Kingdoms of Gold - Overland Trip

Itineraries

Arrive and transfer to the hotel.

Head north to Kumasi, the historical and spiritual capital of the Ashanti kingdom. There is time to visit the lively and bustling market as well as the Ghana National Cultural Centre. (B)

We visit the Royal Palace Museum, home to amazing collections of gold jewellery worn by the Ashanti court, as well as visiting traditional Ashanti houses, famous for their unique decorations. (B)

We travel to Kakum NP, where we take a canopy walk on the suspended rope bridge - the longest and highest of its kind in the world. We then head to Cape Coast to visit the European castles left over from the days of the slave trade. (B)

Return to Accra, where we have the chance to explore Jamestown, the old quarter of the city. (B)

We cross the border into Togo and head to the capital, Lome. We visit the biggest ‘fetish market’ in West Africa, where monkey skulls, snake skins, bat wings and all the necessary ingredients for preparing magical potions can be found. (B)

We have the chance to meet a traditional healer and visit a voodoo shrine, and witness an authentic voodoo celebration. We then cross into Benin and on to Ouidah, a voodoo stronghold. (B)

We cross Lake Nokwe by boat to visit Ganvie, a wonderfully picturesque village belonging to the Tofinou people, built entirely on stilts. We then travel to Abomey, centre of a once great empire that controlled a large part of this region. While there we visit the Royal Palace, now a museum which holds ancient artefacts belonging to past kings. We spend the night in Dassa. (B)

We hike to explore local villages, home to the Yom people and consisting of round huts with conical roofs, each topped by a terracotta vase. We spend tonight in a bush camp. (BLD)

This region is considered to be one of the most authentic areas in Africa, where customs and traditions have changed little over centuries. We hike through local Somba villages and have a chance to enter some of their dwellings to learn more about their way of life. Overnight bush camping. (BLD)

Journey through the Kabye region, where we will have the chance to visit traditional artisans and craftspeople. If we are lucky we may see blacksmiths, who use stones instead of hammers to forge the iron. Evening fire dance in the village. (B)

We spend half a day hiking through virgin rainforest, meeting some of the people who live here and looking out for some of the birds and animals of the forest. (B)

We head back to Ghana and then walk to Wli waterfalls, the highest in the region, where we have time to relax before heading to our bush camp for the night. (BD)

We take a cruise on Lake Volta before visiting the traditional bead makers at Krobo. (B)

Tour ends. (B)