Ghana

There is archaeological evidence which shows that humans have lived in what is present day Ghana from about 1500 BC. Nonetheless, there is no proof that those early dwellers are related to the current inhabitants of the area. Oral tradition has it that many of Ghana's current ethnic groups such as the multi-ethnic Akan, the Ga and the Ewe arrived around the 13th century AD. However, the Dagombas are believed to be the first settlers, having been fully established by 1210 AD, before the arrival of other ethnic groups. Modern Ghanaian territory includes what was the Empire of Ashanti, one of the most influential states in sub-Saharan Africa before colonial rule. Its capital, Kumasi, was said to be one of the most vibrant and impressive cities in pre-colonial Africa, but was largely destroyed and looted by the British during the Third Anglo-Ashanti War in 1874.

Early European contact by the Portuguese, who came to Ghana in the 15th century, focused on the extensive availability of gold. By 1548, the Dutch had joined them, and built forts at Komenda and Kormantsi. Other European traders joined in by the mid 17th century, largely English, Danes and Swedes. British merchants, impressed with the gold resources in the area, named it the Gold Coast, while French merchants, impressed with the trinkets worn by the coastal people, named the area to the west "Côte d'Ivoire", or Ivory Coast. The Gold Coast was known for centuries as 'The White Man's Grave' because many of the Europeans who went there died of malaria and other tropical diseases.

After the Dutch withdrew in 1874, Britain made the Gold Coast a protectorate. Following conquest by the British in 1896, until independence in March 1957, the territory of modern Ghana excluding the Volta Region (British Togoland), was known as the Gold Coast.

Many wars occurred between the colonial powers and the various nation-states in the area and even under colonial rule the chiefs and people often resisted the policies of the British. Moves toward de-colonisation intensified after World War II and after an intense struggle, on March 6, 1957 elected parliamentary leader Kwame Nkrumah declared Ghana as "free forever". The nation thus became the first sub-Saharan African country to gain its independence.

Kwame Nkrumah was a champion of pan-Africanism and his popularity was a major concern for the West. Nkrumah was overthrown by the military while he was abroad in February 1966. A series of coups from 1966 to 1981 ended with the ascension to power of the flamboyant Flight Lieutenant Jerry Rawlings in 1981. These changes resulted in the suspension of the constitution in 1981 and the banning of political parties. The economy suffered a severe decline soon after, and many Ghanaians migrated to other countries.

Rawlings changed many old economic policies and the economy soon began to recover. A new constitution restoring multi-party politics was instigated in 1992, and Rawlings was elected as president then and again in 1996. In 2009, John Atta Mills took office as president marking the second time that power had been transferred from one legitimately elected leader to another, and securing Ghana's status as a stable democracy.

Ghana is a tropical country with a hot and humid climate. Average daily temperatures range from 30°C (86°F) during the day to 24°C (75°F) at night. In northern Ghana, rainy season occurs between April and October, while in the south of the country, rainfall is experienced between April and June and the months of September and October. Southwest Ghana tends to get wetter than the rest of the country. Between December and March, Ghana is affected by the Harmattan, a dry wind coming from the Sahara, causing the humidity to be very low and the air very dry and with dusty fog.

The largest ethnic group in Ghana is the Akan, but there are many others, including the Ashanti.

• New Year's Day (January 1)
• Independence Day (March 6)
• Easter (Good Friday and Easter Monday)
• Republic Day (July 1)
• Founder's Day (September 21)
• Eid al-Adha (various)-Islamic religious observances
• December 25 (Christmas)
• December 26 (Boxing Day)

• Ghana Travel information

Foreign nationals of the following countries can enter Ghana for a maximum of 30 days, or for a maximum of 90 days:

ECOWAS countries, plus Botswana, Egypt, Eswatini, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Singapore, Tanzania, Trinidad and Tobago, Uganda and Zimbabwe.

Otherwise, unless in direct airside transit through a Ghanaian airport, all other foreign nationals require a visa to enter Ghana. For information about obtaining visas for Ghana, visit the official website of the Ghana Immigration Service.

