From ACC, With Love: 4-Day Itinerary for Your Stay in Accra

By Kweku Ulzen (@kw3ks)

With Contributions from Naana Aba Mensah (@nokoslim)

Clockwise from top left: Black Star Gate, Kwame Nkrumah Statue, Jamestown Lighthouse, Larabanga Mosque, Around the Fish Statue, Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum, National Theatre, Independence Arch (Photo Source: @artlive_gh)

Due north of the prime meridian and the equator’s confluence, Accra is the perfect gateway to Africa for the continent’s first time visitor. From the historic neighborhoods of Jamestown and Osu with their colonial forts and vibrant street life to the cosmopolitan East Legon with all of its modern creature comforts, Accra has a little something for everybody.

The first sub-Saharan African country to gain independence from European colonists in 1957, Ghana has a rich history of self-reliance which is celebrated in its monuments and the spirit of its people. Ghanaians take a lot of pride in their identity and with that comes a culture of hospitality.

There are plenty of enjoyable establishments, historical sites to visit, and fun activities to entertain the traveler in Accra. With jollof to eat and palm wine to drink, let’s waste no time in welcoming you on a four-day blitz through Accra, the land of “enjoyment.”

Visa and Vaccine Requirements

Consult this list to determine whether you need to apply for a visa before going on your trip to Ghana.

Ensure that you’ve received the required and recommended vaccines here before embarking on your trip to Ghana. It is highly recommended to fill a prescription for malaria medication before arriving in Ghana. Consult your local physician.

Currency

Ghana’s currency is called the cedi. As of September 29, 2023 it has an exchange rate with the US Dollar of 11.55 Ghana cedis to $1. It has an exchange rate with the Euro of 12.26 to €1. The exchange rate with the British Pound is 14.16 to £1. You’ll get a better exchange rate for switching large bills (ex. $50 or $100). You’ll need to exchange or withdraw cash and use the local currency in Ghana for commerce, although you can tip in the aforementioned foreign currencies. Tipping is not required in most establishments although it is appreciated for a job well done.

Day 1: Relax Yourself

Arrival:

Akwaaba! Ghana embraces you with love and you have now arrived at Kotoka International Airport (ACC). Make sure to get cash from the exchange at the airport. You’ll find that it offers a better rate than forex in the city of Accra. After you disembark from your flight and are greeted by customs agents, you may encounter agents by the door who are requesting “a little something for the boys.” Tip at your own discretion, but let this serve as your welcome to the hustle of the city. You’ll be targeted for tips left and right.

Transportation:

There are many modes of transportation you can use during your stay in Accra. You can refer to this guide to understand the difference between the options. From the airport you may want to hire a car service ahead of time or take a cab from the terminal. You will want to haggle on price with the cab driver before you go to their car. Don’t be afraid to turn down their initial offer and ask a few people to get an understanding of the prices they are offering. Apps such as Uber, Bolt, and Yango are great for moving about the city but fall under egregious surge pricing from the airport.

Lodging:

Budget Friendly: Somewhere Nice Hostel (Kokomlemle, Accra)

Mid-Range: Alisa Hotel (North Ridge, Accra)

Luxury: Mövenpick Ambassador Hotel (Central Business District, Accra)

For a short stay in Accra there are a variety of options depending on your budget range. VRBO and Airbnb both operate in Accra and have listings ranging across budget options. For convenience and comfort, Osu, Cantonments, Labone, and North Ridge are recommended districts for a short term rental. Drop your bags off and profit from a pool side session to kick off the evening or day.

Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Mausoleum & Park (Photo Source: GhanaTRVL)

3pm: Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Mausoleum & Park

Get acquainted with Ghana’s history on the road to independence by visiting the newly refurbished memorial to its first president, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah. At the center of the park lies a mausoleum, designed by Don Arthur. As you amble up to the mausoleum you encounter statues of horn-blowers which usher in a new era of freedom from European colonialism. The structure itself resembles an upside-down sword, symbolizing peace in Akan culture, and contains the remains of the late president and his wife, Fathia. It is surrounded by water and contains a skylight which brings life to the resting place during the day.

The memorial park–which opened in 1992 on what once served as British polo grounds–also contains a museum which serves as a time capsule of the president’s life and also informs you of the Pan-African philosophy behind Ghana’s post-colonial policies. It is also the location of Nkrumah’s presidential library hosting artifacts from his administration. The park holds great significance as it is where Nkrumah made the declaration of Ghana’s independence in 1957.

Non-Ghanaian adults pay GHS100 (~$9) to enter the park. There are also reduced rates for tertiary students and schoolchildren. The mausoleum did not undergo any significant renovations from its opening until 2022, at which time, a $3.5 million project was undertaken to repair malfunctioning utilities and add new features to the park which include the presidential library, an amphitheater, and a restaurant.

