Accra Half-Day City Tour: Independence Square & Mausoleum

Independence monuments, a working market, and the story of Ghana's first president in five hours

A half-day city tour of Accra with a live English-speaking guide takes you through Ghana's key historical sites and cultural landmarks: Independence Square with its monuments to the independence struggle, the Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum and Museum, James Town Lighthouse, the Arts Center, and Makola Market. The tour is wheelchair accessible, suitable for all fitness levels, and includes bottled water; children from age 1 are welcome.

Step-by-step itinerary

Accra city tour highlights

• Visit Independence Square monuments
• See Asomdwe Park Memorial
• Explore Kwame Nkrumah Memorial Park
• Visit The Arts Center
• Tour James Town Lighthouse
• Shop at Makola Market

The Experience

You start at Independence Square, where your guide walks you through the monuments marking Ghana's independence struggle—the Independence Arch, Black Star Gate, and Liberation Day Monument. From there the tour moves to the Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum and Memorial Park, the final resting place of Ghana's first President and a key figure in African independence movements. The museum here holds rare artifacts from Ghana's independence era, and the guide gives you the deeper history of the sub-Saharan struggle for independence that shaped the nation.

The route also takes in Asomdwe Park, a memorial to former President J.E.A Mills, and the Arts Center, which holds the country's national culture collection. You'll see James Town Lighthouse, a stone tower with lantern and gallery that sits near the keeper's house, and finish at Makola Market in the city center—a working marketplace where vendors sell everything from car parts to fresh produce and land snails. The guide explains what you're seeing as you move through each stop, so you're learning about Accra's layout and life alongside its history.

Bottled water is included throughout the five hours. The tour is designed to fit all fitness levels and is fully wheelchair accessible, with accessible transportation and surfaces at every stop. If you're traveling with children from age 1, they're welcome; infants can sit on an adult's lap or ride in a stroller.

What’s included

• Bottled water throughout the tour.
• a live English-speaking guide at every stop.
• access to the Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum and Museum, Independence Square, Asomdwe Park, the Arts Center, James Town Lighthouse, and Makola Market.
• transportation between all stops.

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Afro Nyanka Tours

Is this one for you?Book this if you're staying without a car—the guide provides transport and navigation through Accra's landmarks, letting you cover history, monuments, and cultural sites in one five-hour outing.

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Top questions

What exactly is inside the Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum and Museum?

The Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum holds the remains of Ghana's first President and houses a museum with rare artifacts relating to Ghana's independence and the broader sub-Saharan independence movement. The guide provides in-depth history of these artifacts and the era they represent.

Does the tour include time to shop or eat at Makola Market?

Yes, Makola Market is one of the stops on the tour. It's a working marketplace in central Accra where vendors sell a wide range of goods—from car parts to fresh produce—and you'll have the chance to explore it as part of the itinerary.

I'm visiting Accra for the first time—will this tour give me a sense of the city's layout?

The tour is designed to cover a bit of almost all the important aspects of Accra: history and monuments, culture, arts, and daily life. You'll move through Independence Square, memorial parks, the Arts Center, James Town Lighthouse, and Makola Market, so you'll get a broad introduction to different parts of the city and what matters to it.

Is there transportation included, or do I need to arrange my own way to the starting point?

The tour includes transportation between the stops. Public transportation options are available nearby if you need to reach the starting point on your own, and all transportation used during the tour is wheelchair accessible.

How long is this tour, and what time of day does it run?

The tour runs for five hours. Specific start times are not listed in the tour details, so you'll want to confirm the departure time when you book.