There is no such thing as a visa on arrival for Western countries. It's thus best to play it safe and get a visa in advance. The Ghanaian government's online Ghana list of embassies is out of date. A three-month single-entry visa costs US$60; a one-year, multiple entry visa costs US$100. You must have a yellow fever vaccination certificate which will be presented to customs when entering.

• In London a 3-month visa cost £60 and takes 10 working days to get.

If you require a visa to enter Ghana, you might be able to apply for one at a British embassy, high commission or consulate in the country where you legally reside if there is no Ghanaian embassy or consulate. For example, the British embassies/consulates in Bogotá, Amman, Helsinki , Hong Kong and Tripoli accept Ghanaian visa applications (this list is not exhaustive). British diplomatic posts charge UK£50 to process a Ghanaian visa application and an extra £70 if the authorities in Ghana require the visa application to be referred to them. The authorities in Ghana can also decide to charge an additional fee if they correspond with you directly.

Travellers who are staying longer than their entry visa (a maximum of 30 or 60 days are usually granted for tourists) are advised to bring their passport for visa extension to Immigration Service early and expect delays in getting their passports back. Two weeks are provided as the guideline for processing time, but this can often take much longer. Be careful about what dates are stamped in your passport. Sometimes Immigration puts a 60-day stamp on a visa for 3 months: the stamps is what counts. If you don't want to go through the hassle of Immigration Service, you may consider going to Togo and back to get a visa stamp at the border.

All international flights are through Kotoka International Airport at Accra (ACC). ACC is very central and there are always airport shuttles and lots of taxis available to connect you to other parts of the city. Terminal 3 at Kotoka International operates as a "first world" facility - very efficient and modern. Almost 29 international airlines fly to Kotoka International Airport with annual air traffic of over 4 million

TAP Air Portugal has some of the lowest fares from Europe via Lisbon to Accra. Air Portugal also fly from Accra to Sao Tome. Air Delta Air Lines serves Accra from New York City (JFK) while South African Airlines operates several times a week from Washington-Dulles, with continuing service to Johannesburg. British Airways flies from London Heathrow. KLM flies daily from Schiphol, Amsterdam and Brussels Airlines operates regular flights to Brussels. Lufthansa daily direct flights from Frankfurt and Milan respectively, with a short stop in Lagos, Nigeria. Emirates flies daily non-stop from Dubai in the Middle East and Middle East Airlines (with connections to Asia and the Far East). Ethiopian Airlines flies daily non-stops from Addis Ababa (with stopover, you can visit another African country). Also, Egypt Air flies non-stop to Accra. If coming from Brazil or nearby, the flight from Rio de Janeiro to Luanda, Angola on Angola Airlines or Sao Paulo via Lome, through Ethiopian Airlines and their partner airline ASKY would be the quickest routing. Turkish Airlines flies from İstanbul to Accra.

Royal Air Maroc also has several flights a week to Accra out of Casablanca. Arik Air and operates flights to Nigeria.

The lowest fares to Ghana outside of Africa are usually from London, but that doesn't necessarily mean British Airways is the cheapest (i.e. a transfer inside continental Europe may be required). TAP flies daily to Accra from Lisbon. Those living in North America might be able to save by getting a cheap ticket to London from their home country. (Be aware that there are several London international airports, such as Gatwick and Heathrow, and allow lots of connection time.)

See further down for domestic flight information.

No international rail connections exist. However some major mining towns and villages are linked by the rail.

The border at Aflao with Togo is an entertaining scene. It appears very disorderly and human traffic seems to flow freely. However it is unlikely that a white person can pass through without all the formalities. The border guards are professional enough where you will not be asked for bribes—although some women may get marriage proposals! A visa into Ghana can be bought at the border at double the normal cost (because of the speedy delivery) for some GH₵110. The Togolese 7-day transit visa is a lovely cheap 5,000 CFA francs (2011). Change your money before crossing, if you need to buy a visa. Ideally, change your money at a bank in Aflao (even better to do it in advance at a ForEx in Accra) or Lomé.

