Ghana’s central coast is one of the most important heritage destinations in West Africa. This page describes a typical day trip from Accra to Elmina, Kakum National Park and Cape Coast, based on an archived listing. It is general information only.
The day begins with a drive west to Elmina. A walk through the old and new town may include traditional shrines, one of the oldest churches in Ghana and an eighteenth-century Dutch cemetery. The highlight is St George’s Castle, built by the Portuguese in 1482. Listings describe it as one of the two largest slave forts in the world and mention a tradition that Christopher Columbus passed through the area on his way to the New World; this tradition is not independently verified here.
Kakum protects tropical rainforest and is known for a canopy walkway of rope bridges high above the forest floor. Visitors can choose the walkway or a ground-level trail where guides explain the medicinal uses of local trees.
The last stop is Cape Coast Castle, built by the British in 1665. Guided visits cover the dungeons, the trade in enslaved people and the stories of those who passed through. The visit is sobering and often emotional.
For other Ghana ideas, see the blog roundup.
