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 GHANA, WEST AFRICA - 11 Days  |
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| ITINERARY |
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March 21-22
Fly US to Accra, Ghana |
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March 24 (Fri): ELMINA - KUMASI (CASTLES) drive 4 - 5 h  Elmina
Castle, is the oldest and largest permanent building in Africa. The
Portuguese built the castle in the 15th century. At different times in the
castle’s checkered past it has been used to trade gold, ivory, and
slaves. Outside the castle, there is a wonderful fishing village complete with a harbor full of large colorful fishing canoes. Every day these canoes are piloted by the skilled fisherman who confront the unpredictable ocean to fish for their livelihood. |
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The alleys in the old town have a lively atmosphere, and remind you of
the old times when Elmina was a wild colonial town. In the old town we turn our attention to the Posuban. The Posuban are the shrines of the ‘Asafo companies’. It is at these shrines that the warriors used to place their offerings on the large colorful statues. |
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Some miles north of the coast, in the middle of a rainforest, we find
Kakum National Park. At the park we have a wonderful opportunity to
discover the forest from above because Kakum has a canopy walk suspended
high into the trees. The Kakum ropewalk is the longest and highest
suspended rope bridge in the world. Walking between one hundred and twenty
to one hundred and fifty feet in the air, we have an incredible view of
the rain forest. At this height, instead of revealing their trunks, the
trees offer us a breathtaking view of the canopy. From this height the
trees look as if they are trying to grasp the sun and sky above. The road finds its ways among foothills covered by lush vegetation. We enter intoAshanti territory. Overnight in Kumasi, Hotel Georgia, 3 stars (All meals). |
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March 25 (Sat): KUMASI - GOLD AND POWER The Ashanti people were one of the most powerful nations in Africa until the end of the 19th century, when the British annexed Ashanti country, bringing it into their Gold Coast colony. They are still very important, holding up they fascinating traditions.  With nearly one million inhabitants, Kumasi is a sprawling city with a fantastic central market, one of the biggest in Africa, where traders from all over Africa come to sell their wares. Every kind of Ashanti craft (leather goods, pottery, Kente cloth) is found here, along with just about every kind of tropical fruit and vegetable. Also on the agenda is a visit to the Ghana National Cultural Center, which has a rich collection of Ashanti artifacts, housed in a wonderful reproduction of a traditional Ashanti royal house. Kumasi is known for its funeral celebrations. In the afternoon we will join a typical funeral. Everybody is dressed in their traditional dress - large red or black cloth worn like a toga. The chiefs arrive in the shade of their large umbrellas surrounded by their court. The tam-tam announces the dances, rich in erotic symbol gestures. Overnight in Kumasi, Hotel Georgia, 3 stars (All meals). |
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March 26 (Sun): KUMASI - AKOSSOMBO – (LAKES) drive 5 h In a suburb of Kumasi we visit traditional Ashanti houses, recently renovated and famous for their unique decorations. 
These houses played an important role in the history and culture of the
Ashanti people.We move on to the Bosumtwi Lake, which the Ashanti consider sacred. They believe that spirits, who protect the people, inhabit the lake. Every year they make sacrifices to these spirits. The lake occupies the crater of a former volcano. It’s surrounded by hills covered by a lush forest. We explore this unique site in a motor-boat. We drive to Akossombo, the largest manmade lake in the world, with a shoreline measuring almost 5,000 km. Overnight at Akossombo, Continental Hotel, 3 stars (All meals). |
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March 27 (Mon): HO - (TRADITION OF AFRICAN BEADS) drive 2 h 30  Beads are an important part of West African culture. They are used in every ritual, such as births, weddings, chief making and puberty. Beads are also a sign of wealth in the community. Krobo region is famous around the world for producing glass beads. People come from all over Africa to purchase the beads produced in this area. We visit a small bead factory in the the village of Krobo Odumanse and learn about the place of beads in local culture. There will also be a local dance troupe performing for us. Drive to Ho. Overnight Ho, Freedom Hotel, 2 stars (All meals). |
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March 28 (Tue): HO – (WEAVERS OF KENTE CLOTH) drive 1 h  Ho hosts a small but fascinating cultural museum.  Here
we will learn a great deal bout the traditions of the Ewe, the local population, famous for
their cults and
chieftaincy traditions.We meet with an expert of local cultures and hear him talk about the region's heritage. This region has been the cradle of Kente, a cloth worn by elders in special festivals. During our stay we visit local weavers working on their handmade wooden looms. Overnight Ho, Freedom Hotel, 2 stars
(All
meals). |
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 March 29 (Wed):
HO - ECLIPSEWe depart the hotel at sunrise our eclipse site, 30 minutes from Ho. Located on a plateau with a 360 degree view, we have an unencumbered view of the eclipse. We have invited some of the elders from 
the nearest village to attend the event with us. After the eclipse,
we meet with some of the local traditional authorities (chief, elders,
village shaman) in the village of Abutia Teti and discuss their cultural
perspectives of the eclipse.While sharing lunch with the village elders we admire the fascinating “bobobo”, traditional local dances, with frenetic rhythms accompanied by drums and songs. O/n Ho, Freedom Hotel, 2 stars (All meals). |
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March 30 (Thu): ACCRA & FLY OUT - (ART AND HANDICRAFTS) drive 3 h Transfer to Accra. We eat lunch and then afternoon is free to shop and wander around. In the evening we will leave for the airport for departure (Breakfast & lunch). March 31 (Fri): ARRIVE HOME |
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Our
first visit of the day is to a company that specializes in custom built
coffins. Sounds funny, but these handcrafted coffins can take any form: fruits, animals,
fish, cars - and are only limited by the intended occupant’s
imagination. These flamboyant coffin designs began in Africa, and are
becoming increasingly popular in the US.