West Africa's Premier Travel Company
Building schools, protecting rainforests, having a sustainable positive impact locally.
Ghana Tours
Ghana
Population – 31,038,800
Language – English
Currency – Ghanaian cedi
Time Zone – GMT
Capital – Accra
Ghana has it all! So much to see and experience for the inquisitive traveller. Ghana’s decades of democracy, wonderfully welcoming people, stunning golden coastline, rich, colourful, vibrant culture, ethnic diversity, distinct history, tropical rainforests, rolling hills, exceptional flora and fauna and its safe friendly environment, no wonder Ghana is known as the “Gateway to Africa”.
Dive into Ghana’s rich culture and traditions during a journey through the legacies of the powerful Ashanti Empire. If heritage and history are your focus, experiencing the now silent memorials to the tragic slave trade era found across Ghana, recognised as UNESCO World Heritage sites is educative and emotional for most people. Ancient mosques and traditional Islamic communities of the drier less populated north are a stark contrast to the more developed, lush tropical climate of southern Ghana. Nature lovers will not be disappointed from walking with elephants in Mole National Park to searching for primates and pangolin in the rainforest of Kakum National Park. Birds and butterflies are in abundance and Ghana offers exceptional hiking, biking, and eco-tourism opportunities. English speaking and only a 6-hour flight from mainland Europe and much closer than Eastern and Southern Africa for visitors from America, Ghana offers the perfect African adventure.
Zoom in to see where your trip will take you in Ghana
Our tours of Ghana operate year-round, however the dry season here in Ghana is from November to April which is the most popular time to travel. Travelling during our rainy season is also not a problem and we are rarely disrupted by the rains.
Ghana Tours
Discover Ghana with Ashanti African Tours
Our Price Promise
If you receive cheaper quotes from other legitimate companies, we will try to match or improve the price for the exact same tour package offered.
See our Ghana Tours
Our small group all-inclusive scheduled tours operate year-round, alternatively we can design private customized tours for individuals, couples, families, small or large groups
Our priority is to ensure you have the best experience possible during your time touring with us
Travel Tips For Ghana
Ghana Visas
All nationalities, except Ghanaians and members of the ECOWAS community, need a visa for entry into Ghana. Visa fees and requirements often change without travel industry being notified so to ensure you have up to date information please follow the below links where you will be able to download applications and follow the process to apply for your visa.
United Kingdom applicants – www.ghanahighcommissionuk.com
United States of America applicants – www.ghanaembassydc.org
Netherlands applicants – www.ghanaembassy.nl
German applicants – www.ghanaemberlin.de
Belgium applicants – www.ghanaembassy.be
France – www.paris.embassy.gov.gh
Switzerland – www.ghanaembassy.ch
For information and links to all other Ghana Embassies, Consulates and High Commissions for visa applications and other services please follow this link – www.embassies.info/ghana
In the unlikely event there is no Ghana High Commission or Embassy in your home country to enable you to obtain a visa, we can assist in arranging a visa on arrival for you.
Ghana Weather and Climate
Ghana is crossed by the Greenwich Meridian at Tema. Daytime temperatures average around 30°c. However, there is some variation seasonally and geographically. Temperature in the mid-portion, to the south of the country ranges between 21°c – 32°c and 24 °c- 40°c in the north depending on time of the year. The warmest months are February and March and the coolest are August to early September. Seasonal changes are different from those of North America and Europe, due to its proximity to the Equator. Ghana’s temperature is reasonably consistent. The rainy season is from May to October. Most of the southern sector has two periods of rainfalls, a major one from mid-May to mid-July and a minor one from September to mid-October. The northern sector has only one, from mid-May – August. From December to mid-January, the Harmattan winds blow from the Sahara Desert, causing very dry and hazy conditions in the north. This has little or no effect on visitors.
Guest Houses and Homestays
On some of our more adventurous Eco, Wildlife, Voluntary, Educational and Cultural tours in the more remote areas, local guesthouses are used and in some unique cases village homestays. Although these are more basic than hotels in larger communities, they are comfortable, clean, and safe. Staying in these types of accommodations brings us into closer and more intimate contact with the locals, their ways of life and fascinatingly, their wonderful unity.
Equipment and Clothing
Due to the wide variety of tours we offer, this information will be forwarded upon confirmation of your booking in your pre-trip information pack.
Tipping
All our company drivers, assistants and expert local guides are employed on full time contracts with Ashanti African Tours and receive a basic salary and daily bonus when on tour. Ashanti African Tours also have a company policy to tip all local site guides and hotel staff. Therefore, if any of our clients would like to tip any of our guides, site guides, drivers, or staff at hotels we use, it is at the client’s own discretion.
