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Things to Do in Ghana

From Cape Coast Castle's history to the canopy walkway at Kakum - the essential sights, and how to keep your own record of them.

Travel guide - last updated September 2026

Ghana has positioned itself as a center of the African diaspora's return, particularly through Cape Coast and Elmina's former slave-trading forts, which draw visitors specifically to reckon with that history. Beyond that, Accra's growing food and arts scene and Kakum's rainforest canopy walk round out one of West Africa's most visited itineraries. Here are 6 places worth building a trip around.

Top attractions

The sights most first-time visitors build an itinerary around.

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Cape Coast Castle

A former slave-trading fort, now a museum and memorial documenting the transatlantic slave trade in direct, unflinching terms - one of the most significant historical sites on the West African coast.

📍 Cape Coast

🚉 STC and Ford buses run from Accra to Cape Coast in three to four hours, and the castle stands on the shore in the middle of town, a short walk from the lorry park.

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Elmina Castle

The oldest European building in sub-Saharan Africa, built by the Portuguese in 1482, with a similarly difficult history to Cape Coast Castle nearby.

📍 Elmina

🚉 Elmina is 15 minutes west of Cape Coast by shared taxi or tro-tro, and St George's Castle sits at the harbour mouth beside the fishing fleet.

🌳

Kakum National Park

Home to one of Africa's few rainforest canopy walkways, suspended up to 40 meters above the forest floor across seven rope bridges.

📍 near Cape Coast

🚉 Kakum is 30km inland from Cape Coast: shared taxis run to the village of Abrafo, and the canopy walkway is a short walk from the visitor centre - go early to beat the coach parties.

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Accra

Ghana's capital, with the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park, Jamestown's colorful fishing community and lighthouse, and a growing contemporary art and restaurant scene.

📍 Accra

🚉 Accra has no rail network in service: tro-tro minibuses run set routes from Circle and Tema Station, and taxis or ride apps cover Osu, Jamestown and the Independence Square area.

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Lake Volta

One of the largest artificial lakes in the world by surface area, offering boat trips and lakeside towns considerably quieter than the coastal circuit.

📍 eastern Ghana

🚉 The Akosombo dam is two hours from Accra by tro-tro or bus, and the Yapei Queen ferry runs north from Akosombo to Yeji, a slow overnight passage on Africa's largest reservoir.

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Larabanga & Mole National Park

Larabanga's centuries-old mud-and-stick mosque is one of West Africa's oldest, near Mole National Park - Ghana's largest wildlife reserve, with elephants viewable on walking safaris, a rarity elsewhere in Africa.

📍 northern Ghana

🚉 Buses from Kumasi and Tamale reach Larabanga in four to six hours, and the mud-and-stick mosque is beside the road; Mole's park gate and its walking safaris are 5km further on.

Mark Ghana, get the stamp

🇬🇭GHANAVISITED

🇬🇭GHANALIVED

🇬🇭GHANAWISHLIST

In MyPassportStory, every country you mark - visited, lived in, or still on the list - becomes a stamp like these in your own travel passport. Add the cities you stopped in, draw the route between them, and turn the whole trip into a shareable passport-style image.

Open MyPassportStory

Planning questions

How many days do you need in Ghana?

A week covers Accra, Cape Coast and Kakum well. Ten days lets you add Mole National Park in the north without an overly rushed pace.

What's the best time to visit Ghana?

November-March is the dry season and generally the most comfortable time to visit. The rainy season (April-October) brings heavier downpours, particularly in the south.

Is Ghana good for a first-time visit?

Yes - it's considered one of the more stable and tourist-friendly countries in West Africa, with English as an official language and a well-established circuit connecting Accra, Cape Coast and Kakum.

Do I need a visa to visit Ghana?

Most nationalities need a visa to enter Ghana, arranged in advance through an e-visa application or an embassy. Check the official visa information for your nationality: ghanaimmigration.org.

What are some things to do in Ghana on a tight budget?

Jamestown's streets and lighthouse in Accra cost nothing to explore, local chop bars serve Ghanaian food (jollof rice, waakye) cheaply, and shared tro-tro minibuses are a much cheaper way to travel between towns than private transport.

Can I rent a car in Ghana, and what licence do I need?

Hiring a car with a driver is the norm and is what most visitors do - it costs little more than self-drive and removes the navigation and the police checkpoints. If you drive yourself, a foreign licence is accepted for up to 90 days when carried with an International Driving Permit, and the minimum age is generally 23. Roads between the main cities are good, but rural routes are unlit with unmarked speed humps, and night driving is best avoided. Official visitor information is published by the Ghana Tourism Authority at visitghana.com.