GHANA
Ghana's first president was Kwame Nkrumah, a prominent anti-colonial leader and Pan-Africanist. He led the country (formerly the Gold Coast) to independence from British rule in 1957
Day 1 Wednesday Sept. 16 – US Departure
Depart the US FOR AN OVERNIGHT FLIGHT TO ACCRA GHANA from Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) Schedules TBA
Day 2 Thursday Sept. 17 - ARRIVE IN ACCRA
Upon arrival at Kotoka International Airport, proceed through immigration, claim luggage and clear Custom procedures, exit and meet our expert Cultural Tour guide. We will enjoy an introductory tour of Accra before transfer to our hotel. We may stop at the Accra mall briefly to change money/have lunch (on your own account), drive past the Flagstaff House, Ghana’s White House on our way to where Ghana hosts most of her national ceremonies and you will also see the enclosed flame of African liberation, which was lit by Dr. Kwame Nkrumah in 1961. Transfer to your hotel; check in, unpack, refresh and prepare for a heartwarming welcome dinner. Today we will arrange to have seamstress visit us at the hotel to take measurements for custom made African Clothing. Labadi Beach Hotel- Meal Included: Welcome Dinner
Day 3 Friday Sept. 18 - ACCRA AND VICINITY
After a refreshing night sleep and a sumptuous breakfast at the hotel; our first full day in Accra will be spent immersing ourselves in the history and day to day life of the people of Accra. Labadi Beach Hotel Highlights today include: Following a leisure breakfast, we step out for an introductory tour of Accra, a bustling city which has a blend of modern and colonial times structures and come alive with the daily activities of the local people. We have exciting activities and visits lined up for the day as follows: • Visit the W.E.B Du Bois Centre honoring the life of the prominent Pan-Africanist who chose to live and work in Ghana. • We will visit the newly renovated Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park for the first President of Ghana - Dr. Osagyefo Kwame Nkrumah. The 5.4-acre facility – which was built in 1992 to honor, promotes and preserves the legacies of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah. • Adjoining the memorial park is the Accra Arts & Crafts Centre. How about trying out your bargaining skills at the largest open market in Accra whiles you shop for locally produced unique traditional handicrafts such as woven Kente cloths, sculptures, carvings, leather bags, jewelry, beads, African attire, and woven basket. • Enjoy a guided tour at the Independence Square where Ghana hosts most of her national ceremonies as well as take monumental photos at the Black Star Square. While you savor your meal and sway to the music, our professional tailors and seamstresses will be available to take your measurements for custom-made outfits. Breakfast & Dinner
Day 4 Saturday Sept. 19 – ACCRA / KUMASI
After breakfast, drive through the forest zone to Kumasi, the seat of the Ashanti Empire to explore the legends of the famous Ashantis, whose legacies are still evident today. Arrive in Kumasi late afternoon and visit Manhyia Palace, the official residence of Ashanti Kings (Asantehene) until 1974, now a museum relating to the Ashanti Region. Time permitting, we shall visit the nearby Okomfo Anokye Sword site, an important symbol of Ashanti Unity that marks the spot when the Golden Stool “descended from the sky” and has been in place for 300 years. Legend says the Ashanti Kingdom would collapse should the sword ever be revoked. Transfer to the hotel for overnight’; the rest of the evening at leisure. Breakfast, Dinner Lancaster Kumasi City Hotel
Following breakfast, we make our way to the Ashanti Craft villages in the lush countryside. We visit Adanwomase Kente Village will be our first craft village where we’ll see how the famous Kente Cloth is handmade on looms in a time-honored tradition passed down through generations. See the Kente styles and the opportunity to make purchases. We may pay a courtesy call to the paramount chief of this community.
We will continue to the village of Ntonso where Artisans hand-stamp patterns on Cotton cloth to make Adinkra Textiles. Black-on-Black and Black-on-Red Adinkra Cloth is worn for funerals and other solemn occasions; learn how the Black Dye is made in the village from the bark of trees and create your own Adinkra sash to take home. You may also purchase large pieces of the Adinkra Cloth handmade in the village. Transfer to your hotel for your check in; evening at leisure. Lancaster Kumasi City Hotel - Breakfast & Dinner
Day 6 Monday Sept. 21 - KUMASI | ASSIN MANSO | CAPE COAST | ELMINA
After breakfast, drive to Cape Coast, which has played a very significant role in the Transatlantic Slave trade. We make a stop on the way to visit Assin Manso Slave River or “Donkor Nsuo”, the burial site of two former slaves from the U.S. and Jamaica whose remains were re-interred in August 1998 during Ghana’s first Emancipation Day celebration. You will see the ‘Slave River’ where captured Africans were washed before being confined in the Slave castles to await shipment to the Americas and the Caribbean.
