The following update information relates to chapter 12 of the Bradt Guide to Ghana:
VOLTA region. Amedzofe was well worth visiting, and there seemed now to be more regular tro tros than there were. We stayed a in fantastic guesthouse called AKOFA Guest house (0242202855) where a double was 100-130,000 and lovely homemade cooked dinners were 35,000. Great views over the lake and a fantastic selection of moths. Also the only place where we felt cold! What a refreshing change! Hohoe has absolutely no money changing facilities whatsoever, we had to head back to Ho. Leah Dike, March 07.
Amedzofe (I have seen it spelt a few ways) – Three of our trekking groups were robbed from (cameras and money). I believe it was one of the tour guides (but no proof). Possibly visit the top of the mountain and the falls and stay elsewhere, like Mountain Paradise Lodge. www.mountainparadise-biakpa.com. Lisa, March 07.
Wli Falls definitely worth a visit and if people are up for a bit or a trek go see the upper falls too. There is a very nice wood carver at the Tourist centre who does beautiful cravings and jewellery at good prices if you have a chat to him. Wli Water Heights Hotel is a nice hotel with great food. Lisa, March 07.
One of the most memorable experiences was when I was “kidnapped” by the very insistent local guide in Gbadzeme while hiking towards Amedzofe from Fume. He showed me around the local sights in the village – a waterfall, cave and pool. The forest jaunt was among the best I did and the hospitality of the village was incredible. The local chiefs are trying to set up a tourist office much like the one in Amedzofe. They have also set up a rest house in the village, but the care-taker was gone the day I was there. I spent the night at a private home. From Amedzofe the Gbadzeme is just a short hike and well worth the detour. The authorities seem to be working on the roads in the area as well which will make travelling more easy. The local committee is trying to put the paths in the area in order (they can be a bit rugged in parts) and to set up more facilities for tourism. Carl Lilja, April ’07.
I would like to update you on developments at Kyabobo National Park, which I’m supporting as an advisor from SNV. We have been working with the park authorities on the tourism development plan. This plan should be ready by mid-2007, we have funds to implement already elements of the plan, and develop e.g. facilities or trails. At this stage, the following is/has been done: The park has started taking the standard entry fees, which is a relatively small amount of $3 dollar or so (check with other parks), camping something like $ 2.-, guiding fees like $1 per hour. At Laboum Camp there have been 3 campsites developed, with simple sanitary facilities (bucket shower and pit toilets) and water; one in a secluded former farming area, the other on a hill overlooking the valley. At the Wildlife Headquarters, 3 km out of Nkwanta but outside the park, there is a campsite/picnick site, with shower, and toilets at the office block. We are investigating the possibility of a ‘tree-hut’/bird observation platform on the Koue river, on the Togo border; this depends on the water levels in the river in the rainy season; when we worked in Kyabobo the water level was at its lowest, most of the year the river may hold sufficient water to reach the pool by boat. We are preparing local thatched huts for visitor accommodation at Laboum camp. Interesting hikes are: Laboum-Laboum falls (4 hrs in and out, steep climb; in season beautiful waterfall), Laboum-Breast Mountains (3 hrs), Koue- river walk along the border (5 hrs in and out or overnight stay at 7th crossing), Koue-Bad-legged camp-Pawa (5 hrs walk), Shiare-Kylinga (3 hrs). More-day hikes are possible, e.g. from Shiare-Kylinga entering the park, via several trails to Koue in some 3-4 days. Special interest tourism is birdwatching, more than 235 species with a number of local endemics, and cultural tourism in the fringe communities around the park. Some trails are excellent for Mountain biking; at the moment people have to bring their own bikes still. The ’satellite camps’, in the park (6) can be used for overnight stays, in the case no tents are taken for longer hikes. Porters can be arranged from local villages. Elephants are occasionally seen in the park, north of Kylinga, probably coming from Togo. Wildlife numbers have been increasing in Kyabobo, due to good management and increased patrolling. (note that ‘lions’ are locally extinct, and wildlife numbers in Togo are seriously decline due to poaching). Maps are soon available of trails and sites of the park (based on our GPS readings, prepared in a GIS). At the park Head Quarters there is a Reception where people can receive information and materials, and book their itinerary. We have had two meetings with Park authorities in Togo, regarding Fazao Malfacassa National Park, across the border from Kyabobo; KNP is 225 km2, Fazao almost 2000 km2. In future we hope to come to increased cross-border cooperation and possibilities to enter Togo from Koue; at the moment we are searching for funds from EU, IUCN or WWF; This could be a trans-frontier park in West Africa. Theo van der Sluis, May 07.