While at the border crossings, keep your cameras stowed in your packs; both Ghanaian and Togolese border guards are sure to take your camera if they spot you snapping a photo, or at the least give you a good chiding.

The border with Cote d'Ivoire at Elubo takes less time to cross but Ivorian guards seem much more keen on the rules.

Ghana's national bus company, State Transport Corporation, runs an inter-city bus service within Ghana and to some major West African cities. A recent public-private partnership produced Metro Mass Company, which runs services within the capital city, Accra, and within other regions in Ghana.

ABC Transport , based in Nigeria has a daily air conditioned bus from Lagos to Accra for about GH₵45.

Coming in from Burkina Faso, the main route is a bus from Ouagadougou to Bolgatonga, Tamale and Accra. Or you can cross the border at Hamile (or Hamale, as it is called on the BF-side of the border). Take a bus from Bobo-Dioulasso. You have to cross the border by foot (after leaving Burkina Faso, you walk some 300 m through no-man's-land before reaching Ghana customs. Locals will be lingering around and will be looking to change money at fairly reasonable rates). Then take a Metro Mass bus to Wa (or hop on a tro-tro and do the trip in stages). Be sure to take an early bus from Bobo: if the bus has a delay, you may end up having to spend the night in Hamile. There is a place where you can get a room (GH₵10); the custom officers can help you find it.

There are no authorised boat services to Ghana. There are, however, pantos and ferries that work on the Volta lake linking the eastern region to the Volta region and other areas

The domestic air transportation scene in Ghana is very dynamic and appears to go through regular changes. As of October 2019 there are only two registered carriers: Passion Air serving Accra, Kumasi & Tamale, and Africa World Airlines who serve the same centres in addition to Takoradi. All aircraft are of a high standard, as is the service level of airline staff, flights run on time and are reasonably priced. There are no scheduled services to Sunyani or Obuasi.

The rail network in Ghana has long been dormant, however as of 2020 there are signs of rehabilitation on some stretches and intercity passenger services might materialize within a few years. The only services that operate as of early 2021 are commuter lines in Sekondi-Takoradi and between the capital Accra and Tema.

In Accra, you can join the train from the Central Station in Accra or at other stations and halts along the Accra-Nsawam railway line. Until 2017, the trains did go from Accra to Nsawam. However, it goes to Achimota, before joining the branch line to Tema.

In Takoradi, the passenger train runs from Takoradi to Kojokrom, and then joins the branch line from Kojokrom and ends at Sekondi.

It is very common to see the train carry freight from Nsuta or Tarkwa to Takoradi.

Roads are variable. In Accra most are fairly good. Significant improvements are being made on the main road between Accra and Kumasi. Most of the roads outside Accra apart from the major ones are dirt tracks. The road between Techiman and Bole is particularly bad and should be avoided if possible. For travel on most roads in the North of the country a 4x4 is required, a saloon car will cope with some of them in the dry season but is not recommended.

Cars with foreign registration are not allowed to circulate at night 18:00-06:00. Only Ghanaian registered vehicles are allowed on the road at this time. Non compliance can result in fines and the impounding of the vehicle for the night.

When traveling in some parts of the country, there will be police checkpoints on the road, some real, most fake. At the fake checkpoints, they will come up with non-existent laws that you supposedly broke and will try to get a bribe out of you. Usually, you can pay the police about 1-5 cedis to let you go. At some checkpoint, they will give you a logbook that you need to show to the officers at the next checkpoint. If you decide not to pay the bribe, traveling even short distances will become onerous, as the police will keep you at the checkpoint for a long time. For brave travelers, it is possible to drive through some of the illegal checkpoints, without stopping to pay the bribe.

With the collapse of the state owned transport company (STC), many private own companies are springing up and providing better service to passengers. Companies such as VIP Bus, O.A. Travel and Tours, M Plaza, and Diplomatic Transport ply the major cities and towns of the country. The VIP bus company is now the major carrier between Accra, Kumasi, Sunyani, Takoradi etc. Fare depends on preferred company and destination of travel. Most of these buses are a/c coaches, there are no advance tickets and there are meal and wash-room stops when aboard.

