Adventures, anecdotes and advice from three months exploring Ghana
Constructed in 1482 by the Portuguese, who called it São Jorge da Mina, Elmina Castle is the oldest existent colonial structure in Sub-Saharan Africa. It's held up beautifully throughout the centuries, but as a center for the transatlantic slave trade, much of its history is dark. We took a tour, during which we were confronted with the unthinkable conditions suffered by the prisoners, before they were shipped off to the New World.
After being "discovered" by the European colonial powers in the late 15th century, it didn't take long for the coastline of present-day Ghana to become highly coveted property... there's a reason they called it the "Gold" Coast, and nobody wanted to miss out on the early plundering. The Portuguese were first on the scene, establishing Elmina Castle in 1482 to swap their goods for the abundant precious metals of West Africa. But other forts would follow, as would other Europeans ... and other, less-honorable forms of trade.
Anas Aremeyaw Anas is an award-winning journalist who has dedicated himself to exposing the rampant corruption and malfeasance which has plagued his country for so long. Using hidden cameras, a team of dedicated investigators, and an impenetrable anonymity, Anas has "named and shamed" some of Ghana's most powerful people. The only time he's ever shown his face was in an interview with the BBC -- and it was later revealed that he had been wearing prosthetics, even for this unveiling.
It was difficult to depart from the Mole National Park after two days. But it wasn't impossible. We knew that our time with Ghana's wildlife was not yet finished. In fact, our very next excursion would bring us into even closer contact with the animals of Ghana: a visit to the Boabeng-Fiema Monkey Sanctuary, where monkeys live in absolute harmony with the community.
Within the confines of the Mole National Park, visitors have two options for accommodation: the Mole Motel or the Zaina Lodge. The names probably indicate where each falls on the "luxury" spectrum. But you probably wouldn't believe just how beautiful the Zaina Lodge is, until you step onto its grounds.
We woke up bright and early on our second day in the Mole National Park, Ghana's largest protected wildlife refuge, and moved from the Mole Motel to the Zaina Lodge: an upgrade of at least a few stars. We had booked a jeep safari in the very early morning; a time at which we hoped the animals of the park would be at their most active. We certainly wouldn't be, so it was nice to sit in the vehicle and let our driver do all the work.
Ghana is not blessed with the expansive savannahs of nations like Tanzania or South Africa, and you won't find families of gorillas hiding in its jungles, like you might in Rwanda or Uganda. But this is still a large African nation, and as such, there's plenty of amazing wildlife to be seen. The biggest and best of Ghana's numerous national parks is Mole, which occupies a sizable 5000 square kilometer chunk of the country's northwest. We spent two nights in the park.
A fascinating structure purported to be the oldest in Ghana, the famous mud mosque of Larabanga dates back to the 14th century. As it was right along our path to the Mole National Park, we couldn't avoid paying a visit. But although the mosque itself was incredible, this was one of the most irritating experiences we had in Ghana.
Having explored Ghana from south to north and back again, we completed dozens of long- and medium-length journeys, as well as innumerable short inter-city trips. In doing so, we've run the gamut of transportation options in Ghana. Here are our tips and advice for getting around the country.
To arrive at Tengzug, we arranged a private driver from Bolga Station. Although it'd be possible to get here with shared transport, this would take a long time and require a transfer in the town of Tongo -- and on this extremely hot Sunday, we had no patience for such an undertaking. So we had paid a guy take us straight to the village's gate, and wait until we were done; it was money well spent, and we'd encourage others to do the same. (Just make sure to haggle!)