I visited the village of Shairi. The villagers inquired for a longer than usual about things like whether we had obtained a “visit authorization” from the regional government. They were quite welcoming in the end, but I had the sense that they were a little visitor weary… Jeffrey Witte, July 07.
Ademzofe: I stayed in the government resthouse. I didn’t book in advance – on arrival the caretaker was happy to open up and his daughter will prepare a delicious jollof rice dinner given a few hours notice. situated outside of the main village, the resthouse was very peaceful, with misty views over the lush countryside. Josie Prynn, Sep 07.
Wli falls: Despite it being the rainy season when I went to Wli falls, it was still possible to hike up to the upper falls, as there had not been especially heavy rainfall in the preceding days. The walk is tiring but worth it for the views and the isolated pool when you get to the end. Josie Prynn, Sep 07.
Hohoe: you don’t show Barclays Bank on the map and this bank does have an ATM, contrary to your statement. Here we stayed at the Hotel de Mork as the Taste Lodge was full, had a good room for 25Ghc and good meals in the restaurant. One night we got back late at 9.30pm but the restaurant still made us a great hot meal for 9Ghc total. The reason we got back late was because that afternoon we had gone to Liate Wote (chartered a taxi for 10Ghc) but due to no other transport being available were forced to charter a tro-tro back to Hohoe for 25Ghc! The lesson here is to get to Liate Wote as early as possible so as to stand the best chance of getting transport back to Hohoe later on. The village chief in Liate Wote was very helpful to us as well as being in charge of the Visitors Centre. Trevor Cook Mar 08.
Nkwanta – we stayed at the Hotel Kilimanjaro in a nice s/c room for 10Ghc and ate in the restaurant and had an excellent meal at good value. The manager was very helpful. Trevor Cook Mar 08.
Bimbilla: there are now a number of guest houses all of which are better than the Teachers Hostel (so we were told by an accountant who works in Bimbilla). We walked to the Teachers Hostel but found that it is now run down and with filthy toilets (my wife took one look and said “No”). The accountant mentioned above drove us to three guest houses and we eventually stayed at the Health and Happiness Hostel which is just off the main street close to where the tro-tros stop. We had a pleasant s/c room with bucket shower for 7Ghc, the meals cost 1Ghc and the manager was very helpful. There is also a very neat-looking guest house just off the road on the left as you enter Bimbilla from the south, and I believe its name begins “Jnr.” – we tried to get in here but it was full and this speaks for itself. There are other guest houses too. There are no taxis in Bimbilla. Trevor Cook Mar 08.
General comments on travelling in East Ghana: After asking advice from hotel and guest house managers, we found it best to get up at 3-4am and catch the first tro-tro out of town to our next destination. Thus we left Nkwanta at about 4.30am and got to Bimbilla about 8.30am; and the next day we left Bimbilla about 5.30am and got to Tamale, travelling via Vendi but not having to change tro-tro, about 8.50am, allowing us to go on to Bolga and get there comfortably for about 3.15pm. Thus it’s possible to cover quite a long distance in one day; taking the early tro-tro also allows one to see the local people as they start their day. Ladies should wear a head-scarf to help protect their hair from the red dust which gets everywhere. Trevor Cook Mar 08.