However these private buses don't travel to rural areas of the country. Metro bus which is a state company is by far the cheapest means of travel to consider when travelling between towns.

A 'tro-tro' is almost any sort of vehicle that has been adapted to fit in as many people, possessions, and occasionally livestock, as possible. Tro-tros are typically old, 12-passenger VW or Mercedes-Benz vans. Similarly to 'shared' taxis, tro-tros will run along fixed routes and have fixed fares, and will rarely run with less than capacity (so be prepared to wait). They are inexpensive (cheaper than shared taxis and STC buses) and fares should reflect distance travelled, however they have a questionable safety record and frequently breakdown. Breakdowns however are usually not too much of a problem since they will break down in a route where other tro-tros run, so you can just grab another one. Although they generally run point to point they will usually pick and drop on route if required. They make runs within the city (i.e. Circle to Osu for GH₵0.20) as well as intercity routes. They are often the only option between remote towns but are not recommended for long journeys. Tro-tros are an excellent way to meet Ghanaians, and are always great for a cultural adventure. Sometimes they will make you pay extra for luggage, and occasionally they will try to overcharge (very rarely).

If you feel like being an elite tro-tro rider, ask around for City Express, a newish service sporting the usual minivan, but with working brakes, non-stop travel, half the seats, and impressive air conditioning. It mostly runs between the larger cities along the coast, e.g., Takoradi, Accra, Aflao, et al.

Taxis are prevalent, easy to spot, safe, and as a tourist you will find they find you quick enough if you need one. To charter a taxi is more expensive than to share one, but prices are negotiable and almost always need to be bargained over. Always settle on a fare before getting in. A taxi for a very short route should be no more than GH₵1.00, longer GH₵2.50-5.00 and GH₵8.00 should be enough for most places in the city. As of December 2011, you can use a rough rate of GH₵1.00 for every 1.5 km travelled (check Google Maps for the distance between places). Fares continue to fluctuate with the fuel prices on the international market. Almost every taxi driver will start with a high price that is 1.5x-3x the local price if you're a foreigner and then you'll have to bargain them down. You'll get the best price when you start to walk away from the taxi. In Accra and the major cities most taxis that will stop for you assume you require a charter taxi and unless you are on a very strict budget it's usually easiest to do this. In more remote areas, shared taxis are most common. Little ride hailing app works in Ghana.

For many visitors the history of Ghana starts with the slave trade, and interaction with Europeans, but there was a long and rich history before that. Remnants of thriving civilisations can be seen in the Northern region, at both the Larabanga mosque which dates from the 15th century and the 16th-century Nalerigu Defence Wall.

With the growth in power and prestige of the Ashanti Kingdom in the 17th and 19th centuries, the capital Kumasi also grew and now contains a number of historic sights.

However the slave trade did leave its mark on Ghana, with forts built by the British, Dutch, Danish, Germans, Portuguese and Swedish dotted all along the coast. Excellent examples of these can be seen at both Cape Coast and Elmina, these forts give a glimpse of the time of slavery and a view of the last sight of Africa for thousands of people, as well as being UNESCO World Heritage sites.

Another World Heritage site is the village of Nzulezo, which is built on stilts.

See also: African wildlife

Ghana is blessed with an abundance of natural treasures, from beautiful beaches such as those at Kokrobite and Winneba, where you can relax with a cocktail, enjoy a stay at a beach front hotel or watch the fishermen at work. Alternatively you could take the waters inland instead, Volta Lake created by the damming of the River Volta at Akosombo in the mid-1960s to provide a source of electricity to Ghana now also provides a wonderful viewing point from the dam itself or trips out onto the lake itself or you can take a trip on the River Volta instead at Ada.

In the Ashanti region not far from Kumasi is Lake Bosumtwi, a 10.5 km diameter meteor impact crater lake, which was created by a meteor strike approximately 1 million years ago, as well a being extremely picturesque the lake holds a spiritual significance to the Ashanti, whose traditional belief asserts that souls of the dead meet the god Twi at the lake.