Black Star Gate (Photo Source: Trip Advisor)

5:30pm: Black Star Gate (Independence Arch)

Accra will demand that you don’t leave without a photo at Black Star Gate across from Black Star Square. Emblazoned with the credo, “Freedom and Justice” while marking Ghana’s year of independence on the structure, the monument is topped with the Black Star of Africa. Think of this as Accra’s cognate to Paris’s l’arc de triomphe. The main monument and the square are open to the public unless there is a ticketed event taking place.

The top of Black Star Gate offers a great view of Accra from above. While the entrance to Black Star Square and the monuments is free, the guards may request a small payment for the opportunity to climb the structure to view Accra from on high. Unfortunately, climbing the monument is not handicap accessible.

7pm: Afrikiko Leisure Centre

Hail a cab or summon some wheels via your preferred rideshare app to ferry you to Afrikiko where you can enjoy continental and local dishes and take in the programming to close out your first day. In the evening you can join in on jazz night, salsa dance, kizomba dance, or an open party depending on the day of the week. It’s best to fuel up so you don’t collapse on an empty stomach and the establishment’s Tam Tam Restaurant is the perfect place to get your nutrients. On your first night, you must explore the hype of West Africa’s famous culture wars and eat a heaping plate of Ghanaian jollof with baked chicken. On the side, add a helping of kelewele, a popular Ghanaian street treat of plantain fried in palm oil, spiced with ginger and other accouterments.

Once you’re ready to party you may not want to stop, which is no problem at Afrikiko which remains open 24/7. Vibe out on your own time and meet a local or two. While this itinerary is a guide, no plans need to be set in stone, and you may find some new activities by convening with like minds. Eventually, you may be ready to call it a night (or morning). Consult your rideshare app and return to your accommodation to get fresh for the next day.

Day 2: City Adventure

8am: Waakye Supreme and Botanical Gardens

No trip to Accra is complete without some breakfast waakye. Known as “Ghana’s favorite breakfast food,” waakye is a mouthwatering marriage between beans and rice, supported in this sacred ceremony by its closest friends of your choice. These can include plantains, garri, meat, boiled eggs, salad, gravy, and even spaghetti. Buttress these ingredients with shito, Ghana’s signature pepper sauce, and you’ll start your leisure off like a true Ghanaian. Don’t be shy about taking a full plate as this is meant to fuel you for the day. This is also a vegetarian friendly dish–just exclude the meat!

Head to Waakye Supreme in East Legon for a serving before taking a relaxing walk through the University of Ghana’s campus in the hills. That’s if you have the morning energy from partying the night before. If not, don’t feel bad about skipping this leg. There’s plenty of time to get outside.

If you do make it to the University campus, don’t miss the Legon Botanical Gardens which is more of a park than a facility focused on cataloging the fauna and flora. Regardless, it is a great place to relax and start your day with canoeing, birdwatching, or completing a ropes obstacle course! Be sure to book online to avoid a wait. Walk north from the Balme Library to the Botanical Gardens.

When you complete your morning at the park, stop by the food court in the Accra Mall for lunch for a cosmopolitan array of meal choices ranging from KFC to shawarma to peri peri chicken.

1pm: Gallery 1957

You may remember 1957 as a significant year from your previous day at the Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Mausoleum & Park. With a name commemorating the year of Ghana’s independence–an accomplishment taken very seriously here–Gallery 1957, opened in 2016 by Marwan Zakhem, showcases art from the Global South and its diaspora. There are three gallery spaces across the city, with the main one located within the Kempinski Hotel near the National Theatre. The gallery’s works expand beyond their walls as they host talks, art fairs, and serve as an all-encompassing resource for burgeoning artists all over the country. Admission is free.

3pm: Bambo’s Adventure Park

Some essential parts of a trip to Ghana can get a little somber and weigh heavy on the heart. That’s why we start off by rewarding our inner child. From the gallery take a trip to nearby Labone to engage as paintball infantry, test your precision in a game of football darts, or sumo wrestle your friends in an inflatable suit at Bambo’s Adventure Park. Sometimes the center is booked for corporate events so check ahead of time that they are taking individual customers or book with your friends if you’re rolling deep. Check with Bambo’s for rates.

Horses of Labadi Beach (Photo Source: The Travel Guru)

5pm: LA Pleasure Beach

It may be worth adjusting the timing if you’d like to profit from the daytime recreational activities of LA Pleasure Beach such as surfing. This is a great place to take in the sunset and reflect on your first couple of days in a city that may be new to you. Welcoming to both introverts and extroverts, this beach is great for joining in on the party as a cacophony of highlife, hip hop, amapiano, and afrobeats tunes permeate the air. If you’d like to put your own headphones in and let the day pass, that’s available as well.

