11 tourist sites in Ghana you should definetly visit

Tourist Sites in Ghana are beautiful and exciting places one can visit for relaxation and also learn the original history of Ghana.

 Tourist Sites in Ghana are characterized by a wonderful mix of animal species, beaches, mountains, landscapes, an incredible coastline, and structures.

A visit to some Tourist Sites in Ghana could be tricky but enjoyable.

To know what meets your preference before selecting a tourist site in Ghana to visit, Prime News in no particular order presents 11 tourist sites in Ghana you should make it a point to visit on a holiday or any other day.

Larabanga Mosque

The architectural model of the Larabanga mosque alone makes it a tourist site in Ghana one must not hesitate to see and touch it in reality.

Larabanga is a small town located in the Northern part of Ghana. It is predominantly a Muslim community engaged in farming. The Larabanga Mosque as the name suggests is found in Larabanga.

It is touted as one of the oldest mosques in West Africa and in Ghana the oldest mosque. As small as it may look, the mosque is able to accommodate thousands of visitors.

The mosque has an old Quran, believed by the locals to have been given as a gift from heaven in 1650 to Yidan Barimah Bramah, the Imam at the time, as a result of his prayers. The mosque, built with mud and reeds, has two tall towers in pyramidal shape, one for the mihrab which faces towards Mecca forming the facade on the east and the other as a minaret in the northeast corner.

Cape Coast Castle

Ghana’s Atlantic Coast is lined with old forts (castles) built by various European colonial masters during the 17th Century. The Cape Coast Castle was built for the slave-trade, It was originally built by the Dutch in 1637, later expanded by the Swedes, but when the British took control of it in 1664 and turned it into their colonial headquarters.

The Cape Coast Castle is now an excellent museum with information about the history of Ghana, the slave-trade and local culture. Tours are a “must” and will take you through the dungeons and the “door of no return”.

Wli Waterfalls

Wli Waterfalls is a 20-kilometre drive away from the Hohoe Municipality in the Volta region of the Republic of Ghana. Standing tall and impressive inside a semi-deciduous forest is the WLI WATERFALL, the tallest waterfall in West Africa, measuring about 143 metres from the upper fall to the plunge pool below it.

Wli Waterfalls' sheer grandeur, height, beauty and cool environment beats every imagination and makes it a tourist site in Ghana to savour.

Kakum National Park

Kakum National Park is a dense tropical rain forest in southern Ghana. The forest is home to over 40 species of larger mammals including forest elephants, forest buffalo, Mona-meerkats and civets. The bird life is fantastic as well with over 250 species living in the forest.

The highlight of any visit to Kakum is a stroll on the Canopy Walkway that is built 30 meters above ground, crosses several bridges and is over 1000 feet (350 m) in length. The canopy walkway offers a unique viewing perspective of the wildlife and unique plants of the forest. Trained guides are on hand to take you on a tour and provide detailed insight into the medicinal uses of the forest plants. There’s a basic campsite for those who want to stay overnight.

Kintampo Falls

The Kintampo waterfalls located on the Kumasi-Kintampo highway provides a panoramic scene and superbly display the beauty of nature.

It is about 4km away from the Kintampo Township, on the Kumasi-Tamale road. This is the point where the Pumpu River falls some seventy (70) meters to continue its journey towards the Black Volta at Buipe The Kintampo falls is shaped in a beautiful staircase. This superb falls mysteriously disappears and resurfaces 200 meters away from its original location.

Mole National Park

Mole National Park is Ghana’s largest wildlife park and is located in north western Ghana. In Mole you can expect to see buffalo, roam antelope, elephants, warthogs, hyenas and if you’re very lucky, leopard.

Lions have recently been re-introduced to the park as well. There are also more than 250 species of birds to enjoy.

One  can opt for a walking safari or a traditional game drive accompanied by an armed guard. There’s a motel just near the park headquarters. The best time to spot wildlife is during the dry season from January to March as animals congregate around the water sources. 

Paga Crocodile Pond

Located in the north-eastern border of Ghana, Paga is a sacred crocodile sanctuary.
Although crocodiles are considered as wild creatures, the Paga crocodiles are friendly and coexist with humans. The friendly relationship between the crocodiles and humans continue to baffle the minds of many. This is in contrast to the perception of crocodiles as dangerous.

It is a customary offence to harm, kill or show any sign of disrespect to the crocodiles of Paga. It is not uncommon to find children and or visitors sitting at the back of or holding the tale of a crocodile without any harm, after a sacrifice of fowl. This is normal for the people of Paga but a mystery to visitors.

Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum (Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park)

The Mausoleum is the last resting place of the first President of Ghana, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah.

It is dedicated to him for his outstanding campaign to liberate Ghana(by then Gold Coast)from colonial rule on 6th March,1957.

It has a total surface area of approximately 5.3 acres. The mausoleum provides a front for the statue of Nkrumah whereas the museum is subterranean and does not compete with the mausoleum for attention. Rhythm, contrast and harmony were the main principles of design used in this building.

The Museum houses the personal effects and publications of Ghana’s first president and pictures showing his life history.

Nzulezu

Ever heard of the saying “water is life”? Some people live and survive on the lake Tanda, a spectacular tourist site.

An amazing Village where life goes on in the centre of Lake Tadane, just 90km west of Takoradi is a settlement called Nzulezu an Nzema language which means “surface water”.

Houses are built on stilts, and traditional village life adapts to the watery conditions. One can make his way to this village by dugout canoe. The village welcomes visitors every day except Thursday, which is a sacred day it is believed to be a sacred to the lake, and it is forbidden to use and work on the lake for any activity throughout the day of Thursday.

The lake is also perceived by the local population to protect against certain risks such as fire outbreak.

 Aburi Botanical Gardens

Aburi is located on the Akwapim-Togo Range of Ghana. It’s just three quarters of an hour drive from Accra, the capital of Ghana. The cool mountainous weather of Aburi makes it a destination for people who love the cool side of life.

On a visit to the garden, the first thing that graces you is the beautifully lined royal palm trees (roystonea regia) on both sides of the road leading to the car park. These palm trees cannot be said to be part of the original plants that were cultivated but look very old.

You do not have to worry about authenticity because there are some original species of plant that can still be found there; the silk cotton tree (ceiba pentrandra) is an example. This tree is said to be the only survivor of the original forest that once covered the Aburi Hills.

Wechiau Hippo Sanctuary

The Wechiau Hippo Sanctuary, a community protected area is located at the extreme north-western corner of the Upper West Region of Ghana. it consists of a 40-kilometres stretch down the length of the Black Volta River which forms the region’s western boundary with Burkina Faso.

It is home to hippos, bats, chameleons, hedgehogs and many different types of lizards and snakes. The sanctuary is an excellent place to see birds with over 200 species identified and new sights seen regularly.