Arrivals - Kotaka International Airport, Accra, Ghana

We will collect you anytime day or night.

Bring your apron, we are straight into a batik workshop with Esther. 

Batik; rich, multi-layered batik is a highly desired dress material in Ghana and our teacher’s business produces some of the best around. 

By the end of the day you’ll have printed and dyed 2 metres to take home with you and had a wonderful home cooked lunch.

Coffin viewing in the afternoon– these are not just any coffins but works of art!

We will visit the studio of the inspiring artist Tei Huagie- be prepared to be amazed.

Let's share a Welcome dinner together, tonight.

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This morning we will visit some of the hottest contemporary designers in Accra. The contemporary arts and design scene is electric, let's find the latest bright stars.

Then we head west along the coast to Kokrobitey Institute.

We will be welcomed and their vision will be explained - we are guests on campus tonight, let's settle in and relax.

Kokrobite is known for traditional sea fishing, and its white-sand beaches - let's go for a stroll together towards sunset - it will be spectacular.

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"Kokrobitey Institute is a residential learning centre committed to sustainable development by exploring traditional knowledge systems as they pertain to sustainability, education, resourceful design and social entrepreneurship.

The study of traditional Ghanaian culture offers, a near blue print, for building a sustainable future. Local Ghanaian traditions demonstrate that real literacy is not confined to the abilities to read, write and comprehend the written and spoken word. But, rather must include man’s ability to read their environment-to know what nature gives us, and what we are obliged to give it in order to secure a sustainable future."

Be ready to be stimulated in a hands-on upcycling workshop offered by the faculty.

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Heading towards the Volta Region we will visit the Nkyinkyim Installation and Museum. 

It is the creation of Ghanaian multi-disciplinary artist Kwame Akoto-Bamfo, founder of the museum and the Ancestor Project. 

Kwame Akoto-Bamfo began archiving oral history and traditions through his sculptures in 2009. The Museum is known for using griots [storytellers as guides to the museum] to unravel the history, symbolism, traditional African religion, and philosophy embodied in the sculptures.

Vume area is well known for its clay deposits and is home to a thriving pottery village, we will take a look around on our way north to Ho.

Ho is the capital of the Volta Region and is a fine place to rest for the night.

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First we will visit Tafi Abuife Kente Village is a small village known for it's Ewe Kente co-operative.

Kente is Akan People's traditional cloth worn on all important occasions. It is compsoded of numerous narrow srtips of cloth that are both colourful and encompass Adrinkra symbols that tell a story or act as talismans of positive thoughts and hopes.

Ewe Kente is known for a more subdued colour palette than the bolder Ashanti Kente.

We are heading Liati Wote. It is a village in the Volta Region of Ghana, situated at the foot of Mount Afadjato, the highest mountain in Ghana. It's also close to Tagbo Falls. The surrounding hills include Mount Aduado and the Twin Mountains.  

I am sure the Elders will tell us the story of the Twins around the camp fire tonight.

Liati Wote is a strong village supporting the ideals of eco-tourism. They have a strong recycle ethic, train village members to be guides - the area is known for hiking, and have an active Women's Development Hub.

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We invite you to an early start and join us for a walk to the beautiful Tagbo Falls. The walk takes us through cocoa, banana and red palm oil groves they merge with the tropical jungle. 

The Liati Wote eco-tourism initiative maintain the path and small bridges over the river, we will take our time and enjoy being in a luscious jungle to reach the stunning falls.

Back to the Lodge in time for breakfast.

Laiti Wote is  the type of place with time really slows down - take time to breath, refresh and be inspired.

Today we will visit The Development Hub - they work hard to develop ideas to recycle plastic waste and cloth offcuts into wallets and other items, their is a wonderful carpenter in their group. It is dedicated to being a Hub for micro businesses with education about good business practices, quality control, marketing and a shoulder to lean on.

Perhaps you would like to check out the village's extensive organic gardens - they produce hibiscus jam, red palm oil, jungle honey or visit Philomena in the kitchen- she is a fabulous cook.

Take time with Victoria to work on your Memory Quilt in the afternoon.

Laiti Wote is 

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Visit the village of Atsiekpoe, this is a small village on the banks of the Volta.

It boasts it's own health Clinic, we will spend time to walk through the dirt streets of the village, be welcomed by the community and learn how to cook Red Red Beans and Rice - a Ghanaian classic dish.

The women of the village are happy to show us how to tie a head wrap and a body wrap - important items of clothing in most of Ghanaian Rural society - great opportunity for a good giggle as well.

