DAY/DATE LOCATION ACCOMMODATION
Day 01 Accra Labadi Beach Resort
Day 02 Lake Akossombo Afrikiko Resort
Day 03 Kumasi Miklin Hotel
Day 04 Obuasi Coconut Grove Mines Lodge
Day 05 Anomabu Anomabu Beach Resort
Day 06 Axim Axim Beach Resort
Day 07 Axim Axim Beach Resort
Day 08 Accra Depart
All accommodation is in air-conditioned rooms with a private bathroom
ITINERARY: It is possible to follow the itinerary in reverse order. All visits are maintained.
Ghana - Sample Itineray
ASHANTI AND AKWASIDAE TOUR
Day by Day Itinerary
DAY 01 - ACCRA
Arrive Accra where you are met by the dmAFRICA representative and transferred to your hotel for one night room and Breakfast.
DAY 02 - CITY TOUR OF ACCRA and continue to LAKE AKOSSOMBO
Accra, the capital of Ghana, is an interesting city because, despite rapid change, it has kept its own identity, evident in both the modern and the ancient areas of the city, where traditional activities are maintained while new skills are imported.
The luxuriant and flamboyant diplomatic quarter has typically elegant villas which were built during the first half of the 19th century and are a reminder that Ghana was one of the most flourishing British colonies in West Africa.
Entering the city, you come across the area of the coffin makers, with their elaborately shaped coffins representing fruits, fish, planes, animals... such artefacts could just as well be displayed in any modern art centre.
The museum is particularly interesting, as it was created to preserve African art in general, as well as to promote modern art.
Venture down to the harbour side and the shores of the Atlantic Ocean and you will witness a more native and ethnic experience than the elegance of the diplomatic and business areas, which remain only a few hundred metres away. Here is African village life, a hive of hustle and bustle as fisherman and street traders, craftsmen and artisans, market their wares, in what is effectively, a village surrounded by the modern city.
The area of Krobo is famous for making pearls. Some of those pearls are actually called “Krobo” and hold a very special position among the greatest collections in the world. The Krobo wear the pearls they make for initiation rites, to perform cults or just for their aesthetical aspect. The tour includes a visit to a workshop specialised in the traditional making of such pearls.
Ghanaian geography is characterized by a huge blue ring: the artificial Lake Akossombo and within it the source of the River Volta. There is a motor boat tour of the lake, which offers panoramic tropical landscapes.
Arrangements for overnight are at a lakeside resort hotel
Day 03 - LAKE AKOSSOMBO - KUMASI
Leave the Lake and drive to Kumasi, arriving late morning
Kumasi is a city that can be proud of both its past and its present. Its past was mainly influenced by the Ashanti kings who, from the end of the 17th century, have had a tenacious dedication to maintain their regal traditions. Its present is represented by some flourishing economic activities, including gold mining and innovative use of the surrounding forest and fertile fields.
A visit to the Ashanti museum, which is located at the heart of the bohemian arts district, offers the best possible insight of the Ashanti history, past and present, ancient and modern. Visit also the open air market which is one of the biggest in West Africa.
During the afternoon, you attend an Ashanti funeral, strangely a festive ceremony which takes place every Saturday to honour the memory of the Ashanti deceased. It is through this ceremony that the deceased becomes an ancestor in the eyes of the whole family. The guests are dressed in rich red and black fabric. The chiefs, seated in the shade of large brightly coloured umbrellas, take part in the celebrations surrounded by their entire court. Once traditional greetings are over, the guests take a seat and watch the young dancing as a way to perpetuate forever the extremely delicate steps of the Ashanti dance ritual.
Overnight at the Miklin Hotel or similar
DAY 04 - KUMASI AND AN AKWASIDAE FESTIVAL
On a Sunday morning, Kumasi wakes up slowly. The streets of the city, not too busy, become a tapestry to the traveller, curious to observe certain details which give the city its special, charming aspect: the colonial buildings around the market, the advertisement signs hand-painted in a very original style that some would not hesitate to compare with urban art, the railway that crosses the central market and sometimes stops in the middle of it, or the faithful who go to church in their Sunday clothes, ironically fashionable because they are so out of fashion, as we know fashion!
