11 Day Arts and Culture Tour, Ghana

Ghana, West Africa

11 Day Arts and Culture Tour, Ghana

per person

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Tour Highlights
• Accra City Tour and Coffin Makers
• Naming Ceremony
• Accra – Kakum National Park and Elmina Castle
• Cooking Class and Batik Making
• Elmina – Kumasi
• Kumasi City Tour and Ashanti Craft Village (Kente weaving)
• Kumasi – Accra (Day at Leisure)
• Art Galleries
• Chale Wote Street Art Festival

  • Destination
  • Included
    5 Star Accommodation
    Airport Transfers
    Breakfast
    Entry Fees
    Personal Guide
1
AKWAANA - ARRIVAL

Be greeted at the airport by representatives of Landtours who will transfer you to your hotel. At your hotel, enjoy a chilled welcome drink as you are given a brief orientation.

Overnight at your hotel.

2
ACCRA CITY TOUR AND COFFIN MAKERS

After breakfast, drive through the administrative and economic districts of Ghana’s city capital. Over 137 years-old, Accra has a blend of colonial and contemporary architecture that symbolize the cultural mix of the city.

Visit the W. E. B. Dubois Centre for Pan African Culture, where Dr. Dubois (an academic and civil rights champion) spent two years working on a Pan African encyclopedia under the invitation of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah (Ghana’s first President). There you will be treated to a guided tour through Dr. DuBois’ research library.

You will also make stops at Independence/Black Star Square and Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park. The square marks the point where three ex-military men tried to present grievances to the colonial governor and were shot during a peaceful demonstration. Nkrumah Memorial Park was created to commemorate Ghana's founding father. To the east of the square you will also get a view of Osu (formerly Christiansborg) Castle, the previous seat of the Ghanaian Presidency.

Later visit the Coffin Makers Shop at Teshie (a suburb of Accra). There you will see how wood coffins are carved by hand into exquisite designs, representative of the occupation, interest or hobby of the deceased.

Overnight at your hotel. Meals Included: Breakfast

3
NAMING CEREMONY

This day will be spent in celebration by reclaiming your true African name. You will be led in a procession to the Paramount Chief’s Palace grounds where the whole village would have assembled to participate. The Paramount Chief will perform the special naming ceremony after a round of hearty welcomes and speeches.

The naming ceremony, a spiritual and memorable experience, begins with the drumming of the “frontomfrom” drums and dancing performed by local village dancers, who will also extend an invitation to the group to participate in the unique cultural dance. After the drumming and dancing, your family head and elders of your village will jointly select a name for you after a great personality in your family or community.

Overnight at your hotel. Meals Included: Breakfast

4
ACCRA - KAKUM NATIONAL PARK AND ELMINA CASTLE

After breakfast, check out of your hotel and depart early in the morning for a drive through the historic Denkyira Kingdom to Kakum National Park, one of West Africa’s surviving tropical rain forests. Extending over 360sq km, Kakum is the home to over 40 large mammals and 400 bird species as well as many species of butterflies, flora and fauna.

The most popular attraction is the Canopy walkway which is made up of seven bridges extending 330m, hanging 100 feet above the forest floor. Choose between a 2 km nature walk through this forest to discover the wide variety of exotic floral species and the medicinal values they offer or take a walk on the canopy walkway.

After lunch on your own, embark on a visit to the Elmina Castle built by the Portuguese in 1482 which is also known as St. George's Castle. This castle was the first European structure built in Sub - Saharan Africa. The colorful harbor nestled below the Elmina Castle, full of pirogues preparing to go to sea offers one of West Africa’s greatest photo opportunities.

Overnight at your hotel. Meals Included: Breakfast

5
COOKING CLASS AND BATIK MAKING

Dedicate this day to learning how to make some delicious Ghanaian dishes. In the morning, you will visit a market to purchase food stuff for your cooking class. You will learn how to bargain and how to choose the right ingredients by just looking at them. After your market visit, you can now learn how to make some traditional meals to enjoy for lunch.

Later discover the art and beauty of African batik and learn the traditional techniques of batik production, using wax and dye to create colorful patterns to make your own one of a kind fabric. Afterwards, take your handiwork home to sew into a finished product or use as a decorative piece.

Overnight at your hotel. Meals Included: Breakfast

6
ELMINA - KUMASI

After breakfast, check out of your hotel; and depart for Kumasi. Upon arrival, spend the rest of the day at leisure. Overnight at your hotel. Meals Included: Breakfast

7
KUMASI CITY TOUR AND ASHANTI CRAFT VILLAGE (KENTE WEAVING)

After breakfast, embark on a Kumasi city tour where you will visit Manhyia Palace Museum, to obtain first-hand information on the legacies of the Ashanti kingdom. A regal history that dates back to 1700 is told with relics and artefacts. Enjoy a drive through the city with monuments dedicated to the memory of the great Ashanti people. Later visit the National Cultural Center which features the Prempeh II Jubilee Museum and various studios of the brass makers, potters and batik makers.

After lunch on your own, depart for Ntonso the home of Adinkra cloth and Bonwire, the Kente weaving village. You will have an opportunity to see how African crafts are made and to buy directly from the artisans who make them.

Overnight at your hotel. Meals Included: Breakfast

8
KUMASI - ACCRA (DAY AT LEISURE)

After breakfast, check out of your hotel and depart for Accra. Spend the rest of the day at leisure. Overnight at your hotel. Meals Included: Breakfast

9
ART GALLERIES

After breakfast, visit Omanye art gallery, one of the most renowned art venues in Accra. There are three expansive floors of art displayed in cool marble galleries established by artists such as Owusu Ankomah and George Hughes, whose paintings are reminiscent of Jean Michel Basquiat and Willem De Kooning,

After lunch on your own, visit Gallery 1957, named after the year Ghana gained independence, the gallery offers contemporary art with a focus on West Africa.

Overnight at your hotel. Meals Included: Breakfast

10
CHALE WOTE STREET ART FESTIVAL

After breakfast, depart for the Chale Wote Street Art Festival. The festival includes street painting, graffiti murals, photo exhibitions, interactive installations, a food and fashion marketplace, live street performances, extreme sports, African film shows, street boxing, a fashion parade, a music block party, recyclable design workshops and much more.

Overnight at your hotel. Meals Included: Breakfast

11
DEPARTURE

After breakfast, check out of your hotel and transfer to airport for check-in and final departure back home.