Young men stroll the beach with their horses offering rides to any adventurous takers. These typically cost around GHS15-20 (~$1.25) and can result in high quality magic hour photos. If you’re not so brave, you can also enjoy the sights of these equestrians doing tricks on their horses. Vendors also walk across the sands hawking their goods ranging from art pieces to snacks to sunglasses. LA Pleasure Beach is a great place to let your day ride out.

Kokroko (Photo Source: Republic Bar & Grill)

7:30pm: Osu Night Market and Republic Bar & Grill

Markets in West Africa can be intense. Typically they are chocked full of people, with prices being negotiated back and forth, and vendors fighting for your attention. If you want all of that, Makola Market beckons you. The Osu Night Market offers a muted version of that in a more relaxed atmosphere. Enjoy the market setting and get a nice meal to boot. You won’t be starved of choice here, but I would recommend taking the opportunity to try Ga kenkey and fish with pepper sauce if you can find it from a vendor here. Like many dishes in Ghana, this is eaten with your hands. Typically you’ll be seated at a table with a bowl of water and soap to wash your mitts. From there, you simply go to town!

Your time in Accra is limited, so if you want to try as many new things as you can, make your way to Republic Bar & Grill for some akpeteshie based cocktails. Akpeteshie is a spirit made from distilling palm wine or sugarcane and is similar to Colombian aguardiente and Brazilian cachaca. Sample their akpeteshie shots, try a signature cocktail like the kokroko, or vibe to some live music in the most happening neighborhood in Accra, Osu.

Day 3: History and Nature Road Trip

6am: Road Trip to Central Region

Take breakfast at your accommodation to save time today because we’ve got rubber to burn underneath us. This trip is a mixture of fun and somber reflecting on one of the greatest atrocities to befall our global society: the trans-Atlantic slave trade. You can leverage some public transit options like buses from the STC station, but if you’d like a more flexible, comfortable trip making all of these stops, it may be worth renting a car or hiring a driver for the day. Rates for such a trip embarking from Accra can start around $100 for the driver, plus another $150 to fill the gas tank. You can also take the bus from Accra to Cape Coast for around $10 and arrange transportation around the area in Cape Coast by car for a much smaller fee. Do not depend on rideshare apps outside of Accra and Kumasi.

Make sure to bring plenty of water, snacks, and cash with you because you don’t know what you’ll encounter. It’s not uncommon to hit roadblocks with police officers begging for “a little something for the boys” to make your life easier. If you’d like to oblige you can, however, bribery is officially illegal in Ghana. Unfortunately, it is practiced widely and often sought out by the boys in blue.

You’ll see beautiful tropical landscapes on your way to Central Region–well once you escape the traffic between Accra and Kasoa. If you are stuck in traffic, take this opportunity to try bofrot, a fried dough cake specialty of many West African countries, also known as puff puff.

10am: Kakum National Park

Start off your day in Central Region by taking in Ghana’s own FernGully in Kakum National Park. It was established as a protected area in 1931 and elevated to national park status in 1992. Kakum is a tropical forest. Notable endangered species in the park include the Diana monkey, giant bongo antelope, and yellow-backed duiker. Birdwatching and hiking are common activities in the park.

However, the attraction for which Kakum is most known is the series of seven tree-top bridges comprising its canopy walk. These rope bridges bring visitors to levels of the forest usually reserved for birds and monkeys, 130 feet in the air. If you have a fear of heights you can opt for the abridged canopy walk, at a lower elevation. Take a guided hike of the forest as well to learn more about the wildlife and natural surroundings.

The entrance fee for Kakum is GHS50 (~$4.50) for non-Ghanaian adults.

1pm: Hans Cottage Botel

After leaving Kakum, have your driver take you down to Hans Cottage Botel. While the food is satisfactory, that’s not the main attraction. After wolfing down a nourishing meal, take a stroll around the premises until you reach the point at Lake Hans where you can pet a fully-grown crocodile!

The serene atmosphere of Hans Cottage is another great place to take in more lowkey nature after Kakum. Rent a ride in the boats on the lake and paddle around, go for a dip in the swimming pool (which has a sign imploring “no drowning”), or work up the courage with the park guide to pet the aforementioned croc. Crikey!

3pm: Elmina Castle and Walking Tour

The last activity of the day will be to visit what is arguably Ghana’s most historically significant site. This can be done interchangeably or in combination with the nearby Cape Coast Castle as they have differing histories with Cape Coast being administered by the British and Elmina by the Dutch, both originally built as trading posts by the Portuguese. Elmina was the first city in modern-day Ghana where Europeans landed by sea, with the Portuguese arriving in 1471. A UNESCO Heritage Site, Elmina Castle was the last stop for many enslaved people as they were trafficked to the Americas and the Caribbean.

