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Essential Ghana

8
 days from $
5328
 per person
Operated by: 
Kensington Tours
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  • Hear about Ghana’s path to independence alongside a local expert guide.
  • Delight in traditional West African staples during an interactive cooking class.
  • Visit Elmina and its infamous, UNESCO-listed dungeons.
  • Head above the trees on the canopy walkway in the tropical wonderland of Kakum National Park.
  • Featuring expertly selected hotels.
Itinerary at a Glance

DAY 1

  • ACCRA You’ve Arrived
  • Airport

DAY 2

  • ACCRA A Healthy Dose of History
  • Private Vehicle & Guide
  • The Path to Independence: In the Footsteps of Kwame Nkrumah (4.5 hrs) - Private Tour
  • Lunch
  • Drumming & Dancing Class (4 hrs) - Private

DAY 3

  • ACCRA Creative Cuisine
  • Private Vehicle & Guide
  • Strictly Ghanaian Cuisine Cooking Class (6 hrs) - Private

DAY 4

  • ACCRA Just a Walk in the Park
  • Private Vehicle & Guide
  • Accra City Break: Cocoa & Gardens (7 hrs) - Private Tour
  • Lunch

DAY 5

  • ACCRA TO ELMINA A Change of Scenery
  • Transfer - Accra - Elmina [3.5 hrs] - Vehicle/Guide/Driver
  • Elmina At Leisure

DAY 6

  • ELMINA In Remembrance
  • Private Vehicle & Guide
  • World Heritage Sites & Dungeons: Essential Elmina & Cape Coast (5 hrs) - Private Tour
  • Lunch

DAY 7

  • ELMINA TO ACCRA Nurtured by Nature
  • Transfer - Elmina - Accra [via Kakum National Park, 6.5 hrs] - Vehicle/Guide/Driver
  • Lunch
  • Flavors of West Africa: Bespoke Culinary Experience - Private
  • Dinner (Included)

DAY 8

  • ACCRA Bon Voyage
  • Private Vehicle & Guide
  • Optional Souvenir Shopping

DAY 1

  • ACCRA

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Lancaster Accra
  • You’ve Arrived
  • A private transfer between the airport and your hotel is provided.

DAY 2

  • ACCRA

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Lancaster Accra
Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park
Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park
Bongo Drums
Bongo Drums
Lancaster Accra
Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park
Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park
  • A Healthy Dose of History
  • Ghana’s successful bid at reclaiming its independence from colonial oppressors was a sign of things to come for many nations across Sub-Saharan Africa. Today’s private tour of Accra allows you to follow in the footsteps of the courageous men and women who stood up to the powers of the metropole and fought for their right to shape the future of Ghana as an independent state. To this day the streets and monuments dotting the landscape of Ghana’s capital city echo the stories of those who played a key role in the events leading up to the eventual release of this West African country from under the British rule. Today, they all come to life as you hear an informative lecture from a local professor and visit sites that are closely connected to the formation of independent Ghana. Among others, you can expect to visit the Legion Village, Kwame Nrkumah Park and Christiansborg Crossroads.  
  • A lunch at a local restaurant is included in today's itinerary.
  • Music is an integral part of the African culture, with each occasion boasting its unique type of drumming and dancing. Today's experience affords you the opportunity to gain insight into the many types of Ghanaian drums, the rhythm and dance steps. This is your chance to get active and learn a few steps, or perhaps hit a few beats that are authentically African. The workshop is themed around drumming and dancing forms that are used by various ethnic groups from Ghana and other West African nations.

DAY 3

  • ACCRA

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Market Vendors in Accra
Market Vendors in Accra
Lancaster Accra
Market Vendors in Accra
Market Vendors in Accra
Lancaster Accra
Market Vendors in Accra
Market Vendors in Accra
Lancaster Accra
  • Creative Cuisine
  • Enjoy a delicious immersion in traditional Ghanaian cuisine with this two-in-one market tour and cooking class. You will first visit the bustling Makola Market – the biggest marketplace in Accra, where you’ll see and experience how locals go about shopping for a variety of goods. You will also help with picking the perfect ingredients for your dishes. Next, continue to the site of your cooking class for an interactive lesson on how to prepare a number of  local staples, from jollof rice (rice cooked in red tomatoes sauce), to red red (beans stew with fried plantains) and many others. Start by getting familiarized with the various ingredients and spices that give Ghanaian dishes their distinct flavors. Try your hand at preparing some of these local staples, and later on enjoy your meal. Your experience concludes with a private transfer back to your hotel.