There is the opportunity to go boating on the Volta today.

We stay in a beautiful garden resort on the banks of Lake Volta tonight. 

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We are visiting Krobodan Women's Group, this morning. Their goal is to make poverty history for women in Africa. Their mission is to improve the lives of the disadvantaged, vulnerable and impoverished women of the rural Krobo area by providing employment opportunities.

Be ready for a warm welcome and to spend time with a group of women who will show you how to make a beautiful necklace using Ghanaian upcycled glass beads.

** If you have some good quality hand-me-down children's clothes you might like to bring them to donate to the group - they will be well appreciated.

Onto Korforidua and Oklah's Workshop. 

Oklah and his team produce glass beads from recycled glass bottles. 

If you have any empty sea-blue Bombay Sapphire Gin bottles - they make a well appreciated gift. That coloured glass is the hardest to find and makes the most sort after colour of beads. 😊

We will follow the process from glass through to strings of beads via the fiery furnace.

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Off to Kumasi today, we will visit the huge Kejetia Market in the afternoon.

Major fabric alert!! So much beautiful African Wax fabric to choose from as well as other goodies.

Adanwomase- Kente Weaving Village - Ashanti style. The Co-operative we visit is nestled in a cocoa plantation and often has beautiful cocoa butter soap for sale as well.

Adinkra Printing in Ntonso – natural dye printing of the symbols you find in weaving. Originally mostly used on funeral fabrics – the carved calabash stamps and process is interesting to experience. You'll print a length of plain kente cloth to carry good luck and positive thoughts with you.

Kumasi will be busy today as tomorrow is a festival day.

Our hotel in near the post office in town, only a short walk to the supermarket and ATM's. It's a great opportunity to explore local life in a larger town. 

Kumasi is the centre of the Ashanti Kingdom.

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This Sunday it is Akwisidea Festival – we are lucky to strike this. There will be lots to see.

The Akwasidae Festival is a significant traditional festival celebrated by the Ashanti people in Ghana, held every six weeks on a Sunday. 

• Purpose:

The festival honours the ancestors and pays homage to the Asantehene (King of the Ashanti). 

• Timing:

It is celebrated every six weeks (or every 42 days) on a Sunday, following the Akan calendar. 

• Location:

The festival takes place in Kumasi, the royal home of the Asante King, at the Manhyia Palace. 

The festival is characterized by:

Ceremonies: Elaborate rituals, including the presentation of offerings and speeches that reinforce the values and history of the Ashanti Kingdom. 

Music and Dance: Drumming, dancing, and the use of traditional instruments like ivory horns. 

Traditional Attire: The Asantehene and other chiefs are adorned in traditional regalia and symbols of power, and people often dress in traditional clothing. 

Parades: A lively parade featuring drummers, folk dancers, horn-blowers, and praise singers. 

Ashanti people are known for their love of gold - elaborate, heavy jewellery was made using lost wax techniques for many centuries.

It is still made to this day but more often the technique is applied to brass. We will visit a family workshop that makes beads, masks and small sculptures.

On the way to the coast we will visit a Women's gari and red palm oil Collective.

It is fascinating, you can only be awed by the hard work involved.

Reaching Elmina, we hope to visit one of the Asafo Company's Shrine and view their flags. This is invitation only and depends on availability of the Shrine attendants. We hope to visit. 

Asafo Shrines of the various companies (traditional Fante military units), serve as religious sites, meeting grounds, and storage spaces.

Our beautiful lodgings tonight have a fantastic view to the Castle, ocean and salt pans - sit back and relax.

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Today is about African time…taking it easy at a beach side resort, we will check out the history of the area, this coast was once the centre of the nefarious slave trade.

Cape Coast and its castle has been possessed by many European nations in its history and is a now a world Heritage site - lots to explore.

Visit Global Mamas an inspiring Fair Trade women’s business.

Time in the afternoon to sit in the garden at our hotel with Victoria and work on your memory quilt.

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Return to Accra today, time in the afternoon for last minute shopping in Osu. 

Let's celebrate our time together with a Farewell Dinner.

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Departures from Kotaka International Airport in Accra..

We will drop you to the airport to meet your flight.

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Victoria will supply a kit for your memory quilt project.

Please bring small sharp scissors [Not in carry-on luggage]

Physical Fitness for Sightseeing 

You need to have the fitness level required for our sightseeing activities.

Our itinerary involves frequent disembarking and boarding of the minibus throughout the day.

Some of the monuments and markets we will visit are extensive so you need to be capable of walking several kilometres at a gentle pace and managing occasional flights of stairs or hills.