In Volta region, staying at Tafi Atome was a definite highlight. feeding the monkeys in the morning is excellent, and at 11.50 for room, a walk, dinner and breakfast, it is excellent value for money, strongly recommended! the walk being at sunrise also means that you can leave straight after breakfast, and get upto Wli whilst it is still cool enough to enjoy the walk to the lower falls! be wary of guides kicking rocks off the top falls though, some rocks fell metres from us in the pool at the lower falls, and then on our way back talking to some others, they told us, without prompting, that their guide had kicked 3 rocks off, exactly the number that fell near us!! In Kpando, we stayed there to take a canoe out onto Lake Volta, which the locals were more than happy to do so. it cost us 2Ghc per person, and for about 1.5 hours, this seemed value for money. The hotel we stayed at was called Cedes Guest House, opposite the junction for first class guesthouse, on that main road heading out of the town centre. at 15Ghc for a large double bed, self contained with hot shower, and exceptionally clean, it was great value, and plenty of space for 3, or 4 if one takes the floor! Steve Medley, Apr 08.
For people coming back from Togo, I would recommend coming from Kpalime in Togo to the border post at Kame, near Liote Wate falls. The journey by Moto cost the equivalent of 2.5Ghc for a 45 minute ride, and the border post was one of the most interesting I have seen, partly because it is so quiet, so they dont get to see many Obruni/Yavoo there. and it was very simple to get to the main road to pick up a tro, a fairly regular taxi picks people up (1Ghc), and then you can get to Hohoe, or to Accra very easily in any tro that comes past. Whilst I think of Hohoe, there was now an ATM there, at a Barclays bank next to the STC station. We didnt use it, but its definitely there, but if it is still the only one there, best not to rely on that being your only way of getting money. Steve Medley, Apr 08.
Latest details for Tafi Atome Monkey Sanctuary, ads reported by the GTB. The fees are as follows: Foreign adult – GH¢6.00, Foreign student – GH¢4.50P, Organised group – GH¢4.50P per person, Volunteers -GH¢4.50P per person, Ghanaian adult – GH¢3.00P, Ghanaian Student – GH¢1.80P, Ghanaian Children – GHP50. For an Organised group it’s Adults – GH¢2.50P, Students – GH¢1.50P, Primary – GHP30. Tel 020-829887 or 0244-737532, Nisha Sharma, July 08.
Updated entry for Logba Tota, by a PCV working there: Set on a steep forested slope facing Mount Gemi, the small and attractive town of Logba Tota is yet another site in eastern Ghana undergoing development as a community tourist project. The main local attraction, about 2 km from town, is the Akpom waterfall, which plunges into a pool where you can swim safely. As with most waterfalls in the Hohoe District, the volume of water is greatest during the rainy season (May-Nov). The cliff above the waterfall is riddled with deep caves that house an impressive bat colony, and are studded with stalactites and stalagmites. In fact, a stalactite and stalagmite have formed a limestone pillar, the only structure of its kind in Ghana. Other notable attractions include a sheer cliff wall stretching over 200 meters in length and an isolated hilltop called Ozomkpo (meaning Ashanti Mountain) where the Ashanti people hid their chiefs during a war in the 17th century. All attractions lie within a 45-minute radius of town, and a guided tour can be arranged for around 5 Ghana Cedis (roughly US $5) per person by going to the tourist office which is currently managed by the Tourism Management Team. Coming in a private vehicle, the 7km turn-off to Logba Tota is signposted eastwards from Logba Alakpeti on the main Ho-Hohoe road. The dirt road initially follows a valley, and is reasonably flat. After about 3km, you’ll come to a junction where you need to turn left – from here onwards the road is mostly surfaced, and very steep ad winding. Occasional shared taxis run between Logba Alakpeti and Logba Tota, but you could be in for a long wait – it might be worth paying for the extra seats to effectively charter the vehicle. If you happen to arrive on a Logba market day (every 5th day), transportation by shared tro-tro is readily available. Beth Spletter, July 08.
I have included a section in my website about Kyabobo National Park in Ghana: I spent 3 months there with Raleigh International: http://www.icord.org.uk/kyabobo.htm. Ben Ware, Aug 08.
Click here to read more about Bradt Ghana