Responsible Tourism
When you travel with Ashanti African Tours you can be assured that all trips are ethical and sustainable, as we put the environment and the communities at the heart of all that we do. As such, this policy draws on the criteria set out by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) and tries to recognise many of the principles within the United Nations World Tourism Organisation’s (UNWTO) Global Code of Ethics for Tourism. All Ashanti African Tours trips aim to have a positive impact on the countries, communities, and environments we visit. Our policy of operating low-impact, ethical tours allows us to create authentic, cultural connections, which not only enhances the traveller experience, but also creates economic opportunity and social development, whilst preserving local cultures for future generations. For full detailed information on our company responsible travel policy please visit the Ethical Travel page of our website.
We Offset Your Trips Carbon Footprint
We plant 3 indigenous forest tree species for every person that travels with us. The main aim for this project is carbon offsetting – guests choosing to travel with us would offset their flights to/from West Africa by more than 15 times if the trees live to their expected lifespan. This is based on projected carbon dioxide generated on a return flight for the average guest (approximately 900kg/1980 lbs). The average tropical tree can absorb approximately 48lbs of carbon per year (when mature) and in West Africa it takes 30-50 years for a tropical tree species to grow to maturity, with an average life expectancy of 200-300 years. If the trees we plant for each guest are continued to be protected, then we are confident that we will be making a big difference in carbon offsetting: 3 trees planted would each absorb approximately 10,080 lbs of carbon, totalling 30,240 lbs/13,745 kg for all 3 trees (per guest).
Travel Insurance
You must ensure that you have adequate personal insurance cover for your trip. It is a compulsory requirement for all our trips in Ghana and other African destinations and it is your responsibility to take out a suitable policy. You will not officially join our tours until evidence of your insurance has been provided to our office. This must include personal accident, medical expenses, and repatriation to your country of origin. We also strongly recommend that your policy covers cancellation, curtailment and loss of luggage and personal effects. Please note that free insurance cover offered by some credit cards does not cover repatriation expenses.
Operating License and Insurance
The following licenses and insurance policies are legal requirements to be able to accept international tourists here in Ghana. Ashanti African Tours (GH) Ltd is Ghanaian registered company and as a tour operator we are also registered with the Ghana Tourism Authority. Our operating license number is T-CR/02/20 in addition our company has public liability and professional indemnity insurance with a policy cover of $1,000,000.00 USD per claim which is the highest level of cover possible here in Ghana. It is important to be aware that if your local travel company are not insured locally here in Ghana then your international travel insurance may be invalid. In addition, all our vehicles are comprehensively insured; our guides are registered, certificated and employed on a full-time basis, in addition to our services and tour leaders being of the highest standard and trained in advanced first aid.
Hotel Accommodation
As most of our tours are customized tailor-made tours then your budget will determine the standard of accommodation at each location. Ghana has a wide range of hotels from Luxury 5-star establishments to clean and basic budget hotels. Our experienced tour planners will identify the best hotel to fit your budget in the right location. If you have booked onto one of our scheduled Ghana tours, then we usually use quality mid-range 3-star hotels when available and all with private en suite facilities and air-conditioning. In some remote locations where 3-star hotels are not available we will use the best standard alternative.
Camping
On occasions during some of our more adventurous expeditions in more remote areas, we will camp. This is not for the duration of your entire tour, but for a couple of days where accommodation is unavailable. Camping is usually on a shared basis, but single occupancy tents are available when requested. Our experienced camping team are on hand to make the experience special. All meals are cooked by our team and are usually a mixture of ample and delicious Western and salivating authentic Ghanaian dishes eaten around an open fire, the Ghanaian way for a memorable evening. Some of our permanent camps have electricity, toilet and cold shower facilities, a permanent chef and backup generator.
Immunisations and Vaccinations
You need to consult your doctor or travel clinic six to eight weeks prior to departure for extensive up to date information on foreign travel to West Africa.
Below is a guideline only:
Polio
Tetanus
Typhoid
Anti-malaria tablets (consult your chemist)
Hepatitis A
Meningitis
Yellow fever (you must carry a valid certificate with your passport)
Spending Money
The amount of spending money you will need is determined by the type of tour you have booked with us. The majority of our standard scheduled and customized tours are all-inclusive, so you only need to budget for the following: snacks, soft (not mineral water as this is always included) and alcoholic drinks and items of a personal nature. If you have booked a budget tour, then some aspects of the tour may not be included in the tour price and you will receive this information during your enquiry process.
Building schools, protecting rainforest, having a sustainable positive impact locally
Ashanti would like to think most international travellers coming to West Africa care about the locations they visit and about having a positive impact during their time here. Booking with a responsible travel company goes a long way to achieving this. Many companies state they benefit locals and conservation when they do extraordinarily little and are more focused on their profit margins. Ashanti are West Africa’s leading travel company putting their profits back into building schools, protecting wildlife, rainforest, biodiversity and connecting communities to the conservation of their environment through community development initiatives connected to eco-tourism. Click to learn more about where our profits go.