The Royal Palace Museum is open on Sundays, displaying its unique collection of Ashanti souvenirs.
Akwasidae Festival
The Ashanti have their own traditional calendar in which every first day of the month is celebrated as the Akwasidae Festival. After “holy wine” is poured over the thrones of the former kings in some private rooms, it is time for the great happy ceremony. In the shade of a highly colourful umbrella sits the king, wrapped in brightly coloured fabric and adorned with antique solid gold jewellery (Ashanti golden jewels and masks are considered master pieces of African art).
A narrow aisle occupied by the various courtiers and dignitaries spreads out before the King: ritual sword bearers, guards armed with powder rifles, courtiers carrying the knives used for executions, and carriers of ostrich feather fans. Next to the king are seated the elders and the advisers under the authority of the Royal Speaker, who holds in his hands the symbols of power covered in gold.
During the ceremony, the courtiers bring their gifts and the griots relate intrinsic stories of the past Ashanti kings, while drummers and ivory trumpeters give rhythm, percussion and heraldry to the ceremony.
Large women, attractively wrapped in vivid red fabric, perform traditional dances characterized by a series of delicate movements, alternated with rapid moves from one end of the stage to the other. The Queen Mother then joins the ceremony accompanied by her entire court, which comprises only women.
Overnight at Coconut Grove Mines Lodge
DAY 05 - OBUASI - ANOMABU
Morning visit to a working gold mine, where you access and descend in the same way as the miners.
Continue to Obuasi, a mining town located 100 km south of Kumasi. This is where the Ashanti Goldfields Corporation operates. It is one of the biggest gold mines in the world. It spread to 32 underground galleries, the last one reaching a depth of 1300 m. (more than four thousand feet!) It still belongs to the Ashanti ancestors and from it, tens of tonnes of gold are mined each year; only South Africa produces more gold.
Because it is one of the main gold mines in the world, visiting it will give you the opportunity to experience at first hand the economic platform on which the strength and wealth of the Ashanti Nation was established. The Ashanti have been using gold as money for years, and at one time it actually replaced all other kinds of currency. Originally only collected from the bottom of rivers, gold has now been mined industrially for a century, either from mine shafts or from open-air excavation.
Continue through forest scenery to the Anomabu Beach Resort for dinner and overnight.
DAY 06 - ANOMABU - AXIM
Elmina is a name linked to the history of Africa. In 1482 Christopher Columbus and Bartolommeo Diaz arrived here with ten caravels in order to build a castle under Portuguese authority. This place had been chosen following the discovery of gold mines in the area. This is how the story of Elmina began: a castle, a port, a village, all in contact with European populations for more than five centuries. The castle that you visit today is the result of successive extension works made by Portuguese, Dutch, English, and local authorities. Over the centuries, the castle has served as a warehouse for gold, ivory, precious wood and also for slaves. Today, the castle is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
The small town of Elmina is a typical fishing port from where hundreds of large, colourful pirogues leave every day to face the Atlantic Ocean. Its historic buildings, formerly occupied by the Portuguese are today inhabited by the locals, and are located next to the temples of the "Asafo", where warriors still leave their offerings on imposing colourful statues.
Later in the day you transfer along the coast through countryside including rubber plantations to Axim Beach Resort
DAY 07 - AXIM BEACH RESORT
Visit the Portuguese fort of Axim. It is the oldest in the country after the one in Elmina. Built in 1516 in the architectural style of the time, it stands on top of a rock that dominates the Ocean. The small town around it is a reflection of a time when Africans and Europeans were living and trading together, thus forging the wedge which has made Ghana one of the foremost trading posts in Africa.
There will also be time to relax on the beach or for an optional visit to the fishing villages and fortresses of Dixcove and Butre.
Overnight at Axim Beach Resort
DAY 08 - AXIM - ACCRA
Leave Axim and return to Accra either for your onward flight or for extended arrangements with dmAFRICA
This tour is normally arranged by private car with a driver guide (various languages available) and would include all meals, normally taken in the hotels on a table d’hote basis, with some picnic lunches.