DAY 4

  • ACCRA

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Cocoa
Cocoa
Lancaster Accra
Cocoa
Cocoa
Lancaster Accra
Cocoa
Cocoa
Lancaster Accra
  • Just a Walk in the Park
  • Ghana is among the world’s largest producers of high-quality cocoa, and today you will be introduced to this important sector of the country’s agriculture on a private tour. This morning, depart from Accra and travel to Akuapem Mampong to visit the Tetteh Quarshie Memorial Cocoa Farm, the first of its kind in Ghana, established from seeds first brought by Fernando Po in 1876. From this small beginning grew Ghana’s burgeoning cocoa industry. After a guided tour and tasting on the farm your experience continues as you are transferred to the historic Aburi Botanical Gardens. Here, take a stroll through the lush surroundings, and perhaps uwnind in the shade of century-old trees. The Aburi Botanical Gardens were designed for scientific research and pleasure, and now they serve as a habitat for plants from all over the world. Over the years the Garden has become home to a variety of tropical plants which attract numerous birds and butterflies - a perfect setting for some afternoon relaxation! Your tour concludes with a private transfer back to Accra.
  • A lunch at a local restaurant is included in today's itinerary.

DAY 5

  • ACCRA TO ELMINA

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Fisherman
Fisherman
Coconut Grove Beach Resort
Fisherman
Fisherman
Coconut Grove Beach Resort
Fisherman
Fisherman
Coconut Grove Beach Resort
  • A Change of Scenery
  • A private transfer from Accra to Elmina is provided. The approximate transfer duration is three hours and 30 minutes.
  • Spend some time at leisure to explore on your own, or simply relax at your hotel or along the beach. Stroll the lively streets of Elmina on foot, walking past local shops and markets, or perhaps visit the fisherman's dock. If you like to take things slow, sit back and unwind at a local restaurant or pub overlooking the Bay of Guinea, and soak up the easygoing atmosphere of Elmina.

DAY 6

  • ELMINA

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Cape Coast Castle
Cape Coast Castle
Coconut Grove Beach Resort
Cape Coast Castle
Cape Coast Castle
Coconut Grove Beach Resort
Cape Coast Castle
Cape Coast Castle
Coconut Grove Beach Resort
  • In Remembrance
  • An impactful day awaits as you embark on a private guided tour of the infamous Forts, Castles and Slave Dungeons of Ghana. Learn and watch the history unfold in front of your eyes as you gain a better understanding of the slave trade in West Africa. Begin with visiting the Cape Coast Castle. The largest of its kind, this castle was built by the Swedes in 1653 and was later taken over by the British. Walk the path of the enslaved as your guide takes you through each of its ominous sections and enter the dungeons through the 'Door of Return'. Next, visit the Elmina Castle. Constructed by the Portuguese in 1482, it is also known as St. George's Castle. This fortification was the first European structure built in Sub–Saharan Africa, and it is Ghana's oldest castle on the West African slave trade route. It stands as a dark reminder of one of humanity’s most horrific periods in history. Continue with a tour of the town of Elmina. See the lively fishing harbor and head to the historic Dutch Cemetery. You will also visit the St. Joseph’s Minor Basilica, which was the first Roman Catholic Church established in the country.
  • A lunch at a local restaurant is included in today's itinerary.

DAY 7

  • ELMINA TO ACCRA

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Lancaster Accra
Kakum National Park
Kakum National Park
West African Creations by Chef Ike
West African Creations by Chef Ike
Lancaster Accra
Kakum National Park
Kakum National Park
  • Nurtured by Nature
  • Today transfer from Elmina to Accra. Your journey takes you through the historic Denkyira Kingdom to Kakum National Park, one of West Africa’s surviving rainforests. A sprawling and lush sanctuary, Kakum is home to over 40 large mammals and 400 bird species, as well as countless butterflies. Explore this tropical wonderland with your guide. One of the most thrilling attractions of Kakum is the famous Canopy walkway, which is made up of a collection of bridges hanging 100 feet above the forest floor. Whether you choose to stay on the ground or venture up to the canopy walkway, Kakum promises an unforgettable encounter with West Africa’s exotic fauna and flora. Following your visit to the park continue towards Accra. The approximate duration of today’s transfer is six hours and 30 minutes.
  • A lunch at a local restaurant is included in today's itinerary.
  • Immerse yourself in the flavors of West Africa on a bespoke culinary experience hosted by one of the country’s most promising chefs, Ikenna Bobmanuel. Born in Nigeria and raised on the shores of West Africa, Chef Ikenna boasts a close connection to this region, and today, he invites you on a culinary journey showcasing the best in local cuisine. Ike identifies himself as an Afro avant-garde Chef, a concept that is driven by the sustainability of culture. Applying modern culinary techniques, he creates refined dishes that are as tantalizing for the senses, as they are healthy for those lucky enough to get a taste. Following your culinary experience, you will be transferred back to your hotel.

DAY 8

  • ACCRA

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West African Art
West African Art
  • Bon Voyage
  • Choose to visit the Arts Centre where you will have the opportunity to use your bargaining skills and shop for artifacts from Ghana and West Africa. From finer artwork, to musical instruments, to intricate carvings and colorful textiles, this open-air marketplace is a treasure-trove of local wares.

Lancaster Accra

Coconut Grove Beach Resort

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