When United States President Barack Obama visited Cape Coast Castle in 2009, he lamented, “[a]s painful as it is, I think that it helps to teach all of us that we have to do what we can to fight against the kinds of evils that, sadly, still exist in our world, not just on this continent but in every corner of the globe.”

Take a guided tour of the castle to have your walkthrough narrated with historical facts and anecdotes of people who were previously sent through the fort. A sobering part of the tour is the Door of No Return which empties out to the sea, the last breath the enslaved Africans would take on their home continent’s soil.

Get additional context to the castle by taking a walking tour of Elmina. Learn about the Dutch colonial history of Elmina, the Asafo clans, Kobina Gyan, and take in the vibrancy of the city.

The entrance fee to Elmina Castle is GHS40 (~$3.50) for foreign visitors, which is used to maintain the upkeep of the castle.

6pm: Mabel’s Table

Complete a long day with a hearty meal. You can walk in and get a table at Mabel’s but call ahead if you’d like to try a bowl of a Ghanaian delicacy: fufu. Fufu is a mash of boiled plantain and cassava served in a hot soup, often with a protein. It is, like many other traditional Ghanaian dishes, eaten without silverware serving as a conduit to the mouth. Take in a beautiful view of the ocean as you eat your dinner and then take a walk on the beach as you reflect on the day. Journey back to Accra, where, after such a long journey, you may be ready to immediately retire.

IMPORTANT: Note that if you take the bus to Cape Coast from Accra, the last option to return to Accra departs at 6pm (schedules subject to change). In this case you won’t have time to go to Mabel’s Table. If you take the bus, visit Cape Coast Castle by 3pm, grab some food near the station at Becky Kay Restaurant & Bar, then immediately return by bus to Accra.

Day 4: City Lights

Oxford Street, Osu (Photo Source: Trip Advisor)

11am: Breakfast to Breakfast, Osu in the Daytime, and a Shorter Road Trip

Time sure does fly! It’s our last day. Feel free to sleep in a bit after a long day yesterday in Central Region. Whatever time you choose to start your day, Breakfast to Breakfast in Osu is a great pick for your first meal. Open 24 hours with an extensive menu of meals for all times of day, you can start whenever you’d like.

After you rev your body’s engine for the day, stroll down Oxford Street, Osu’s main thoroughfare. Now’s the best time to grab an art piece or any other souvenirs from a local artisan. Take your haul back to your accommodation then get ready to embark on a road trip. It’s advisable to hire a driver or rent a car again. If you have a fear of heights, hire the driver.

Aburi Botanical Gardens (Photo Source: Trip Advisor)

1:30pm: Aburi Botanical Gardens

Before the activities of the day, get charged up at the Aburi Botanical Gardens restaurant. We recommend that you try red red, a dish made with black-eyed peas and fried plantains. At this stage your palette has been well trained for Ghanaian food. What’s your favorite?

While Accra is a hustling-and-bustling, concrete metropolis, its environs contain multitudes of natural wonder if you venture a bit off the immediate path. Aburi Botanical Gardens is a center of horticulture located about 30 km north of the city. Established in 1890 the gardens sit on approximately 65 hectares of lush greenery.

Take a guided tour of the property and learn about the flora and fauna from sculpture carved trees to exotic birds. Depending on the time of year you are visiting (if you are going in December try to book everything), you may not need to reserve your tour in advance.

Adom Waterfalls (Photo Source: Wikimedia Foundation)

4pm: Adom Waterfalls

Running a short fifteen minute drive north of the Aburi Botanical Gardens, Adom Waterfalls make for a beautiful sight and photo opportunity. The hike of fifteen minutes from the parking lot to the falls may pose a challenge for some, but the payoff is tantalizing. Note that there’s no washroom at Adom Waterfalls, so take your bio break at the Aburi Botanical Gardens.

5:30pm: Sunset at Peduase Hill

It’s been a wonderful trip hasn’t it? Why don’t we look back where it all started? From Adom Waterfalls, drive over to Peduase Lodge and take in the illuminated view of Accra. There’s so much left to see in Ghana, but we’re constrained by time. Get ready to say goodbye to Accra and begin planning your next visit to Ghana to fill in the things you heard about outside of Accra! The view is also palpable on the drive back into the city.

Jollof Rice (Photo Source: Zena’s Kitchen)

7:30pm: East End Bistro

For your final meal, take the decision making out of the mix. Enjoy the fixed menu at East End Bistro in the swanky Cantonments neighborhood. Surrounded by embassies from all around the world, enjoy this international destination for your last night in Accra.