartland
Kumasi is the base for the weaving village of Bonwire, where Kente is made on narrow looms, and the printing village of Ntonso, famous for Adinkra cloth. The Manhyia Palace Museum shows royal regalia of the Asante court. Coach travel from Accra takes about 4.5 to 6.5 hours, or a flight takes 40 minutes.
The savannah park
Mole National Park lies far north, about 690 km from Accra and roughly 10 hours by road, so it needs a flight to Tamale (about an hour) plus 2.5 hours in a vehicle. Foreign adults pay GH₵60 to enter, and a guided walk adds GH₵20 per person for each hour. Armed rangers lead the walks, and elephants must be given generous space. Information is at molenationalpark.org . The US advises reconsidering travel to parts of northern Ghana, including areas of the Savannah Region; check travel.state.gov and the FCDO page for Ghana first.
The capital’s streets and plates
Makola Market in Accra sells wax-print cloth, shea butter and spices. Eat jollof, waakye with shito, or fufu with light soup; a restaurant meal usually costs GH₵70 to GH₵180. Cedis in cash cover most gates and street food, mobile money is common, and cards work at larger Accra hotels and restaurants.
Sea swimming
Open-coast beaches face the Atlantic, where rip currents and powerful waves cause drownings every year; a hotel pool or sheltered lagoon is the safer choice for weaker swimmers.
Verdict: if you have only a week, link Accra, Kakum and Kumasi and leave the north for a second trip. More routes are on our day trips page and in the 3-day itinerary .