8-Nights Ghana Odyssey: Accra, Elmina, Assin Manso and More from $3,489

Begin your 9-day Ghana vacation with a sightseeing tour of Accra. Discover the history of Ghana’s capital with stops at the Artists Alliance Gallery, the W.E.B. Du Bois Centre, Nkrumah Memorial Park, Independence Square, and the National Museum of Ghana. Drive West to Kakum National Park, one of West Africa’s last surviving tropical rainforests stretching over 138 square-miles / 360 square-kilometres and home to over 40 large mammals and 400 bird species. Suspend yourself 98 ft / 30 m above the forest floor and embark on a 1.2 mi / 2 km canopy nature walk. Continue South for an afternoon tour of the Cape Coast Castle, home to the West African Historical Museum, established by the Smithsonian Institute and the Ghanaian government in 1994. Visit the first European structure in sub-Saharan Africa, Elmina Castle, built by the Portuguese in 1482. Meet the local fishermen and fishmongers as they demonstrate the many stages of smoking fish in earthenware ovens, one of Ghana’s oldest and most important trades. Participate in the Global Mama’s Cultural Workshop, preparing authentic Ghanaian dishes using traditional techniques and make beautiful African batik fabric souvenirs.

Head towards Assin Manso to visit Donkor Nsuo, also known as Slave River, the former slave market and final transit point for many enslaved Africans. Return to Accra and participate in a traditional naming ceremony with the chief and elders of a Volta Region village and receive a Ghanaian name and gift. Witness the production of the beautiful and colourful beads of the Cedi Beads Factory and Market. Beads play a meaningful role in the life and culture of the Krobo people, marking special occasions, family status, and significant rites of passage. Enjoy a tour of over 4,500 sculptures depicting the stories of the transatlantic slave trade and promoting African heritage at the Nkyinkyim Museum, one of Ghana’s largest outdoor museums.