All flights lead to Ghana, yes! We are getting ready for the biggest Christmas ever in Ghana, we call it the Year of Return! When coming to Ghana there are a lot of nice places to visit, but you can’t visit every single place so we will love to give you the top 5 places to visit when in Ghana to help you make your stay here in the Gold Coast full of fun and the best. If you need help getting to these places we are about to highlight, Luxe Travels is here for you.
1. James Town and Usshertown.
The first place to visit when in Ghana is the Jamestown. Jamestown is located directly east of the Korle Lagoon. Jamestown and Usshertown are the oldest districts in the city of Accra, Ghana and emerged as communities around the 17th century British James Fort and Dutch Ussher Fort on the Gulf of Guinea coast. At Jamestown, after you enjoy the best kenkey in Accra and the Ga lifestyle, what you need to look pout for is the lighthouse.
The original Jamestown Light, built by the British at James Fort in 1871, was replaced in the 1930s by the current Accra Light, which is 28 m (92 ft) tall. The lighthouse, which is 34 metres (112 ft) above sea level, has a visibility of 16 nautical miles (30 km), it overlooks the harbour and gives the opportunity to see the James Fort, the Bukom district and the Ussher fort from a bird’s-eye view.
2. Mole National Park
After the interesting Jamestown visit, you should north because you can’t come to Ghana and miss this magnificent place of nature, the Mole National Park. It is an extensive wildlife refuge with savanna & forest habitats for elephants, antelopes, and other game.
After improvements to the roads leading to the park, the number of visitors to the park increased from 14,600 in 2014 to 17,800 in 2015. Depending on the year, 20%-40% of visitors are foreign. When you are there, don’t forget to visit one of the best hotels in the North, Zaina Lodge.
3. Nzulezu Village
What if we told you in Ghana there is a place where you can stay on the water, yes we do and Nzulezu is that place. It is near the coast at the far western side of Ghana, near the border with Cote d’Ivoire, is a village that is unique in all of Ghana. Nzulezu is a village that has been built on stilts above a lagoon. It is essentially one long pier, called Main Street by the locals, with buildings constructed on both sides. One side of the ‘street’ is living quarters while the other side of the street has businesses, the school, a community center, and other commercial ventures.
The village of Nzulezu is about a 7-hour drive west of Accra. Some people love it. Some people feel that the travel time is not worth the experience. If you are staying at one of the beaches in the Western Region, such as Busua or Axim, the visit to Nzulezu can easily be done as a day trip.
4. Sekondi-Takoradi
Sekondi-Takoradi is the only twin city in Ghana. It is also the capital city of the Western Region. They say they are the headquarters of Christmas in Ghana. It hosts the colourful and beautiful masquerade street carnival every Christmas. The carnival is an annual event celebrated by the people of Sekondi-Takoradi, Ghana. Its main attraction is dozens of groups of people or teams dressing in wild outfits who display their skills and arts via dance. The festival is usually celebrated from 24–26 December of every year and is popular with tourists. The town is a four-hour trip away from the nation’s capital Accra. Do well to visit the Western side of Ghana to experience this amazing event and city.
5. Cape Coast Castle
There is no way you can come to Ghana without visiting this place, the Cape Coast castle! Especially for a year of return where we would like to know our roots. The Cape Coast Castle is one of about forty “slave castles”, or large commercial forts, built on the Gold Coast of West Africa (now Ghana) by European traders. It was originally a Portuguese “feitoria” or trading post, established in 1555. However, in 1653 the Swedish Africa Company constructed a timber fort there. It originally was a centre for the trade in timber and gold. It was later used in the trans-Atlantic slave trade.
Cape Coast Castle played a significant role in the gold and slave trades. But also, two significant contributions were made here: the arrival of Christianity, and the establishment of the first formal education system through Castle Schools.
A guided tour of the Cape Coast will acquaint you with its many interesting features including Dalzel Tower, the salve dungeons, and the cannons and mortars used in the Castle’s defense. The West African Historical Museum is located inside Cape Coast Castle and contains a growing collection of art and cultural objects, including ceremonial drums, old muskets, shackles from the slave trade and ancient pottery.
Come to Ghana and experience this wonderful country, we can’t wait for this Year of Return. If you need help visiting these places, we [Luxe Travels] will be glad to assist you. Enjoy Ghana, The Year of Return.