Please note all dmAFRICA arrangements are based on individual quotations with services provided to suit each person’s individual requirements and taste. As a guide only, the price for the above arrangements based on two persons travelling together in a double would be approximately €220 per person per day. Often the price per person can be reduced if you are willing to join with other persons who may be already booked or willing to book.
Arrive Accra where you are met by the dmAFRICA representative and transferred to your hotel for one night room and Breakfast.
DAY 02 - CITY TOUR OF ACCRA and continue to LAKE AKOSSOMBO
Accra, the capital of Ghana, is an interesting city because, despite rapid change, it has kept its own identity, evident in both the modern and the ancient areas of the city, where traditional activities are maintained while new skills are imported.
The luxuriant and flamboyant diplomatic quarter has typically elegant villas which were built during the first half of the 19th century and are a reminder that Ghana was one of the most flourishing British colonies in West Africa.
Entering the city, you come across the area of the coffin makers, with their elaborately shaped coffins representing fruits, fish, planes, animals... such artefacts could just as well be displayed in any modern art centre.
The museum is particularly interesting, as it was created to preserve African art in general, as well as to promote modern art.
Venture down to the harbour side and the shores of the Atlantic Ocean and you will witness a more native and ethnic experience than the elegance of the diplomatic and business areas, which remain only a few hundred metres away. Here is African village life, a hive of hustle and bustle as fisherman and street traders, craftsmen and artisans, market their wares, in what is effectively, a village surrounded by the modern city.
The area of Krobo is famous for making pearls. Some of those pearls are actually called “Krobo” and hold a very special position among the greatest collections in the world. The Krobo wear the pearls they make for initiation rites, to perform cults or just for their aesthetical aspect. The tour includes a visit to a workshop specialised in the traditional making of such pearls.
Ghanaian geography is characterized by a huge blue ring: the artificial Lake Akossombo and within it the source of the River Volta. There is a motor boat tour of the lake, which offers panoramic tropical landscapes.
Arrangements for overnight are at a lakeside resort hotel
Day 03 - LAKE AKOSSOMBO - KUMASI
Leave the Lake and drive to Kumasi, arriving late morning
Kumasi is a city that can be proud of both its past and its present. Its past was mainly influenced by the Ashanti kings who, from the end of the 17th century, have had a tenacious dedication to maintain their regal traditions. Its present is represented by some flourishing economic activities, including gold mining and innovative use of the surrounding forest and fertile fields.
A visit to the Ashanti museum, which is located at the heart of the bohemian arts district, offers the best possible insight of the Ashanti history, past and present, ancient and modern. Visit also the open air market which is one of the biggest in West Africa.
During the afternoon, you attend an Ashanti funeral, strangely a festive ceremony which takes place every Saturday to honour the memory of the Ashanti deceased. It is through this ceremony that the deceased becomes an ancestor in the eyes of the whole family. The guests are dressed in rich red and black fabric. The chiefs, seated in the shade of large brightly coloured umbrellas, take part in the celebrations surrounded by their entire court. Once traditional greetings are over, the guests take a seat and watch the young dancing as a way to perpetuate forever the extremely delicate steps of the Ashanti dance ritual.
Overnight at the Miklin Hotel or similar
DAY 04 - KUMASI AND AN AKWASIDAE FESTIVAL
On a Sunday morning, Kumasi wakes up slowly. The streets of the city, not too busy, become a tapestry to the traveller, curious to observe certain details which give the city its special, charming aspect: the colonial buildings around the market, the advertisement signs hand-painted in a very original style that some would not hesitate to compare with urban art, the railway that crosses the central market and sometimes stops in the middle of it, or the faithful who go to church in their Sunday clothes, ironically fashionable because they are so out of fashion, as we know fashion!
The Royal Palace Museum is open on Sundays, displaying its unique collection of Ashanti souvenirs.