Also inland, are two more national treasures in the form of two world renowned national parks. Kakum National Park to walk of the elevated rope bridges within the forest, with the opportunity for bird watching and butterfly and other nature spotting or to Mole National Park to enjoy a safari experience, with the chance to see Elephants, big cats and other animals on the savannah.

There is also the mountaintop village of Wli Todzi, in the rain forest near Wli Falls, which is known for its dramatic scenery and is popular for its ecotourism offerings.

For where to go to see Ghana's butterflies, all images taken by Wikimedia Commons user Charlesjsharp have precise geolocation information [1]. The images can be found in the category gallery of butterflies .

The 1st and 2nd cities of Ghana offer plenty to see and to do. Accra offers history at the historic sites, such as Independence Square, the Kwame Nkrumah mausoleum and the WB Dubois Centre. Shopping in a number of markets, including Makola market in the centre of the city. Cultural treats include a number of museums and the national theatre. Outside of the city at Aburi are the extensive botanical gardens.

Kumasi offers the sights based around the history of the Ashanti, including the Manhiya Palace, the Asantehene's Palace and Okomfo Anokye Sword. There are also more to discover in terms of artifacts which are deeply rooted in the culture of the Asante people like wood carvings from Ahwiaa, Adinkra designs and clothes from Ntonso and Aboaso, Kente weaving in some part of Kwabre Bonwire, Adanwomasi and Wonoo.

The new Ghana cedi, denoted by the symbol "GH₵" (ISO currency code: GHS) was introduced on 1 July 2007 at a rate equal to 10,000 old cedis. When it was introduced, it was the highest-valued currency unit issued by a sovereign African country.

You will encounter a variety of currency notations locally. Banknotes are issued denominations in 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 and 200 new Ghana cedis.

One new Ghana cedi is divided into one hundred new Ghana pesewas (Gp). Coins of Ghana come in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 20 and 50 pesewas GH₵1 and GH₵2. The one pesewa coins are rare in the system since you hardly find items that can be bought for less than 5 pesewas.

US dollars are accepted by some of the major tourist hotels, but you shouldn't rely on this. As in all West African countries, older US dollar bills will be rejected by banks and Forex bureaux. If you intend to take dollar notes make sure that they are all from the 2009 series or later.

Euros, dollars and pounds sterling in cash are the most useful currencies to take with you and are easily and safely changed at numerous air con booths open to 21:00.

There are many forex bureaux in Accra, and a few in the other major cities. It is very difficult to change travellers cheques and certainly almost impossible outside Accra and Kumasi, unless you change them at a major bank. Barclays has branches in Accra, Kumasi, Cape Coast, and Tamale where you can change travellers cheques. Expect queues.

There are Ecobank, Standard Chartered Bank, Stanbic Bank and GT Bank ATMs all over Ghana. which accept Mastercard and Visa. You can use Mastercard and Visa cards in hotels and some shopping malls and airline offices.

Credit card fraud is very common in many places, so be careful.

Bargaining is very much expected in the markets. Ask for a third of the price and work your way up from there.

Large cities such as Accra have markets open every day, but travellers get the true flavour of the country if they have the opportunity to visit a village market on the day of the week that it is open. Most goods will be staple goods, but cloth, beads, musical instruments, bags, and even CDs are usually available.

Kente cloth, drums and wooden designs, such as masks and "sacred stools" can be found on almost any street in any tourist area in Ghana. Ankara and kente cloth have associated symbolism in the colours and patterns. When you are buying it, ask the seller what the design means.

The Accra Mall is a shopping centre on the spintex road of the Tetteh Quarshie Interchange.

The sacred stools have traditional Adinkrah "motif" designs in them that can mean many things having to do with God, love, strength and community. Finding a guidebook which will tell you what each symbol means is advisable to prevent the possibility of buying a stool that doesn't mean what you think it is.

Gye Nyame is by far the most popular Adinkrah symbol. It means "Only God". Other popular stools are the "Wisdom Knot" and the one with the character holding many sticks together, which cannot be broken, to symbolize the strength of community.