GHANA
WEST AFRICA'S FORGOTTEN EDEN
The wonderful savannahs and rainforests of this gem of a West African country are complemented by a friendly and welcoming populace, many of whom are English-speaking!
From Elmina’s old castles, lovely beaches and saltpans we travel just forty minutes inland to the magical Kakum National Park, a truly amazing place for birds and butterflies. From wide tracks and a superb canopy walkway we can watch golden Lurid Gliders and Blood Red Cymothoes sail past Lesser Spot-nosed Monkeys and Olive Colobuses. Black Bee-eaters, Emerald Cuckoo and the lovely Blue Cuckoo-Shrike are among a panoply of brilliantlycoloured birds – a profusion of Hornbills, Kingfishers, Malimbes and Sunbirds. Bobiri is home to an incredible five hundred species of butterfly including shimmering blue, green and purple Euphaedras, the stunning Lilac Beauty and the curiously named Morose Sailor!
Puddle-side mud is coloured yellow and white with abundant Pierids and Charaxes, Swordtails, Mocker and Drury’s Emperor Swallowtails, Leaf Butterfly and the magnificent Blue-banded Salamis and Blue Diadem add colour and size to the spectacle. Five thousand square kilometres of savannah at Mole National Park offer a complete contrast. Our hotel is perched on an escarpment overlooking two waterholes where Defassa Waterbuck and Kob drink and Elephants enjoy a good wallow. Park Rangers will accompany us for walks into the park giving unparalleled opportunities to get close to some of these spectacular mammals. Birdlife is prolific with Bateleurs soaring overhead while beautiful Red-throated and Carmine Bee-eaters perch on nearby branches. Violet Turacos and gorgeous Yellow-crowned Gonoleks will vie with Saddlebill Storks, Giant Kingfishers and elegant Abyssinian Rollers for our attention.
INFORMATION
Focus
Birds, Butterflies, Mammals and Reptiles.
Leaders
Walking
Very easy. Up to four or five miles on some days but usually much less, and always at a slow pace. Unlike most East and South African parks, we will be allowed to walk in the company of a ranger in Mole (and of course in Kakum too).
Included in the Price
All flights. All accommodation, transport and meals in Ghana. Entrance fees to National Parks. Services of your leaders. Please note: items of a personal nature including insurance, visas, drinks and tips, are not included.
Group Size
The minimum is 5 and the maximum is 15. Only one leader will accompany a group of 8 or less.
Accommodation
We start in the excellent Shangri-La Hotel on the outskirts of Accra. The spacious modern rooms overlook a swimming pool set amid pleasant gardens. Next is the lovely Coconut Grove Resort where seaward is a quiet beach and landward good birdwatching around the golf course. Kumasi we stay at the rather plush Royal Basin Resort, again with a swimming pool. The Mole Hotel is set atop an escarpment overlooking waterholes in the Mole National Park. The rooms are basic though comfortable. This hotel is in a most wonderful location and the variety of mammals and birds to be seen from the grounds alone is tremendous. The rooms at all the hotels are en suite with a shower and/or bath and WC, and all have air-conditioning except at Mole where the rooms have fans.
Climate
Hot and sunny! Daily maxima are around 30°C (although temperatures under the canopy in Kakum only reach 23°C). Sea breezes keep it pleasant at Elmina but it can be rather humid at Kakum. At Mole humidity is much lower.
How To Book
You will receive confirmation of your place and a detailed information pack will be dispatched to you about twelve weeks before departure. This will contain up-to-date health news. Trip reports and bird, mammal and butterfly checklists are available.