Akwasidae Festival
The Ashanti have their own traditional calendar in which every first day of the month is celebrated as the Akwasidae Festival. After “holy wine” is poured over the thrones of the former kings in some private rooms, it is time for the great happy ceremony. In the shade of a highly colourful umbrella sits the king, wrapped in brightly coloured fabric and adorned with antique solid gold jewellery (Ashanti golden jewels and masks are considered master pieces of African art).
A narrow aisle occupied by the various courtiers and dignitaries spreads out before the King: ritual sword bearers, guards armed with powder rifles, courtiers carrying the knives used for executions, and carriers of ostrich feather fans. Next to the king are seated the elders and the advisers under the authority of the Royal Speaker, who holds in his hands the symbols of power covered in gold.
During the ceremony, the courtiers bring their gifts and the griots relate intrinsic stories of the past Ashanti kings, while drummers and ivory trumpeters give rhythm, percussion and heraldry to the ceremony.
Large women, attractively wrapped in vivid red fabric, perform traditional dances characterized by a series of delicate movements, alternated with rapid moves from one end of the stage to the other. The Queen Mother then joins the ceremony accompanied by her entire court, which comprises only women.
Overnight at Coconut Grove Mines Lodge
DAY 05 - OBUASI - ANOMABU
Morning visit to a working gold mine, where you access and descend in the same way as the miners.
Continue to Obuasi, a mining town located 100 km south of Kumasi. This is where the Ashanti Goldfields Corporation operates. It is one of the biggest gold mines in the world. It spread to 32 underground galleries, the last one reaching a depth of 1300 m. (more than four thousand feet!) It still belongs to the Ashanti ancestors and from it, tens of tonnes of gold are mined each year; only South Africa produces more gold.
Because it is one of the main gold mines in the world, visiting it will give you the opportunity to experience at first hand the economic platform on which the strength and wealth of the Ashanti Nation was established. The Ashanti have been using gold as money for years, and at one time it actually replaced all other kinds of currency. Originally only collected from the bottom of rivers, gold has now been mined industrially for a century, either from mine shafts or from open-air excavation.
Continue through forest scenery to the Anomabu Beach Resort for dinner and overnight.
DAY 06 - ANOMABU - AXIM
Elmina is a name linked to the history of Africa. In 1482 Christopher Columbus and Bartolommeo Diaz arrived here with ten caravels in order to build a castle under Portuguese authority. This place had been chosen following the discovery of gold mines in the area. This is how the story of Elmina began: a castle, a port, a village, all in contact with European populations for more than five centuries. The castle that you visit today is the result of successive extension works made by Portuguese, Dutch, English, and local authorities. Over the centuries, the castle has served as a warehouse for gold, ivory, precious wood and also for slaves. Today, the castle is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
The small town of Elmina is a typical fishing port from where hundreds of large, colourful pirogues leave every day to face the Atlantic Ocean. Its historic buildings, formerly occupied by the Portuguese are today inhabited by the locals, and are located next to the temples of the "Asafo", where warriors still leave their offerings on imposing colourful statues.
Later in the day you transfer along the coast through countryside including rubber plantations to Axim Beach Resort
DAY 07 - AXIM BEACH RESORT
Visit the Portuguese fort of Axim. It is the oldest in the country after the one in Elmina. Built in 1516 in the architectural style of the time, it stands on top of a rock that dominates the Ocean. The small town around it is a reflection of a time when Africans and Europeans were living and trading together, thus forging the wedge which has made Ghana one of the foremost trading posts in Africa.
There will also be time to relax on the beach or for an optional visit to the fishing villages and fortresses of Dixcove and Butre.
Overnight at Axim Beach Resort
DAY 08 - AXIM - ACCRA
Leave Axim and return to Accra either for your onward flight or for extended arrangements with dmAFRICA
This tour is normally arranged by private car with a driver guide (various languages available) and would include all meals, normally taken in the hotels on a table d’hote basis, with some picnic lunches.
Please note all dmAFRICA arrangements are based on individual quotations with services provided to suit each person’s individual requirements and taste. As a guide only, the price for the above arrangements based on two persons travelling together in a double would be approximately €220 per person per day. Often the price per person can be reduced if you are willing to join with other persons who may be already booked or willing to book.