Arrive Cape Coast in time for lunch; we visit Cape Coast castle, a UNESCO world heritage site. The castle is a thought-provoking monument to a harrowing period in the region’s history. You will take an emotional journey through the castle which held more enslaved Africans than any other in the region, viewing the dungeons and the infamous “Door of no return”. There is a significant historical museum inside, which explains the history of the castle and of Cape Coast itself. You can purchase literature on Ghana’s forts and castles, as well as the cultural history and traditions of Ghana.
Ridge Royal Hotel - Breakfast & Dinner
Day 7 Tuesday Sept. 22 – ELMINA | KAKUM | ELMINA (Optional Swing Bridge Walk - $35)
After breakfast check-out and return to Accra. You will decide on your departure time with the assistance of your tour guide. You can collaborate with your tour guide to arrange an optional visit to Kakum National Park (at your own expense), one of Ghana's premier wildlife reserves. Begin with a guided walk along the forest floor, offering opportunities to observe diverse bird species, vibrant butterflies, and possibly spot some of the park’s over 40 mammal species, including monkeys and the rare forest elephant. Experience the iconic Kakum Canopy Walkway, the only treetop walkway in Africa. This 1,000-foot-long structure, suspended across seven bridges, provides breathtaking views from platforms over 150 feet above the forest floor—a must-see for nature enthusiasts.
In the afternoon, we will visit the Elmina Castle built by the Portuguese in 1482 and is also known as St. George's Castle. This castle was the first European structure built in Sub-Saharan Africa. The colorful harbor nestled below the Elmina Castle, full of pirogues preparing to go to sea offers one of West Africa's greatest photo opportunities. We continue with a “Fihankra” ceremony which seeks to reconnect people of African descent, who have been lost due to the transatlantic slave trade, to the motherland. This ceremony reconnects returnees with the cultural and spiritual ties that had been denied them for centuries. The final part of Fihankra includes a naming ceremony. This is a beautiful ceremony with a durbar of chiefs, traditional drumming and dancing and you receive a traditional African Name. Recommended attire for today’s ceremonies is All WHITE. Ridge Royal Hotel- Breakfast & Dinner
Day 8 Wednesday Sept. 23 - ELMINA | AKOSOMBO
Following breakfast, we depart further east to Akosombo. Arrive Akosombo later afternoon. Check-in and prepare for dinner. The rest of the evening is at leisure. Royal Senchi Hotel - Breakfast & Dinner
Day 9 Thursday Sept. 24 - AKOSOMBO | AKOSOMBO
A full day at leisure. You can relax by the hotel's beautiful pool and enjoy their warm guest services or take in the stunning views of Volta Lake while cruising. A professional captain will guide you on an unforgettable boat trip along the Volta River. Breakfast & Dinner Royal Senchi Hotel
Day 10 Friday Sept. 25 – AKOSOMBO / ACCRA
After breakfast you will check out and make your way back to Accra. Enroute, you will make a brief stop at Krobo Odumase to witness the firsthand experience of beads made from specially crafted glasses - Cedi Beads Factory. We will have the opportunity to design our own beads using the traditional Krobo technique. The bead-making craft has a long history in Ghana. Beads have been used in ceremonies of birth, coming of age, marriage, or death for the past 400 years. You will watch and participate in the whole bead-making process from beginning to end.
After the demonstration, you can purchase a wide selection of beads that have been made here onsite. From here, you will continue to Accra. Tonight, enjoy a specially arranged farewell dinner with entertainment. Wear your newly tailored African clothing. Breakfast & Farewell Dinner - Labadi Beach Hotel
Day 11 Saturday Sept. 26 - ACCRA
Today is at leisure but with the assistance of your driver and guide; decide on your excursions and activities. Visit the sites in Accra and vicinity that you have not yet seen.
Transfer to the airport in time to catch your departure flight home. Breakfast
Ghana
5.0
The door of no return was a lie.
PACKAGE INCLUDES: R/T Air from Dulles International (IAD) to Accra Ghana, R/T Transfers, SFC & DLX Hotel accommodations, Breakfast & Dinner Daily, Air Conditioned
Motor Coaches * Listed Escorted Tours w/ English speaking tour guides. Highlights at a glance: * Ghana’s historical sites to include, Cape Coast & Elmina Slave Castles * The
Last Bath * W.E.B Dubois Center * Ancestral home of Louis Armstrong * Visit OSU Orphanage & Attend Manhyia Palace Museum * Naming Ceremony * African Market Places
and lots more!