Cape Coast Castle, Elmina Castle & Kakum National Park Tour

Kakum National Park and the canopy walkway

Kakum National Park protects a large area of tropical rainforest about half an hour north of Cape Coast, and it is one of the most visited nature sites in Ghana. The highlight is the canopy walkway, a chain of seven rope-and-plank suspension bridges strung between giant trees, hanging up to around 30 to 40 metres above the forest floor. Walking it feels like floating through the treetops, with views over an endless green canopy.

The forest shelters monkeys, rare forest elephants, antelopes and hundreds of species of birds and butterflies, although most animals stay hidden in the dense leaves. The walk takes around an hour including the short climb from the visitor centre. Bridges have safety netting and are suitable for most visitors, but they sway gently, so people with a strong fear of heights may prefer to wait below. Mornings bring the coolest air and the best birdsong.

Elmina Castle (St. George's Castle)

Elmina Castle, also called St. George's Castle, was built by the Portuguese in 1482 and is the oldest European-built structure in sub-Saharan Africa. It stands on a rocky point between the ocean and the Benya lagoon, where colourful fishing canoes crowd the harbour of the town. First a trading post for gold, it later became one of the main centres of the Transatlantic slave trade; it was taken by the Dutch in 1637 and passed to the British in the nineteenth century.

A local guide leads you through the courtyards, the governor's quarters and the dark dungeons where captive Africans were held before being forced onto ships through the Door of No Return. The visit is factual and moving, and visitors are asked to keep a quiet, respectful tone. Together with the other forts of the coast, Elmina Castle is listed by UNESCO as World Heritage.

Cape Coast Castle and its museum

Cape Coast Castle is the most visited historic site in Ghana. Its white walls and cannon-lined ramparts face the Atlantic above a beach of fishing canoes. Begun as a Swedish trading lodge in the 1650s and later rebuilt and enlarged by the British, it became the seat of the colonial administration of the Gold Coast and one of the largest slave-trading forts on the West African coast.

Inside, a museum explains the history of the coast and the slave trade with maps, objects and personal stories. A guide then takes you down into the male and female dungeons and to the Door of No Return, today a place of remembrance for visitors from across the African diaspora. The tour takes about an hour; allow time to pause on the ramparts and reflect before continuing.

Cape Coast town and the road from Accra

Cape Coast was Ghana's first capital, until the colonial government moved to Accra in 1877, and it remains a lively historic town known for its schools, Fante culture and fishing harbour. Narrow streets of old colonial buildings, churches and colourful markets surround the castle, and in the afternoon the beach fills with fishermen mending nets and pulling in canoes. Your guide shares stories of the town and its festivals as you drive through.

The journey between Accra and Cape Coast takes about three hours each way along the coastal highway, passing towns, palm groves and lagoons, with a short comfort stop. There is time to buy lunch at a local restaurant on the way, where you can try Ghanaian dishes such as jollof rice, fried plantain and grilled fish. You arrive back in Accra in the evening after a full and meaningful day.