Depart the USA

Arrive in Accra and check into your hotel for dinner and an overnight stay. (D)

Depart for Kumasi, the hub of the ancient Ashanti kingdom. Drive past several scenic villages and charming towns and through the forests. Stop to visit a few Ashanti crafts villages, including Ahwiaa, a woodcarver’s village specializing in woodcarving such as the Ashanti stools, fertility dolls, and walking sticks, and Ntonso, noted for its indigenous artisans whose expertise lies in Adinkra textile printing using traditional symbols that express the spiritual, moral, political, and socio-cultural philosophies of the Akan people. In the Ntonso Adinkra village, you will be able to try your hand at creating your designs. From here, we will visit Adanwomase, renowned for its traditional Kente cloth weaving. Observe how weavers exhibit their skills in producing the clothes, some of which are a preserve for the Ashanti Kings. You can have lessons and try your hand at Kente weaving and Adinkra stamping using centuries-old methods. Lunch at a local restaurant (on your own). After lunch, immerse yourselves in authentic Ghanaian traditional culture. Learn traditional court etiquette. Witness libation pouring, drumming, and dancing in which you are encouraged to participate. You will undergo a Traditional Welcome and Naming Ceremony according to Akan tradition. Continue to Kumasi and check into your hotel. For the rest of the day, you are free to relax at the hotel’s poolside.

After breakfast, participate in the celebration of the Akwasidae Festival. This festival is usually celebrated on a Sunday in Kumasi and other Akan-speaking communities that owe allegiance to the King of Ashanti. This is celebrated every 42 days. This is a colorful, scenic, and unique event where people gather from afar, many in traditional costumes, to greet their King on the throne at the royal court. They bring gifts to pay homage to the King. Join the local folks and international visitors to celebrate the Akwasidae festival. This will offer you the opportunity to interact with the local chiefs, dressed in colourful traditional clothing. The Akans’ (the largest ethnic group in Ghana) annual calendar is divided into nine parts, each lasting approximately six weeks (42 traditional days). On this day, the Asantehene (King of Ashanti) meets his subjects and subordinate chiefs in the courtyard of the Manhyia Palace. The King holds a durbar on the occasion of the festival, and subjects can pay homage to him. Participants in the parade include drummers, folk dancers, horn players, and praise singers, who pay tribute to the ancestors. Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant. The rest of the day is free to relax and enjoy a sundown drink after you return to your hotel in Kumasi. (B, L)

Depart from Kumasi and drive to the northern part of Ghana. Stop to visit the Boabeng-Fiema Monkey Wildlife Sanctuary, located in the Brong-Ahafo Region. The sanctuary is home to two types of monkeys: the Mona monkeys and the Black-andwhite Colobus monkeys. It’s an excellent opportunity to observe these monkeys in their natural habitat while learning about the local conservation efforts. Meet the village chief and elders, enjoy a cultural performance, and receive a Ghanaian name. You will also have the opportunity to interact with the villagers and observe their way of life. Lunch at a local restaurant. After lunch, return to Kumasi in the evening. For the rest of the evening, you are free to relax at the hotel’s poolside. (B, L)

Depart from Kumasi to Elmina in the Central Region. Drive through the forest and several farming villages. Notice the change in vegetation from the forest belt to coastal shrub as you drive southwards across the River Pra, which marks the boundary between the Ashanti and Central Regions of Ghana. Stop at Assin Manso to visit the burial site of the remains of two ancestors exhumed from New York’s Wall Street & Kingston, Jamaica, and re-interred on Emancipation Day 1998. The Prime Minister of Barbados also brought in a third ancestor in November 2019 as part of the “YEAR OF RETURN” GHANA 2019. Visit the Donkor Nsuo (the Slave River), where the African captives were allowed to take their last bath in the waters of their native land. The European merchants branded their bodies for identification before they were marched to the dungeons in Elmina and Cape Coast. This offers you the opportunity to send a message to your ancestors. Continue to Elmina, arriving in the afternoon. Lunch is on your own. After lunch, visit the Elmina Castle, a UNESCO World Heritage Monument and the oldest and most prominent European structure built in sub-Saharan Africa. Built by the Portuguese in 1482, this castle was later used as an auction market for enslaved Africans. You will tour the castle, including the Door of No Return, which marks the tragic final departure point for enslaved Africans before being shipped to the Americas. You will also see the slave dungeons, the condemned cells where enslaved people who resisted were incarcerated and starved to death. Return to your hotel and check in. For the rest of the day, you are free to relax at the hotel’s poolside. (B)

After breakfast, depart to visit the Kakum National Park, where you’ll take a walk on the forest trails and observe trees with medicinal properties. You’ll also experience the Canopy Walk, suspended 100 feet above the ground, which offers a panoramic view of the rainforest’s flora and fauna. Visit Cape Coast Castle, which was initially started by the Swedes in 1652. It served as the headquarters and seat of the British colonial government until 1877. Go on a comprehensive tour of the castle, visiting the slave dungeons and the negotiation hall where enslaved Africans were sold. You will have the afternoon free to reflect on your visits to these poignant historical sites. Lunch at a local restaurant (on your own). Depart for Accra, driving along the coast past several fishing villages and coconut-lined beaches. Arrive in Accra and check into your hotel. Enjoy dinner at a local restaurant. (B, D)

Depart for a full-day city tour of Accra. Your first stop will be the National Museum of Ghana, which houses exhibits that reflect Ghana’s heritage throughout history to the present. The museum contains a varied collection of Ghanaian artifacts. You will then drive through Old Accra, which presents a contrast of Victorian, Dutch, and post-colonial architecture. You’ll pass by James Fort, built in 1673, Old Accra Square, and the post office. Next, you will drive by the Ussher Fort, one of three European forts in Accra that have survived the test of time. Your next stop will be the W.E.B. Du Bois Centre for Pan-African Culture, the final burial place and home of Dr. W.E.B. Du Bois. The center is currently a Pan African Centre for Culture, featuring a research library and gallery with a collection of manuscripts. After lunch at a local restaurant, you will visit the newly redeveloped Dr. Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum and Park. The memorial complex, dedicated to Ghana’s first President, Kwame Nkrumah, is situated on the site where Ghana’s independence was declared. It is meant to represent an upside-down sword, which in Akan culture symbolizes peace, and it houses both Kwame Nkrumah and his wife, Madam Fathia Nkrumah. Afterward, you will visit the Arts and Crafts Market to view a collection of Ghanaian handicrafts and souvenirs. Return to your hotel in Accra. Dinner is on your own this evening. (B, L)

You will have a free day to explore Accra at your own pace. You can visit the beach, go downtown for souvenirs, or visit an art gallery. Overnight in Accra. (B)

Enjoy breakfast at your hotel and some time for last-minute shopping before transferring to the airport for your return flight. Most flight options back to the U.S. will require an overnight stop in the U.S. before returning to your departure city. (B)

Arrive in the USA