3-day Ghana kayaking and cultural tour: Accra to Akosombo

Three days of markets, boat cruises, kayaking and time with locals across Accra, Aburi and Akosombo

A 3-day guided tour of Ghana starting in Accra and moving through Aburi and Akosombo, where you visit markets and museums, kayak the Volta River, and spend time with locals learning about plants, history and culture. The itinerary includes the National Museum of Ghana, Makola Market, Independence Square, botanical gardens, a palm wine village, boat cruises and a safari at Shai Hills, with pickup and lunch provided each day.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Accra city tour

• Meet tour guide at starting point
• Visit National Museum of Ghana
• Explore Makola Market
• Visit Accra James Town fishing community
• Shop at Accra Art Center
• Attend drumming and dancing lessons at Bolga shop
• Visit Independence Square
• Tour Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum and Memorial Park

Day 2: Nature and Adventure tour in Aburi

• Visit Aburi town for sightseeing
• Explore Aburi Botanical Gardens
• Taste fresh palm wine at Palm Wine Village
• Visit first cocoa farm in Ghana

Day 3: Akosombo Experience

• Visit Akosombo rural areas and taste local snacks
• Boat cruise, swimming, and kayaking at Royal Senchi Resort
• Visit Adomi Bridge and Akosombo township
• Safari and hike at Shai Hills

The experience

Your guide meets you in Accra to start at the National Museum of Ghana, where the art and artifacts tell the country's history and culture. From there you move through Makola Market (where locals shop for vegetables, fruits, fresh fish and clothes), and the views from the top car park are worth the camera. You'll spend time in Accra's James Town fishing community and the art streets of Ga Mashie, then visit the Accra Art Center for handmade wooden carvings, drums and textiles. Independence Square is where Ghana's independence was declared on March 6, 1957, and Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park holds the history of how Ghana became the first African country to gain independence.

Day two takes you to Aburi, where the botanical gardens hold some of Ghana's oldest trees alongside plants and flowers the locals use for medicine. You'll learn the names and uses of what grows there, then taste fresh palm wine at the palm wine village and visit Ghana's first cocoa farm. The third day moves to Akosombo, where you try local snacks like Abolo (maize cooked with turkey meat) in the rural areas, then head to Royal Senchi Resort for boat cruises, swimming and kayaking on the Volta River. The Adomi Bridge offers views of the township and time with locals, and Shai Hills rounds out the trip with a safari where you might see antelopes, baboon monkeys and zebras, plus a hike to the caves.

Pickup and drop-off are included, as is lunch each day and fresh local snacks: coconut and fruit at the stops. All fees and taxes are covered. Your guide speaks English, Spanish, Italian, French and one additional language, and children from age 12 are welcome on the tour.

What’s included

• Pickup and drop-off from your hotel.
• lunch each day.
• fresh local snacks including coconut and fruit at the stops.
• all fees and taxes.
• a live guide in English, Spanish, Italian, French or one additional language.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 08:00, 08:30 and 09:30

Book up to3h before

AgesAdult (18 to 65 years) · Youth (12 to 16 years) · Under 12: can't be booked

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish, Spanish, French, German and Italian

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 2 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Moderate physical effortPublic transport nearbyNot recommended with heart problemsNot recommended with back problems

Operated by Oswald Ghana Tours OGT

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you're spending your first days in Ghana and want to move beyond Accra's city center. The three-day pace lets you reach the Volta River for kayaking and the botanical gardens at Aburi without rushing, and the local guide gives you time with people in each place rather than just passing through.

Top questions

What languages is the tour guided in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French, German and Italian.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (12 to 16 years). Children under 12 can't be included in the booking.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What's actually inside Makola Market that makes it worth the visit?

Makola Market is where Accra's locals shop for vegetables, fruits, fresh and dried fish, local cooking items, clothes and snails. The views from the top car park are popular with visitors for photos, and the market itself shows how the city's everyday life works.

Do I kayak on the Volta River, or is that just a boat cruise?

You kayak on the Volta River at Royal Senchi Resort on day three, along with swimming and boat cruises. The resort sits on the water and gives you time in the river itself, not just viewing it from a boat.

What plants and trees will I actually learn about at the Aburi botanical gardens?

Aburi's botanical gardens hold some of Ghana's oldest trees alongside plants and flowers that locals use for medicine. Your guide teaches you the names and botanical uses of what grows there, so you understand how the locals rely on the garden's plants.

Is there time to shop at the markets, or is it just a walk-through?

You visit Makola Market and the Accra Art Center for shopping handmade crafts, wooden carvings, drums and textiles. The itinerary includes time at the palm wine village to buy fresh fruits as well, so shopping is built into the stops.

What animals might I see on the Shai Hills safari?

Shai Hills safari includes viewing antelopes, baboon monkeys and zebras. You also hike to the caves and visit the gallery on the grounds.

How much walking and physical activity is involved across the three days?

The tour includes market walks, botanical garden strolls, a hike to caves at Shai Hills, kayaking on the Volta River and swimming. A moderate level of physical fitness is recommended, and the tour is not suitable for travelers with spinal injuries or poor cardiovascular health.