Activities in Ghana

The best minutes of a Ghana trip tend to be spent on a rope-and-plank bridge 27 metres above a rainforest floor, and the best of the rest involve elephants, wax-print cloth and a bowl of light soup. Ghana works as a country of regions rather than one resort, so choose two or three experiences and give each a proper day. Prices here are in Ghana cedis (GH₵), at about 11.7 to the US dollar in early October 2026, and they move.

Kakum canopy walkway

Kakum National Park lies in the Central Region, about 33 km north of Cape Coast. Its walkway links seven bridges across 333 m of forest and rises up to 27 m above the ground. Groups are guided, the walk takes about an hour, and the gate is open daily from 06:00 to 16:00. Closed shoes are sensible, and an early slot is cooler with more birdsong. Check the fee at the gate, or ask the Forestry Commission’s Wildlife Division through fcghana.org . If you would rather have a driver and guide arranged ahead, compare Kakum tours on GetYourGuide .

Walking with elephants at Mole

Mole National Park, in the Savannah Region, is Ghana’s main wildlife destination, and it is never a day trip from Accra. The road is about 690 km and roughly 10 hours, so most visitors fly Accra to Tamale (about 1 hour, with domestic carriers such as Africa World Airlines ) and then drive about 2.5 hours. Foreign adult entry is GH₵60 and a guided walk costs GH₵20 per person per hour. Walks are led by armed rangers; keep your distance from elephants and follow the ranger’s instructions without argument. Park details are at molenationalpark.org . The US government advises reconsidering travel to parts of northern Ghana, including areas of the Savannah Region, so read the US advisory and the UK FCDO’s Ghana advice before you book.

Makola Market and the Ghanaian table

Central Accra’s Makola Market is a maze of wax-print fabric, shea butter, dried fish, Scotch bonnet peppers and glass beads. Go in the morning, keep valuables close and consider a local guide for the first visit. For food, order jollof rice with grilled tilapia or chicken, waakye with shito and gari foto, or fufu in light soup, and try kelewele, the ginger-spiced fried plantain. A sit-down meal in a well-known spot such as Buka in Osu or Country Kitchen in Cantonments commonly runs GH₵70 to GH₵180, which is roughly US$6 to US$15. In Kumasi, Mama Kitchen is the name locals mention.

The coast

Labadi, Kokrobite and Busua are the beaches people name first. The Atlantic along Ghana’s open coast carries strong rip currents and heavy shore break, so swim only where locals are swimming, never alone and never at night. A hotel pool is the safer option for children and weaker swimmers.

Before you go

UK and US passport holders need a visa, applied for on the official e-visa portal at evisa.immigration.gov.gh , where you can check the current fee. A yellow fever certificate is required, and without one you may be refused entry or vaccinated on arrival. Malaria is present across Ghana all year, so ask a travel clinic about prophylaxis before you fly and use repellent from dusk. Carry cash in cedis for gates, markets and shared transport; larger Accra hotels and restaurants take cards, and mobile money is widely used.

Verdict: if you have one free morning in the south, make it Kakum at opening time, then eat a late lunch in Cape Coast. For the wider picture, see our day trips page or the 3-day Ghana itinerary .

• Ghana
• West-Africa
• Guides